Derek Schmidt, who has represented Allen County in the Kansas Senate for the past 10 years, formally filed Wednesday as a candidate for attorney general.
Schmidt had announced in September his intention to seek the office.
Schmidt, 42, worked as a former assistant Kansas attorney general and current city prosecutor. He also served as special counsel to former Gov. Bill Graves and to U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. He also served on the staff of former U.S. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas.
Schmidt has been elected to the Kansas Senate three times and twice been elected majority leader.
He’ll face Junction City prosecutor Ralph DeZago in the Republican primary in August. The incumbent, Democrat Steve Six, filed last week.
Schmidt seeks state AG position
