Derek Schmidt

Derek Schmidt
Schmidt in 2018
Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 2nd district
Assuming office
January 3, 2025
SucceedingJake LaTurner
44th Attorney General of Kansas
In office
January 10, 2011 – January 9, 2023
GovernorSam Brownback
Jeff Colyer
Laura Kelly
Preceded byStephen Six
Succeeded byKris Kobach
Majority Leader of the Kansas Senate
In office
January 10, 2005 – January 10, 2011
Preceded byLana Oleen
Succeeded byJay Emler
Member of the Kansas Senate
from the 15th district
In office
January 8, 2001 – January 10, 2011
Preceded byTim Emert
Succeeded byJeff King
Personal details
Born
Derek Larkin Schmidt

(1968-01-23) January 23, 1968 (age 56)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJennifer Schmidt
EducationUniversity of Kansas (BA)
University of Leicester (MA)
Georgetown University (JD)

Derek Larkin Schmidt[1] (born January 23, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. A Republican, Schmidt was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate, where he represented the 15th district from 2001 to 2011, and served as Agriculture Committee chairman and Senate majority leader. Schmidt became the state attorney general in 2011, after he defeated incumbent Democrat Stephen Six.

Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas in the 2022 election, but lost to incumbent Democrat Laura Kelly.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Larkin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "GOP Kansas attorney general launches campaign for governor". AP NEWS. March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.