State Rep. Alicia Straub (R-Ellinwood) defeated incumbent State Sen. Mary Jo Taylor to capture the Kansas State Senate District 33 Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary.

As of press time Tuesday night, Straub held 60.9% of the vote, or 7,506 votes with 123 of 187 precincts, or 65.8%, reporting, with Taylor holding 39.1%, or 4,817 votes.

Straub will move on to general election in November, where she will run unopposed, with no democratic candidates having filed for the seat. 

Unofficially in Barton County, with 5,209 votes cast, Straub received 3,654 votes, or 70.1%, while Taylor received 1,555 votes, or 29.9%.

The Great Bend Tribune was unable to reach Straub for comment as of press time Tuesday night. Taylor declined to comment until the race was officially called.

District 33 covers all or part of 12 counties in western and central Kansas. It extends west to Scott County, east to portions of Rice County, south to Pratt and Kiowa counties, and north to the Barton County line.

Taylor, the incumbent in the race, was first elected to the seat in 2016. Prior to being elected to the seat, she worked as a principal and superintendent with the Stafford USD 349 school district.

Straub has held the Kansas House District 113 seat since March 2019, when the Republican Precinct Committee appointed her to fill the seat left vacant with the passing of Greg Lewis. Prior to holding that office, Straub served on served as Chairwoman on the Barton County Commission.