Topeka ? Lawrence’s hometown candidate won.

Republican Sandy Praeger, a state senator from Lawrence, defeated Democrat Jim Garner Tuesday in the election for state insurance commissioner.

“I think we had an important message,” Praeger said, claiming victory. “I do believe a good competitive marketplace will do more for Kansas consumers than any artificial regulation. A competitive marketplace is what we lack, and we’ll work to bring some of those (insurance) companies back.”

The former Lawrence mayor was beating Garner, 58 percent to 42 percent with 62 percent of the precincts reporting. She succeeds Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, who declined a re-election bid in favor of the governor’s race.

Praeger, 57, overcame Garner’s criticism of her practice of accepting campaign contributions from insurance companies the department regulates. She said it would be unfair to decline those contributions while accepting money from other parties such as trial lawyers, hospitals and doctors that would also be affected by her decisions.

“All of us who know Sandy know how illegitimate they were,” said Kansas GOP Party chairman Mark Parkinson, referring to Garner’s accusations.

Garner conceded the race about 9:30 p.m. He said he called Praeger and wished her well and congratulated her.

“I just think the state would be better off if insurance money were not involved in the insurance commissioner’s race. It will always raise questions. It is past time that we make it the law that insurance companies cannot contribute to the insurance commissioner’s race,” Garner said.

After hugging her son J.D., left, Sandy Praeger, right, heads to the podium at a Republican party gathering in Topeka, following the announcement she had won the office of state Insurance Commissioner. Praeger and her husband Mark, center, live in Lawrence.

Praeger said she wanted to increase the availability of health insurance and try to get more children on Healthwave, the insurance program for children in low-income families.

Praeger also said she was concerned about the decreasing availability of malpractice insurance for doctors, and that it may be time for the Legislature to consider reforms that would limit some damages in lawsuits.

She’ll also have to deal with the proposed purchase of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas by Anthem Insurance Cos. Inc. of Indiana.

Sebelius rejected the proposal earlier this year, saying that if Blue Cross were absorbed by the for-profit Anthem, it would increase costs to policy holders. The insurance companies denied the claim, appealed and won a decision in state district court. Sebelius has appealed that decision to the Kansas Supreme Court.

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Praeger has said she would continue to pursue that appeal.

Praeger showed strong in her home county. With the final tally reported she had 58 percent of the vote to Garner’s 42 percent.