Four area residents have thrown their hat into the ring for a Kansas House of Representative seat that will soon be vacated by State Rep. Jeff King, R-Independence.

King was recently selected to replace State Sen. Derek Schmidt, R-Independence. Schmidt was elected in November to a four-year term as Kansas Attorney General.

King represents the 12th House District, which includes the eastern half of Chautauqua County, all of Elk County, and a large area of western and northern Montgomery County, including the cities of Independence, Sycamore and Elk City. Independence, Louisburg, Rutland, West Cherry and Sycamore townships also are included in the district.

By virtue of King being a Republican, only the Republican Party precinct committeemen and committeewomen will pick a replacement for King’s state house seat. The committeemen and committeewomen will meet on Saturday, Jan. 8 at the Independence Civic Center to choose King’s replacement.

The four Republican candidates seeking King’s state house seat include Tony Fowler, outgoing Montgomery County commissioner, of Independence; Tim Holloway of Independence; Ben Seel, a political science instructor at Independence Community College, of Independence; and Rex Crowell, a former state legislator from Longton, Kan.

More details about the Jan. 8 Republican convention in Independence will be printed in next week’s Montgomery County Chronicle.