Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has appointed a state legislator as the next Kansas treasurer to replace Republican Ron Estes after Estes won a special congressional election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Brownback announced Tuesday that Republican State Senator Jake LaTurner of Pittsburg will serve the rest of Estes’ four-year term as treasurer. LaTurner said he will seek a full term in 2018.
Twenty-nine-year-old LaTurner has been active in Republican politics in southeast Kansas for at least a decade. He previously served on congresswoman Lynn Jenkins’ staff, was elected to the Senate in 2012 and re-elected last year.
The 60-year-old Estes was elected last week to replace former congressman Mike Pompeo in the 4th District of south-central Kansas following Pompeo’s appointment as CIA director. Estes plans to leave the treasurer’s office next week.