Scott Schwab
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Scott Schwab
| image = Scott Schwab official photo (cropped).jpg
| office = 32nd Secretary of State of Kansas
| governor = Laura Kelly
| term_start = January 14, 2019
| term_end =
| predecessor = Kris Kobach
| successor =
| office1 = Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives
| term_start1 = January 9, 2017
| term_end1 = January 14, 2019
| predecessor1 = Peggy Mast
| successor1 = Blaine Finch
| state_house2 = Kansas
| district2 = 49th
| term_start2 = January 12, 2009
| term_end2 = January 14, 2019
| predecessor2 = Benjamin Hodge
| successor2 = Megan Lynn
| term_start3 = January 13, 2003
| term_end3 = January 8, 2007
| predecessor3 = Dennis Pyle
| successor3 = Benjamin Hodge
| birth_name = Scott Joseph Schwab
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|7|9}}
| birth_place = Great Bend, Kansas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence = Olathe, Kansas
| party = Republican
| spouse = Michele
| children = 4 (1 deceased)
| education = Fort Hays State University (BA)
}}
Scott Joseph Schwab (born July 9, 1972{{cite web |url=https://kslib.info/BusinessDirectoryii.aspx?ysnShowAll=0&lngNewPage=0&txtLetter=&txtZipCode=&txtCity=&txtState=&txtBusinessName=Schwab%2C+Scott&lngBusinessCategoryID=0&txtCustomField1=&txtCustomField2=&txtCustomField3=&txtCustomField4=&txtAreaCode= |title=Kansas Legislators, Past and Present - Schwab, Scott |author= |date= |website=kslib.info |publisher=State Library of Kansas |access-date=November 16, 2022}}) is an American politician serving as the 32nd Secretary of State of Kansas. He served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 49th district, from 2009 to 2019. He also served as Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. He received national attention when his son, Caleb, was killed in an accident on the Schlitterbahn Kansas City, Kansas water park's Verrückt water slide. In November 2018, he was elected Kansas Secretary of State.{{Cite book |title=Landon, Alfred Mossman (1887-1987), governor of Kansas and Republican presidential nominee|volume=1|last=McCoy|first=Donald R.|date=February 2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|series=American National Biography Online|doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.0600763}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article216206270.html|title=Scott Schwab of Olathe wins Republican vote to replace Kobach as secretary of state|work=kansascity|access-date=2018-08-18}} He is a candidate in the 2026 Kansas gubernatorial election.
Early life
In 1994, Schwab earned a Bachelor of Arts from Fort Hays State University.
{{cite web|title=Scott Schwab's Biography|url=http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=34505|access-date=August 8, 2016|website=Vote Smart}} After college, he worked as an agent for the Kansas Farm Bureau until 1999. He worked in the sales field until 2010, and then became the executive vice president of CompDME.
Political career
=Kansas House of Representatives=
Schwab began serving as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives in June 2003. In 2004, he won the primary in the Republican district with 69.1% of the vote against Shannon Giles.[http://www.kssos.org/elections/04elec/2004PrimaryOfficialResults.pdf 2004 Primary Official Results], Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
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.[http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jun/13/august_ballot_lineups_are_decided/?elections_2006 August ballot lineups are decided], Lawrence Journal World, June 13, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2018. 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.[http://www.kssos.org/elections/06elec/2006PrimaryOfficialResults.pdf 2006 Primary Official Results], Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
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.[http://www.kssos.org/elections/08elec/2008ElectionOfficialVoteTotals.pdf 2008 Election Official Vote Totals], Kansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 26, 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.kanfocus.com/FMPro.php?-DB=House_Profiles_KS&-lay=Contact_Current&-format=Contact_House.html&-RecID=2056&-find |title=Scott Schwab, R-49th |website=KanFocus |at=Contact Information |access-date=August 8, 2016}}
=Kansas Secretary of State=
In 2017, Schwab announced that he would be a candidate for Kansas Secretary of State in the 2018 election. He said he was not interested in rolling back voting standards supported by then-incumbent Secretary of State Kris Kobach and that his experience as House Speaker pro tem and as chair of the elections and insurance committees qualified him for the position.[http://www.kake.com/story/36255526/kansas-rep-scott-schwab-enters-secretary-of-state-race Kansas Rep Scott Schwab enters Secretary of State race], KAKE-TV, October 4, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2018.{{dead link|date=May 2025}}
During his tenure as Secretary of State, Schwab maintained that there was no issue with voter fraud or election security, a position at odds with that of former president Donald Trump. Schwab rejected conspiracy theories and distrust of elections from within the Republican Party after the 2020 election.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Sherman |title=Scott Schwab runs for Kansas governor after two terms as state's top election official |url=https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/08/scott-schwab-runs-for-kansas-governor-after-two-terms-as-states-top-election-official/ |access-date=13 May 2025 |work=Kansas Reflector |date=8 January 2025}} Schwab filed to run for reelection in 2022[https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/06/23/kansas-secretary-state-scott-schwab-announces-re-election-bid/5322092001/ Secretary of State Scott Schwab to seek second term after high profile role in 2020 elections], Topeka Capital-Journal , Andrew Bahl, June 23, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021. and won the GOP nomination,{{Cite web |title=Kansas Secretary of State Live Election Results 2022 – NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-primary-elections/kansas-secretary-of-state-results |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=www.nbcnews.com}} defeating a primary challenge from former Johnson County commissioner Mike Brown by 55% to 45%.