Two Douglas County Republicans are ready to campaign for the right to finish the two years remaining in Sandy Praeger’s state Senate term.

Praeger was elected state insurance commissioner Tuesday.

Rep. Tom Sloan and Mark Buhler, a former Douglas County Commissioner and partner in Stephens Real Estate, both said they wanted to represent the Lawrence area in the Kansas Senate.

Don Johnston, chairman of the Douglas County Republican Party, said precinct committeemen will gather for a special election within 10 days after Praeger officially resigns her Senate seat.

Praeger said Tuesday that she may not resign her seat until she’s sworn in as insurance commissioner, otherwise she would be removed from the state health insurance plan.

“As state insurance commissioner, that wouldn’t be a very smart thing to do,” she said.

Sloan coasted to an easy victory in his bid for a fifth term in the state House Tuesday. His only opponent was Jeffrey Watts, a Libertarian.

“The personal relationships and the knowledge of issues and budgets I have will serve our community much better than someone who is trying to learn who, what and where,” Sloan said.

Buhler, who served on the Douglas County Commission from 1990 to 1998, said keeping Sloan in the House would preserve his seniority there.

“I think the world of Tom Sloan,” Buhler said. “My perfect world, and it’s a bit selfish, is to keep his leadership in the House.”

Johnston said both candidates seem to think they have enough support to win the seat.

“I have no magic crystal ball to tell us the answer,” he said. “We’ll know the answer when it comes.”