BY ANDY TAYLOR

State Rep. Jeff King, R-Independence, will have a new title in January: state senator.

The Independence lawyer was selected as the state senator-designee to replace State Sen. Derek Schmidt, who will assume the mantle of Kansas Attorney General on Jan. 10.

King was chosen to replace Schmidt at the 15th Senate District Republican Convention in Yates Center on Saturday. Three other Republicans were vying for Schmidt’s seat: Casey Lair of Neodesha; State Rep. Forrest Knox, R-Fredonia; and Jim Robinson of Williamsburg, Kan.

Only the Republican precinct delegates from the cities and counties of the 15th Senate District were allowed to vote on the 15th senate seat replacement, by virtue of the outgoing office holder — State Sen. Derek Schmidt — being a Republican. Of the 240 Republican precinct committee delegates, 231 (or 96 percent) attended the convention.

Delegates went through one round of balloting before King received the 116 delegate votes to accept the state senator designation. King received 117 delegate votes on the second ballot.

King, who has served in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2007, said he looked forward to the appointment as state senator.

“I won’t legislate any differently than I have in the past . . . other than I’m going to be spoke for more people and for a larger area of southeast Kansas,” said King, whose 12th House District area included the western area of Montgomery County, the eastern half of Chautauqua County and all of Elk County. As state senator, King will now serve a district that includes all of Montgomery County (except for Coffeyville), and the entire area of Chautauqua, Elk, Wilson, Woodson

and Allen counties as well as portion of Coffey, Anderson and Franklin counties.

King said he also anticipated working for the needs of the 15th Senate District.

“The 15th district probably has been hit the hardest economically speaking of any senate district in the state,” he said. “Our needs are profound.”

King will take the oath of office on Jan. 10 — the first day of the 2011

session of the Kansas Legislature.

Now that King has accepted the appointment of state senator for a four-year

term, King will have to resign his seat as state representative. And, that will mean that the process will have to start over again for a state representative designee.

Republican precinct committee holders in the 12th House District will meet at a Republican convention to be held prior to the start of the legislative session to pick King’s replacement.

Upon hearing of King’s selection as his successor, Schmidt said he offered his best wishes to his fellow lawmaker and Independence native.

“I have known Jeff King all his life and have served with him in the legislature for years,” said Schmidt. “He will be a respected member of the Senate and will be an effective voice for the needs and interests of the 15th District. I care deeply about the district I have had the honor to represent for the past 10 years, and I look forward to working closely with Jeff during the transition. Our district will be in good hands.”