Salina ? A Kansas state representative whose district includes Salina says the condominium he owns in Lawrence is simply a place for him to stay while the Legislature is in session, and his full-time residence is at his sister’s home in Salina.

J.R. Claeys, a 36-year-old consultant for nonprofit agencies, lists his sister’s home as his address on his driver’s license, The Salina Journal reported. He also has photos of mail that have his name and the Salina address on them.

But the Republican, who is seeking a second two-year term in the Kansas House, declined to take a reporter inside to show that he actually lives there.

“I’m not going to be held to a different level of scrutiny than everybody else is,” Claeys said. “It’s nobody’s business.”

He blames his opponent, Democrat Gary Swartzendruber, for raising questions about his residency. Swartzendruber also ran against Claeys in the previous election.

“Gary will say or do anything to get elected,” Claeys said. “In the last election, Gary said I lived in Hays. He has serious issues with the truth.”

Swartzendruber denied that, and added that his problem with Claeys is “the backward movement when it comes to funding education, stripping away finances and benefits from Medicaid, spending nearly $1 billion to privatize Medicaid.”

“I think everybody knows he lives in Lawrence,” Swartzendruber said.

Claeys confirmed that he owns property at Bella Sera Condominiums and lives there during legislative sessions. He said the apartment is one of several properties he bought as “unfinished shells” out of foreclosure.

The Douglas County appraiser lists Claeys’ condo as being valued for tax purposes at $433,400. Former Salina resident Mary Jo Heath lives in the same Lawrence complex.

“J.R. has a two-car garage and a stall for his boat,” she said. “He votes on issues that come up in the Bella Sera Homeowners Association.”

There are personal reasons that he lives with his sister, her husband and their three children in Salina, Claeys said, but he declined to discuss them with the Journal.

He said he was born and raised in Salina, where his parents, J.B. and Judy Claeys, still live. If he lived with his parents, he would be in the 71st District, which is represented by Diana Dierks, also a Republican.

Claeys said his opponents are fishing for something to sway voters.

“This is a group of people who don’t want to see me elected to office, because of the issues,” he said. “They can’t win on the issues, so this is what they resort to.”