Topeka ? A former Democratic state senator from Wyandotte County, who has switched to the Republican Party, said Sunday that he may run for the position again, and Republican Secretary of State-elect Kris Kobach will be the chairman of his exploratory committee.

Mark Gilstrap served in the state senate for 12 years as a Democrat. He was defeated in the 2008 Democratic Party primary by Kelly Kultala. Gilstrap then switched to the Republican Party.

On Sunday, he announced that he is forming an exploratory committee for the Republican nomination to challenge Kultala.

Gilstrap said Kobach will serve as the honorary chairman of the committee. Both are from Piper. During the recent election, Gilstrap was co-chair of Kobach’s secretary of state campaign in Wyandotte County.

The 5th Senate district covers western Wyandotte County, including Lansing and the city of Leavenworth.

Gilstrap’s announcement came two days after another Wyandotte County state senator, Chris Steineger, left the Democratic Party to become a Republican.