photo by: Associated Press

In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015 file photo, Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab speaks at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/Nicholas Clayton, file)

Lawrence resident Brian McClendon now knows his opponent in the November race for Kansas Secretary of State.

Republican Scott Schwab declared victory around 11 p.m. Tuesday night and immediately began campaigning against McClendon’s California connections.

“Our opponent is a Democrat who has been a conduit for California money to invest in Kansas elections,” Schwab said of McClendon, who grew up in Lawrence but became a high-tech executive in California before coming back to the state. “I think every Kansan should be deeply concerned.”

McClendon, who was an executive with Google and Uber, has raised more than $500,000 in campaign contributions, including $150,000 of his own money and substantial contributions from other industry executives in California.

Schwab declared victory after polls showed him with about 36 percent of the vote in a five-way primary to succeed Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who did not seek re-election because he decided to run for governor. With about 80 percent of precincts reporting, Schwab had about 80,000 votes, compared to about 49,000 votes for his next closest challenger, Randy Duncan.

Schwab is an Olathe Republican who represents the 49th House District in Johnson County. He is the father of Caleb Schwab, who was killed two years ago in an amusement ride accident at Schlitterbahn water park, an incident that gained national attention.

Results for the race as of about 11:15 p.m. were:

Schwab: 81,035 (36 percent)

Duncan: 49,845 (22 percent)

Dennis Taylor: 49,665 (22 percent)

Craig McCullah: 27,798 (12 percent)

Keith Esau: 20,138 (9 percent)