Scott Schwab

Scott Schwab
Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 9, 2017
Preceded by Peggy Mast
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
from the 49th district
Assumed office
January 12, 2009
Preceded by Benjamin Hodge
In office
January 13, 2003 – January 8, 2007
Preceded by David Wilson
Succeeded by Benjamin Hodge
Personal details
Born Scott Joseph Schwab
(1972-07-09) July 9, 1972
Great Bend, Kansas, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Michele
Children 4 (1 deceased)
Education Fort Hays State University (BA)

Scott Joseph Schwab (born July 9, 1972) is a Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 49th district. He gained national attention when his son was killed in an accident on the Verrückt water slide. He is the Republican nominee in the 2018 Kansas Secretary of State election.[1][2]

Career

Schwab has worked as a marketing consultant, and has a BA from Fort Hays State University.[3]

Campaigns

Schwab began serving as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives in June 2003. In 2004 he won the primary in the safe Republican district with 69.1% of the vote, against Shannon Giles.[4]

In 2006, he chose to run in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District, a seat held at that time by four-term Democratic incumbent, Dennis Moore. Schwab faced banker Chuck Ahner of Overland Park, Thomas Scherer of Merriam and Paul Showen of Shawnee.[5] Ahner won the 3rd District primary with 51.9% to Schwab's 32.5% of the vote. Benjamin B. Hodge won the Republican primary for the District 49 seat with 52.7% of the vote, and succeeded Schwab in the state House.[6]

In 2008, Schwab ran again for his old 49th District seat, was unopposed in the primary, and defeated Democrat Kristi Boone in the general election.[7] He has since continued to hold the seat.[8]

In 2017, Schwab announced that he would be a candidate for Kansas Secretary of State in the 2018 primary. He said he was not interested in rolling back standards crafted by current Secretary Kris Kobach, but that his experience as House Speaker pro tem and chairing the Elections and Insurance committees helped qualify him for the position.[9]

Committee membership

  • Elections (Vice Chair)
  • Commerce and Labor
  • Health and Human Services
  • Aging and Long Term Care

Major donors

The top 5 donors to Schwab's 2008 campaign:[10]

  • 1. Kansas Bankers Assoc $1,000
  • 2. Koch Industries $1,000
  • 3. Kansas Medical Society $750
  • 4. Kansas Contractors Assoc $650
  • 5. John Lewis $500

Political positions

Regarding gay issues, Schwab believes being gay is a "lifestyle choice."[11] He is against same-sex marriage and describes himself as pro-life.[12] Schwab opposes legalization of medical marijuana, saying "this would be an attempt to legalize marijuana. It has no benefit for pain management. All it does is make you crave another bag of chips."[13]

In 2014, Schwab lost the Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsement and contributions when he refused to support repeal of renewable energy standards, saying no business had publicly advocated repeal. Koch Industries lobbyist Jonathan Small told him they opposed the standards. He told Small that legislators, "... needed some Kansas businesses to advocate it, because right now it looked as an anti-business vote. He told me at the time only Koch wanted the measure. I recommended that Koch testify then. Jon said if they did that, people would not like them. My response was that people don't like them anyway, so just be honest."[14]

Personal life

Schwab's 10-year-old son, Caleb, was decapitated on August 7, 2016, in an accident on the Verrückt water slide at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City waterpark.[15][16] The family received a reported $20 million settlement. In March 2018, Schlitterbahn and three current or former employees were indicted by the Kansas Attorney General on charges related to Caleb's death.[17][18] Schwab and his wife, Michele, have three living children.

References

  1. ↑ McCoy, Donald R. (February 2000). Landon, Alfred Mossman (1887-1987), governor of Kansas and Republican presidential nominee. American National Biography Online. Oxford University Press.
  2. ↑ "Scott Schwab of Olathe wins Republican vote to replace Kobach as secretary of state". kansascity. Retrieved 2018-08-18.
  3. ↑ "Scott Schwab's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  4. ↑ 2004 Primary Official Results, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  5. ↑ August ballot lineups are decided, Lawrence Journal World, June 13, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  6. ↑ 2006 Primary Official Results, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ 2008 Election Official Vote Totals, Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Scott Schwab, R-49th". KanFocus. Contact Information. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  9. ↑ Kansas Rep Scott Schwab enters Secretary of State race, KAKE-TV, October 4, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Schwab, Scott". Follow the Money. 2008 Campaign Contributions. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  11. ↑ Carpenter, Tim (March 29, 2014). "Kansas shying from spotlight in gay-marriage drama". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  12. ↑ Scott Schwab’s political stances on social issues, I Side With. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Medical Marijuana: Kansas". MedicalMarijuanaBlog.com. June 14, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  14. ↑ Rep: Koch using Kansas Chamber to retaliate on renewable energy, The Topeka Capital-Journal, Andy Marso, June 16, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  15. ↑ Calvo, Amanda; Chan, Melissa (August 9, 2016). "What We Know About the Young Boy Decapitated on the World's Tallest Water Slide". TIME.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  16. ↑ Raine, Naja (August 9, 2016). "Caleb Schwab, 10, Decapitated in Water Slide Accident, Police Confirm". People. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  17. ↑ Phillips, Kristine (March 25, 2018). "A boy was decapitated on a waterslide. The park knew the ride could kill people, officials say". Washington Post.
  18. ↑ Brocchetto, Marilia; Gray, Melissa (March 27, 2018). "Kansas water park executives charged with murder in boy's death". CNN.
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