Jake LaTurner

On January 8, 2019, LaTurner announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2020 election, hoping to succeed 4-term incumbent Pat Roberts. LaTurner's announcement came roughly 2 weeks after Roberts' announced his intention to retire in 2021. Announcing his candidacy at age 30, the minimum age the United States Constitution requires a Senator to be, LaTurner was criticized by members of both major parties for being overly ambitious. As LaTurner's next election as State Treasurer would not be until 2022, the Senate campaign was considered relatively low-stakes.

On September 9, 2019, LaTurner suspended his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, opting instead to run for the U.S. House in the 2020 election.

LaTurner announced he would end his Senate campaign in order to challenge Watkins on September 4, 2019. In an interview with Politico, LaTurner said, "At the end of the day, we don't want to see another congressional seat be turned over to the Democrats in Kansas...Congressman Watkins, without question, puts this seat in jeopardy this cycle." Watkins had been elected in 2018 by a margin of less than 1%. LaTurner was able to move $470,000 cash on hand from his Senate campaign to his House campaign, giving him a large advantage over Watkins who had only $260,000 at the time of LaTurner's announcement.

LaTurner was appointed Kansas State Treasurer in April 2017. He replaced Ron Estes who had been elected to the United States House of Representatives for Kansas's 4th congressional district . Appointed at the age of 29, LaTurner became the youngest statewide official in the United States. Upon election in his own right in 2018, he became the youngest statewide elected official in the United States.

LaTurner's time in the Senate also gained notoriety in February 2015, when he was the lead sponsor on legislation allowing Kansas adults to carry firearms without needing a concealed carry permit. In 2016, he authored a bill limiting property tax increases.

During his campaign, LaTurner attempted to frame himself as a "conservative fighter." He supported the proposed "Trump Wall," an expansion of the physical barrier along the Mexico–United States border, argued for fiscal responsibility, and term limits for federally elected politicians.

LaTurner was elected to the Kansas State Senate in 2012 at the age of 24, becoming the youngest member of that body. Stating he was trying to keep Kansas capital Topeka from becoming Washington D.C., he immediately set out to impose term limits on state legislators, reform the process for requesting public records, and combat nepotism within the legislature. LaTurner faced opposition on these issues, seen as extremely ambitious, particularly the term limits. Both Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives Ray Merrick, a Republican, and Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley publicly opposed the reforms.

Jacob LaTurner (born February 17, 1988) is an American politician, currently serving as the Kansas State Treasurer. A Republican, LaTurner previously served in the Kansas State Senate from 2013 until 2017. Upon his appointment as State Treasurer, LaTurner became the youngest current statewide official in the United States. He was reelected to the post in his own right in 2018, becoming the youngest current elected statewide official in the United States. LaTurner briefly announced a campaign for the United States Senate in the 2020 election but quickly dropped out, opting instead to run for the United States House of Representatives seat representing Kansas's 2nd congressional district . He is mounting a primary challenge to Republican incumbent Steve Watkins.