Mark Buhler, a former Douglas County commissioner, won a narrow election Tuesday to serve the remaining two years of a soon-to-be-vacated seat in the Kansas Senate.

Buhler survived a three-way race among county Republicans to fill the vacancy that will created Jan. 12, when state Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, resigns her 2nd District seat. Praeger will be sworn in a day later as state insurance commissioner.

Choosing her replacement Tuesday night were members of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee representing precincts in Praeger’s 2nd District, which covers northern Douglas County, including virtually all of Lawrence and Eudora.

To win, a candidate needed a majority of votes from the 93 committee members who received ballots at the “convention” at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds. Of those, 91 cast ballots.

Buhler snared 47 votes, the minimum necessary for victory. Incumbent state Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, drew 39 votes, followed by pro-life candidate John Watkins with five.

“We had two well-respected candidates running for office,” said Chris Miller, committee chairman, in referring to Buhler and Sloan. “The party really couldn’t lose.”

Added Marty Kennedy, a precinct committeeman and Lawrence city commissioner: “It’s great. We’ll have some new vision coming to the Republican Party in this seat.”

Buhler said he wouldn’t make any promises as he prepared to move into the Senate, where his uncle, Glee Smith, once served as president. Instead, Buhler said he wanted to take the time to listen, learn the issues and report back honestly to his 70,000 new constituents from among his 39 new colleagues.

“They’ll look at me as a greenhorn, but I won’t be for long,” he said.

Buhler isn’t anxious to bite into the state’s $310 million budget shortfall – “that’s a cake I didn’t bake,” he said – but realizes its pain is being felt throughout the state, including the county he represented as a commissioner for eight years during the 1990s.

The county is set to lose $1.8 million in state funds next year, and commissioners are struggling to fill the hole by considering layoffs, service cuts and possibly a tax increase for 2004.

Mark Buhler addresses Republican Central Committee members voting on a replacement for State Sen. Sandy Praeger, who will become state insurance commissioner in January. Buhler won the election during a special meeting Tuesday at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Buhler said he couldn’t see how the state could avoid a tax increase of its own.

“We’ve got many troubles,” he said. “Like most families, we’ll figure it out.”

Sloan, elected in November to his fifth term in the Kansas House, isn’t giving up his campaign for the Senate. He said he would run against Buhler in 2004.

“I believe the majority of Lawrence and Douglas County residents believe I will represent the community better and more effectively,” said Sloan, who worked as chief of staff for then-Senate President Bob Talkington before seeking election to the House.

¢ 6News video: Buhler to take Praegers seat¢ Two to vie for Senate vacancy (11-06-02)

Buhler isn’t fazed.

“I’ll do my best, just as I did this time,” Buhler said. “If Tom feels destined for this job, then we’ll just settle it at the ballot box. I’ve got a lot of respect for Tom, but if he wants this job next year or in two years, he’ll have to come through me to get it.”