Topeka ? A veteran Democratic legislator from Wyandotte County is running for insurance commissioner, and she’s pledging not to take campaign contributions from the industry she wants to regulate.

Rep. Bonnie Sharp, of Kansas City, announced her plans Monday and is the second lawmaker to seek the office. Rep. Eric Carter, of Overland Park, is challenging incumbent Sandy Praeger in the Aug. 1 Republican primary.

Praeger has argued that she’s maintained a good balance between protecting consumers and trying to create a business environment attractive to insurance companies, noting that more companies are doing business since she took office in January 2003.

But Carter has questioned whether Praeger is business-friendly enough, and Sharp said she wants the commissioner’s office to emphasize helping consumers.

“As insurance commissioner, I’ll be fair to insurance companies but I will make sure insurance companies are fair to Kansans,” Sharp said.

In promising not to take industry contributions, Sharp is following two other past Democratic candidates for the office.

Kathleen Sebelius made the pledge in 1994, when she won the first of two terms as commissioner. In 2002, when Sebelius was elected governor, Democrat Jim Garner didn’t accept industry contributions but lost the race to Praeger.

Praeger and Carter both say they will take contributions from insurance companies and agents.

Sharp, 59, was first elected to the House in 1996, and she’s won re-election four times. She serves on its Insurance Committee as its ranking Democrat, and also is a member of the Appropriations Committee.