Topeka ? Former Atty. Gen. Bob Stephan has been a key legal and political adviser to Atty. Gen. Phill Kline over the past several years.

On Friday, Stephan resigned from his duties as special assistant attorney general, citing “personal matters.”

When asked whether he supported Kline’s re-election, Stephan wouldn’t say, adding that he was concentrating his efforts on the re-election of Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger.

“About the only thing I can say is that I’m chairing Sandy Praeger’s campaign. That’s the only campaign I have focused on,” Stephan said. “I haven’t focused on the attorney general or any other race.”

Kline is locked in a bitter election contest against Paul Morrison, a Democrat who is the Johnson County district attorney.

Sherriene Jones, a spokeswoman for Kline, said Kline has appreciated Stephan’s work and expertise. She said she had no idea why Stephan resigned, and that Kline was away, attending an out-of-state funeral of a family member.

In the past, Stephan has been a vocal supporter of Kline’s, helping him transition into the attorney general’s office in 2003 and providing legal work on several high-profile issues over the past several years.

Both are Republicans. Stephan served as attorney general from 1979 to 1995.

Last year, Stephan defended Kline before the Kansas Supreme Court against contempt of court allegations leveled by abortion clinics fighting Kline’s inquisition into their medical records. The court cautioned Kline and all sides in the dispute to be careful in their public statements, but did not find him in contempt.

Earlier this year, Kline appointed Stephan to lead negotiations with nonprofit hospitals to come up with the best practices for billing and collections.

Kline also tapped Stephan to lead several other legal issues.

But the two haven’t always seen eye to eye.

In 2005, Kline said he was acting on a House-approved resolution when he sued Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to prohibit state-funded abortions. Stephan had earlier said the House resolution was meaningless because of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that a woman has a right to an abortion.

Stephan said he sent news of his resignation to Kline in a letter.

“I just mailed the letter today, and that was the end of that,” Stephan said.