State Rep. Kenny Titus is seeking a new position in the Kansas Legislature this fall.
The Manhattan Republican, representing the 51st district, announced on Friday his candidacy for the 18th district Senate seat, just hours after Sen. Kristen O’Shea (R-Topeka) announced on the Senate floor she would not be seeking re-election.
The re-drawn legislative maps, which take effect in 2025, show the 18th district, will include all of Pottawatomie County, making Titus eligible to seek the office. The Senate district also encompasses parts of Shawnee and Jefferson counties.
In a Friday statement, Titus, who is in his first term in the Kansas House, touted his ability to work across party lines to solve some of the state’s most pressing issues.
“The last session showed everyone how important it is for the House and Senate to work
together to deliver tax cuts, promote government accountability, protect constitutional
rights, and deliver needed relief to families,” he said. “My experience makes me ideally positioned
to work across the rotunda and help Kansans.”
Titus currently sits on the House Water, Corrections and Judiciary Committees and last year was part of a handful of lawmakers who helped oversee two historic water bills that provide long-term funding for the State Water Plan, increase groundwater conservation in the rapidly declining Ogallala Aquifer and create infrastructure funding sources for rural communities.
Prior to his legislative career, Titus worked at the Kansas Department of Agriculture as Chief Counsel for six years and also has experience in the Kansas Office of the Attorney General and Kansas Department of Transportation.
Titus was elected to the House in 2022, succeeding Ron Highland, who held the position for.a decade before retiring. There are currently no candidates who have filed for the 51st district seat.
