Cowley County Attorney Chris Smith will switch parties and file to run for district court judge as a Republican.
Smith told NewsCow he would switch party affiliation ? he’s won two terms as county attorney as a Democrat ? Monday morning and then drive to Topeka to file for the judgeship with the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.
Switching parties lets Smith avoid facing fellow Democrat Mark Krusor in the August primary. Krusor is an active member with the local party and his wife, Teresa Krusor, is vice chair of the Kansas Democratic Party.
Smith has acknowledged that Krusor would be a formidable opponent, especially in a primary.
Smith is about a year-and-a-half into a four-year term as county attorney.
With Smith’s filing, five local attorneys will have filed for the judgeship. Ark City’s Bert Wilson ? an area attorney who once served as counsel to the county commission ? filed on Friday as a Republican.
Wilson and Smith will join Rod Iverson and Bill Muret as candidates in the GOP primary. Krusor so far has no primary opponent. All are running for a seat being vacated by J. Michael Smith, who is retiring at the end of his term.
