Kansas House District 19 covers portions of Leawood, Prairie Village and Overland Park in northeastern Johnson County. See a district map to see its boundaries.
Democratic incumbent Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayyon is running for reelection against Republican Mark Hermes. This is a rematch of a contest from 2024, which Clayton won.
Learn more about the candidates, who are listed in alphabetical order.
Mark Hermes (Republican)
Mark Hermes has chaired his Johnson County precinct since 2022 and says he has written legislation and presented it in Topeka, including helping defeat a family arbitration bill. Hermes, of Overland Park, says he has worked on litigation in civil and family court and has a background in business, computers, finance and journalism. Hermes wants school choice funding in the new school finance formula. On property taxes, he has floated options including tapping the state’s rainy day fund to pay down local bills.
Stephanie Sawyer Clayton (Democratic, incumbent)
Stephanie Sawyer Clayton has represented District 19 since 2013, switching from the Republican Party in 2018. She is now the ranking member on the House Commerce Committee. Outside the statehouse, Clayton serves on the board of Saint Luke’s South Hospital and is a member of the Ambassadors Rotary Club. Clayton opposes property valuation caps as a response to rising property taxes, instead favoring a six-year rolling average on valuations and cutting the residential assessment rate from 11.5% to 9%. She backs Johnson County districts weighing a lawsuit over shortfalls in special education funding and voted against the Chiefs stadium deal.
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