In this file photo from Feb. 21, 2017, House Democratic Leader Jim Ward, of Wichita, confers with other Democrats during floor debate at the Statehouse in Topeka.

Topeka ? Kansas House Minority Leader Jim Ward, of Wichita, announced Saturday that he would seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018.

“I’m running to move Kansas forward,” Ward said during an interview with the Journal-World before his official announcement. “To build on the progress that we had last year and this legislative session, to move us forward, to return fiscal responsibility, to grow our economy and to build jobs. Good schools, safe streets, bridges and roads.”

Ward, 59, is an attorney in Wichita who has served in the House since 2003. Before that, he served a partial term in the Kansas Senate from 1991 to 1993.

In this January 2016 file photo, Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, and Secretary of State Kris Kobach square off during a panel discussion before the Kansas Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights about the impact that the strict voting laws Kobach championed in 2011 are having on voting rights in Kansas.

He won the race for minority leader last year by a single vote over the previous leader, Rep. Tom Burroughs, of Kansas City, Kan., following an election in which Democrats gained 12 seats in the House.

Ward has been an outspoken critic of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. He also has been a harsh critic of Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is running for governor on the Republican side.

During the 2017 session, he was instrumental in forging a coalition between House Democrats and moderate Republicans in overriding a Brownback veto of a bill that reversed many of the tax cuts Brownback championed in 2012, to increase funding for public schools, and to exempt publicly owned health care facilities from a new mandate to allow people to carry concealed firearms in those buildings.

He was not successful, though, in repealing that same concealed-carry mandate for college and university campuses. He also was unsuccessful in overriding Brownback’s veto of a bill to expand KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program, as allowed under the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Ward’s announcement means there is now a four-way contest for the Democratic nomination for governor. Carl Brewer, a former Wichita mayor, Josh Svaty, a former legislator and state secretary of agriculture from Ellsworth, and Arden Andersen, a doctor and U.S. Air Force reservist from Olathe, have also announced that they are running.

It has been several years since there was serious competition among Democrats in a gubernatorial race, but Ward said he thinks it could be healthy for the party.

“If we run an adult campaign based on our ideas and how we contrast with Republicans, it can be hugely beneficial in generating energy and raising the profile of our issues,” Ward said. “Particularly in contrast to the food fight Republicans are going to have on their side. If you watch what’s going on in the lead-up, it’s similar to what they did in the presidential primary last year. And I think that can be hugely positive for us.”

On the other hand, he continued, “If we go the food fight route, it could make a challenge. Not impossible, but a challenge.”

Besides Kobach, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer has announced he will seek the GOP nomination as well. In fact, Colyer will likely be running as the incumbent because he is set to take over as governor later this year, assuming Brownback is confirmed for his nomination to a diplomatic post in President Donald Trump’s administration.

Other announced GOP candidates include Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, former Sen. Jim Barnett, former Rep. Ed O’Malley, Wichita businessman Willis “Wink” Hartman, and Leawood businessman Patrick Kucera.

Wichita resident Christopher Rockhold, a Libertarian, indicated in January that he would run for the race. He later entered the special election for the 4th District congressional seat, losing to Republican Ron Estes, but is still listed as having formed a gubernatorial campaign committee.

Richard Kloos, of Berryton, pastor of the Zealous Church in Topeka, has announced he will run as an independent.