Howe Holds Off Vanier to Win District 71 Republican Primary

The incumbent received 55% of the vote after facing a competitive challenge from Jay Vanier.

State Rep. Steven K. Howe won the Republican nomination for Kansas House District 71 Tuesday, defeating challenger Jay Vanier by 356 votes in the final unofficial election-night results.

The final unofficial totals showed:

Steven K. Howe: 2,080 votes, or 54.7%

Jay Vanier: 1,724 votes, or 45.3%

A total of 3,804 votes were cast in the race.

Competitive Challenge to an Incumbent

Howe secured another Republican nomination, but the results showed a relatively competitive contest for an incumbent legislator.

Vanier received more than 45% of the vote and finished fewer than 10 percentage points behind Howe. Howe’s margin amounted to approximately 9.4 percentage points.

The primary centered on which candidate could best represent Salina and District 71 in Topeka. Howe campaigned on his legislative experience, while Vanier argued that the district needed stronger representation and greater influence in the Kansas Legislature.

Howe Has Represented District Since 2021

Howe has represented District 71 since 2021. The district is located entirely within Saline County and includes portions of Salina.

During the current legislative session, Howe serves on the House Federal and State Affairs Committee and the House Child Welfare and Foster Care Committee. He has also served on special committees involving the state budget and medical marijuana.

Tuesday’s result allows Howe to continue his campaign for another two-year term in the Kansas House.

General Election Comes Next

Howe is expected to face Democratic candidate Jerry Lonergan in the Nov. 3 general election.

Lonergan was the only Democrat who filed for the District 71 seat, so no Democratic primary was required. The Saline County candidate list identifies Howe, Vanier and Lonergan as the filed candidates for the district.

Results Still Await Certification

Although the election-night count is complete, the results remain unofficial.

Election officials must still review provisional ballots and complete the official canvass before certifying the outcome. Those remaining ballots could slightly change the final totals, although Howe’s 356-vote advantage establishes him as the apparent Republican nominee.

The race now moves to the November general election, when District 71 voters will choose between Howe and Lonergan.