TOPEKA — House Speaker Ron Ryckman confirmed Monday he would not seek reelection, along with nearly a dozen other representatives who announced plans to step away from the Legislature.
The decision confirmed speculation the Olathe Republican would not run again. Ryckman was first elected to the House in 2012 and served an unprecedented three terms as speaker.
While Ryckman did not say what would come next, he did tell reporters he wouldn’t be running alongside Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the presumptive Republican nominee for governor, as his lieutenant governor. In his farewell speech, Ryckman said serving three terms as speaker and the work accomplished during that time were an honor he would cherish.
