Hutchins says she won't run for re-election

By Tim Carpenter

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Twelve years in the Legislature will be enough for Rep. Becky Hutchins, R-Holton.

On Monday, the conservative Republican said she wouldn't run in 2006 for re-election in the 50th District, which covers all of Jackson County and several precincts in northern Shawnee County.

"The hard part was making the decision," she said. "Now that I have, I feel good."

Trent LeDoux, a Holton school board member and staff member in the Senate president's office, became the first person to announce a campaign to replace Hutchins. LeDoux, a Republican, ran for a Senate seat in 2004, and vowed that if he ever ran for office again that he would make his intentions known as early as possible.

"I'm going to knock on more doors, call more people and work harder," LeDoux said.

Hutchins, 56, didn't endorse the 31-year-old LeDoux but said he knew the district well and would be a dedicated campaigner.

She said there would be considerable interest among Republicans and Democrats for the open seat.

"I would be very surprised if there was just one person on the Republican side," Hutchins said.

Hutchins, who will remain in the House for the 2006 session, said she was most proud of working on rural issues. She helped block adoption of redistricting plans that would have split Jackson County between two House districts and that would have made Shawnee County districts more heavily urban or more heavily rural.

LeDoux said taxes and state spending would be his main concerns.

"I am a fiscal conservative," he said. "I will work to reduce taxes and refocus state expenditures with a goal of reducing state spending."

He said the Legislature appropriated $290 million to public schools this year without clear guidelines on how to spend it.

"Actual needs have not been specifically identified," he said.

Tim Carpenter can be reached at (785) 233-7470 and at tim.carpenter@cjonline.com.

Rep. Becky

Hutchins

will stay on for 2006 session

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