<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588956743770.png" alt="Senator Denning and Gov. Laura Kelly on the day they announced the Medicaid expansion agreement" />
                        <figcaption>Senator Denning and Gov. Laura Kelly on the day they announced the Medicaid expansion agreement</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A top Republican legislator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5754325796fa71b55a24b02648406648">who worked with Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly</a>&nbsp;on a plan for expanding Medicaid in Kansas announced Friday that he is not seeking re-election.</p><p>Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning said it’s time for him to focus again on his wife and business. The Overland Park Republican is the retired CEO of an eye care and optical surgery company and was expected to have a tough re-election race this year.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It is with great thought and reflection that I announce I will not seek another term in the Kansas Legislature. &quot;No legislator will accomplish everything they set out to do, but we do our best to ensure our district is represented and that we serve our people responsibly.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/l30tQdfnnw">pic.twitter.com/l30tQdfnnw</a></p>&mdash; Jim Denning (@JimDenning4KS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimDenning4KS/status/1258776250748932097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“Throughout this journey, I have promoted fiscally responsible policy and remained focused on evaluation all legislation in a practical and pragmatic fashion,” Denning said.</p><p>Denning was elected to the House in 2010 and to the Senate in 2012, becoming its No. 2 leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6974366ea0c04c7d9a3e0624b6573fa0">in 2016.</a>&nbsp;The only candidate so far in his Kansas City-area district is Democratic Rep. Cindy Holscher of Overland Park.</p><p>He helped block Medicaid expansion in 2019 but outlined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/59fe470d42cb538a734572660a7d84b4" target="_blank">his own plan</a>&nbsp;in October before working with Kelly on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5cf2666dc8dbd4b88e1f313e28a655d">a bipartisan proposal</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5cf2666dc8dbd4b88e1f313e28a655d"></a>hasn’t gotten a vote.</p><p>In 2019, Denning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/439928cb258248bb90b22f6abe7ee81e">sued The Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;over a freelancer’s column that criticized him for opposing Medicaid expansion, alleging the column defamed him by falsely attributing statements to him. A judge dismissed the case.</p><p>___</p>

Kansas GOP leader pushing Medicaid plan not running again