photo by: Ashley Hocking

Mike Amyx, a Democratic candidate for representative of the 45th District of Kansas, speaks to a crowd at the Democratic election night watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 at Maceli’s.

Democrat Mike Amyx, a former Lawrence mayor and city commissioner, began a new chapter in his political career Tuesday with his election to the Kansas House of Representatives.

Amyx led throughout the night in the contest against Republican Cynthia Smith, winning with just less than 70 percent of the vote. With all of the district’s precincts reporting and most of the race’s advance ballots counted, Amyx had 9,560 votes to 4,125 for Smith, a lawyer who represented clients in the Statehouse.

With the victory, Amyx flipped the 45th District from red to blue and will succeed retiring Republican Tom Sloan, who has represented the west Lawrence and western Douglas County district for 24 years.

The 65-year-old Amyx, who served 18 years on the Lawrence City Commission and five years on the Douglas County Commission, said district voters sent him to Topeka on the basis of his record in his local leadership positions.

Amyx won’t be sworn in until January, but he said he’s not waiting to start working for the district. On Thursday, Amyx said he’ll be going to the Joint Legislative Transportation Vision Task Force meeting in Olathe to advocate for expanding the west leg of Kansas Highway 10 to four lanes and keeping it free of tolls.

“That has to be a priority with keeping access on the north end to Farmer’s Turnpike for the people of Lecompton,” he said. “That is my priority with funding education and ensuring access to quality water for Lawrence. I’m really excited about the opportunity to serve the people of the district in Topeka.”