A legislative veteran and a former Douglas County commissioner may be vying for Republican state Sen. Sandy Praeger’s position should she be successful in her bid for state insurance commissioner.

Rep. Tom Sloan and Mark Buhler, a partner in Stephens Real Estate Inc., both say they want the Republican Party nod to fill the two remaining years of Praeger’s term if she is elected in November to the statewide post.

Sloan has been a legislator for the past eight years and currently serves as vice chairman of the House Utilities Committee.

Buhler was a county commissioner from 1990 to 1998 and served for five years on the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission.

Praeger is the only candidate who has filed to become the next insurance commissioner. Bryan Riley, a Wichita insurance salesman, has said he intends to oppose Praeger in the GOP primary. Walker Hendrix of Lawrence, the head of a state agency that represents consumers in utility cases, has said he is considering a run. No Democrats have announced intention to enter the race.

If Praeger wins the insurance commissioner’s post, her replacement will be selected by Republican precinct committee members in the state senate district shortly after the Nov. 5 election. Douglas County Republican Party Chairman Don Johnston said he had heard Sloan and Buhler mentioned as people interested in taking Praeger’s place.

Buhler said his interest in the position stemmed from his disappointment in the 2002 legislative session that just concluded. Lawmakers took a record 106 days before passing a $252 million tax increase that many officials say will still fail to balance the budget.

Buhler said lawmakers should have realized “from the first day of the session” that taxes would have to be raised because of slumping revenue.

“It was embarrassing and disappointing,” that the Legislature took so long, he said. “That’s not the way to run a business or a state. I would love to be a part of trying to make that better.”

Sloan, who supported the tax increases, said he would be the best person to fill Praeger’s slot because of his knowledge of the legislative process and the players.

“My experience will matter as the state continues to face financial difficulties,” Sloan said. He said he personally knew all the major gubernatorial candidates, so no matter who wins, he will have had a previous working relationship with that person.

Buhler said Sloan had worked hard, but that Sloan did not live in Praeger’s district. “That’s for the Republican Central Committee to decide what that means,” he said.

Sloan said it shouldn’t mean that much because if he gets the job, he plans to rent an apartment in the district. He already has an arrangement to rent the apartment, he said. And two years down the road, under the new state Senate redistricting plan, Sloan’s current residence on Highway 40 will be in the new district.

“For eight years, I have served all of Lawrence and Douglas County to the best of my ability,” he said.