{{Cite web |last=Brownstein |first=Analysis by Ronald |title=Analysis: Cheney's fate in Wyoming is a final test of Trump's hold over the GOP |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/16/politics/cheney-wyoming-primary-trump-test-gop-analysis/index.html |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=CNN|date=August 16, 2022 }} He won re-election that November, defeating Democratic nominee Jeanna Repass.{{Cite web |title=Secretary of State Scott Schwab wins again after vouching for Kansas election integrity |url=https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/state/2022/11/09/kansas-secretary-state-election-results-scott-schwab-jeanna-repass-2022/69600478007/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=The Topeka Capital-Journal |language=en-US}}
=2026 Kansas gubernatorial election=
Personal life
Schwab's 10-year-old son, Caleb, died after being decapitated on August 7, 2016 in an accident on the Verrückt water slide at the Schlitterbahn Kansas City waterpark.{{cite news|last1=Calvo|first1=Amanda|last2=Chan|first2=Melissa|title=What We Know About the Young Boy Decapitated on the World's Tallest Water Slide|url=http://time.com/4444447/caleb-schwab-verruckt-water-slide-death/|access-date=January 3, 2017|work=TIME.com|date=August 9, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103020701/http://time.com/4444447/caleb-schwab-verruckt-water-slide-death/|archive-date=January 3, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Raine|first1=Naja|title=Caleb Schwab, 10, Decapitated in Water Slide Accident, Police Confirm|url=http://www.people.com/article/caleb-schwab-decapitated-water-slide-accident|access-date=August 9, 2016|publisher=People|date=August 9, 2016}}
The family received a reported $20 million settlement.{{cite news |last1=Vockrodt |first1=Steve |title=Family of Caleb Schwab receives nearly $20 million in Verrückt settlements |url=https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article148513129.html |work=Kansas City Star |date=May 4, 2017}}
Schwab was criticized for taking advantage of Texas legal provisions that permitted him to sue for a higher amount than that allowed by a Kansas law that he, as a state lawmaker, voted for in 2014 which would have capped damages at $300,000.{{cite news |last1=Shuart |first1=Blake |title=Schlitterbahn settlement exposes unjust damages laws |url=https://www.kansas.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article148951164.html |work=Wichita Eagle |date=May 8, 2017}}https://monseesmayer.com/in-the-news/schlitterbahn-wrongful-death-settlement/https://www.kansascity.com/news/article96777077.html
In March 2018, Schlitterbahn and three current or former employees were indicted by the Kansas Attorney General on charges related to Caleb's death.{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Kristine|title=A boy was decapitated on a waterslide. The park knew the ride could kill people, officials say.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/03/24/a-boy-was-decapitated-on-a-waterslide-the-park-knew-the-ride-could-kill-people-officials-say/|newspaper=Washington Post|date=March 25, 2018}}{{cite news|last1=Brocchetto|first1=Marilia|last2=Gray|first2=Melissa|title=Kansas water park executives charged with murder in boy's death|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/27/us/schlitterbahn-waterpark-death-arrests/index.html|work=CNN|date=March 27, 2018}} The charges against the defendants were dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct with the grand jury.[https://www.npr.org/2019/02/25/697647804/judge-dismisses-murder-charges-over-boys-death-on-kansas-waterslide Judge Dismisses Murder Charges Over Boy's Death On Kansas Waterslide], National Public Radio, Bill Chappell, February 25, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019. After the death of his son, Schwab supported additional government regulations on the inspection of water parks.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/1b09c0f8f2324e8188e341316aff1f11 |title=Kansas indictments highlight lax state rules on water parks |first=John |last=Hanna |date=March 30, 2018 |work=Associated Press |access-date=October 22, 2019 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2017/04/26/449065.htm |title=Kansas Tightens Amusement Park Regulations after Boy's Waterslide Death |work=insurancejournal.com |first=Allison |last=Kite |date=April 26, 2017 |access-date=October 22, 2019 }} Schwab and his wife, Michele, have three surviving children.
In March 2025, Schwab announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and would be undergoing treatment.{{cite news |last1=Self |first1=Matthew |title=‘I will make a full recovery’: Scott Schwab announces cancer diagnosis |url=https://www.ksnt.com/capitol-bureau/i-will-make-a-full-recovery-scott-schwab-announces-cancer-diagnosis/ |access-date=13 May 2025 |work=KSNT 27 News |date=21 March 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://www.scottschwab.com}}
- [https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2015_16/members/rep_schwab_scott_1/ Kansas Legislature - Scott Schwab]
- [https://votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=34505 Project Vote Smart profile]
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Kris Kobach}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Kansas|years=2018, 2022}}
{{s-inc|recent}}
{{s-par|us-ks-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Peggy Mast}}
{{s-ttl|title=Speaker pro tempore of the Kansas House of Representatives|years=2017–2019}}
{{s-aft|after=Blaine Finch}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Kris Kobach}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State of Kansas|years=2019–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current Kansas statewide political officials |state=collapsed}}
{{U.S. State Secretaries of State}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwab, Scott}}
Category:21st-century members of the Kansas Legislature
Category:Fort Hays State University alumni
Category:Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives
Category:People from Great Bend, Kansas