TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kris Kobach has picked Wichita businessman and former Republican rival Wink Hartman as his running mate in his campaign for Kansas governor.
photo by NADYA FAULX / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
The secretary of state announced Hartman’s selection Wednesday as he kicked off a four-city bus tour in Topeka. Kobach said as lieutenant governor, Hartman would function like a corporate chief operating officer and audit state agencies.
Hartman owns a family of oil industry companies. Kobach is a Topeka native and Hartman’s pick balances Kobach’s ticket geographically.
It’s also likely to help Kobach in financing his campaign.
Hartman and three companies tied to him loaned his campaign for the GOP nomination nearly $1.7 million before Hartman dropped out of the race last month. The two said there’s been no decision on how much Hartman will contribute to the ticket.