Topeka ? And then there were four.

Senate President Dave Kerr declared Tuesday that he is running for governor. He joins fellow Republicans Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, Wichita Mayor Bob Knight and Dan Bloom, a former Eudora school superintendent.

“I want to be the next governor because I have the background, the experience and temperament and the integrity to meet the challenges of these serious times,” Kerr said.

Kerr, 57, made a series of stops announcing his bid, starting with an event the board of education office in his hometown of Hutchinson. Other stops were set for the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University and Topeka High School.

His decision comes with two weeks left until the June 10 filing deadline for statewide offices. Party officials have said that after Kerr announced his plans, the field for the Aug. 6 primary would be set.

State GOP Chairman Mark Parkinson said the field is now set and he does not expect anyone else to declare.

“Dave has shown great leadership as president of the Senate and is a terrific addition the list of strong candidates for the governor’s race,” Parkinson said.

Kerr cited his leadership in guiding the 40-member Senate through a series of votes “to save our schools.” Legislators increased state aid $20 per pupil, raising it to $3,890, when earlier proposals called for cuts of more than $300 per pupil.

“I think that was an example of a real solution requiring real leadership,” Kerr said.

Kerr was first elected to the Senate in 1984, running on a pro-education, economic development platform. He served as chairman of the Senate’s Education Committee and Ways and Means Committee before being elected president before the 2001 session.

He chose the location in Wichita to show his support for education and improving the economy. During the 2002 session, legislators approved $120 million in bonds for new research centers at state universities, including one to enhance aviation research.

Another $13 million in bonds would be used at the aviation institute for improvements, including a crash testing lab and a tunnel for testing the effects of ice on aircraft wings.

Kerr said he would make an extensive statewide tour next week to file for office and announce his running mate. The three other GOP hopefuls have filed and chosen their lieutenant governor candidates.

Shallenburger is paired with former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end and Overland Park businessman David Lindstrom, while Knight is teamed with House Speaker Kent Glasscock. Bloom has picked his son, Eric, a senior at the University of Kansas.

Parkinson said some Republicans had been concerned that the party’s field would be filled with unknowns or weak candidates.

“That hasn’t been the case,” Parkinson said. “We have a statewide officeholder, the mayor the state’s largest city and the president of the Senate. I feel very good about our chances.”

Glasscock abandoned his gubernatorial bid last fall to become Attorney General Carla Stovall’s running mate. She later dropped out of the race.

Glasscock joined Knight’s campaign last week after the conclusion of the 2002 session, which lasted a record 106 days. Both Kerr and Glasscock delayed any campaign announcements until legislators finished trying to close a hole in the state’s $4.4 billion budget.

Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius is the only announced Democrat in the race.