Commissioner of Insurance of Kansas · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Kansas commissioner of insurance race?
Daniel Hawkins has the strongest record in the Kansas commissioner of insurance race. Daniel Hawkins scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Dinah Sykes at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Daniel Hawkins's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Dinah Sykes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ric Koehn (2 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Strongest record
Daniel Hawkins
65 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 63
Libertarian
Ric Koehn
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 2 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Dinah Sykes
60 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Daniel Hawkins
- On the record2026
His House financial disclosures list income of $2,000 or more from six insurers while he seeks to become insurance commissioner.
- On the record2025-11
Removed at least three Republican House committee chairs who declined to sign a petition for a special session on congressional redistricting.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Nov. 7, 2025, Kansas Reflector via Hays Post, Nov. 8, 2025
- Credit2024-06-18
As House speaker, was among GOP leaders who negotiated the 2024 $2 billion tax cut with Gov. Laura Kelly, passed with bipartisan majorities.
Ric Koehn
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Dinah Sykes
- On the record2026
Pledged to refuse insurance-industry money; after Kansas News Service asked about a $1,000 trade-group donation, her treasurer returned it.
- On the record2018
Changed her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat during her first Senate term.
- Credit2026-01
Endorsed by former insurance commissioners Sandy Praeger, a Republican, and Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Daniel Hawkins. State campaign finance reports for 2025 and 2026 are on file with the Secretary of State, and his legislative financial disclosures list income from insurers. No Public Disclosure Commission finding found.
Sources: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle, HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. State campaign finance report for 2026 is on file. She pledged to take no insurance-industry money; when an insurance trade group's $1,000 donation was found, her treasurer returned it.
Sources: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle, HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Daniel Hawkins. No public record found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Elected to the Kansas Senate as a Republican in 2016 and changed her party affiliation to Democrat in 2018 during her first term.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Daniel Hawkins. No public record found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Daniel Hawkins. Kansas House member since 2013 and speaker since 2023 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found. His 2025 removal of three Republican committee chairs is a chamber leadership action, not a conduct finding (E3); see the Record.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Kansas Senate member since 2017 and minority leader since 2020 (elected 2020), with no formal conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Daniel Hawkins. Took the oath as a state representative; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Took the oath as a state senator; no official finding of misuse of office found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Daniel Hawkins. Kansas House member since 2013 and speaker since 2023; about 30 years in insurance, now owning an insurance agency.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Kansas Senate since 2017 (two-plus terms) and Senate minority leader; earlier ran a personal chef business.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via St. Joseph Post, Jan. 9, 2026, HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Daniel Hawkins. House speaker (an elected chamber leadership post, E5) with insurance industry expertise; campaign positions favor deregulation and competition, in general terms.
Sources: HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026, Kansas Reflector via St. Joseph Post, Jan. 9, 2026
Ric Koehn. In a party interview said his priority is returning the insurance industry to the free market, in general terms.
Dinah Sykes. Senate minority leader (an elected chamber leadership post, E5) and ranking member of the Senate Education Committee; campaign platform on affordability, consumer protection and transparency, in general terms.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Dinah Sykes, HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Daniel Hawkins. Publishes positions on his campaign site and gives statements to the press. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026, Ballotpedia, Daniel Hawkins (Kansas)
Ric Koehn. Answered a Libertarian Party of Kansas candidate interview; Kansas News Service found no campaign website and got no reply.
Sources: Libertarian Party of Kansas, candidate interviews, HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026
Dinah Sykes. Publishes positions on her campaign site and in announcements and press interviews. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via St. Joseph Post, Jan. 9, 2026, Ballotpedia, Dinah Sykes
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Daniel Hawkins. Wichita resident who has represented House District 100 since 2013.
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Nov. 7, 2025
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Lenexa resident who has represented a Johnson County Senate district since 2017; former Lenexa Chamber of Commerce member and PTA president.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Dinah Sykes, Kansas Reflector via St. Joseph Post, Jan. 9, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Daniel Hawkins. Owns an insurance agency and, as speaker since 2023, leads the Kansas House; state campaign reports on file with no penalty found.
Sources: HPPR (Kansas News Service), Sept. 22, 2026, Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Leads the Senate Democratic caucus and ran her own business; state campaign report on file with no penalty found.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via St. Joseph Post, Jan. 9, 2026, Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Daniel Hawkins. As one of the top House and Senate Republican leaders, helped negotiate the roughly $2 billion tax cut enacted with Gov. Laura Kelly in June 2024.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Daniel Hawkins. No public record found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Daniel Hawkins. No public record found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Daniel Hawkins. The 2024 tax package negotiated by GOP leaders with Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly passed the House 121-2 and the Senate 34-4.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. Endorsed by former Republican Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, alongside former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Daniel Hawkins. No public record found.
Ric Koehn. No public record found.
Dinah Sykes. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Kansas commissioner of insurance race?
Daniel Hawkins has the strongest record in the Kansas commissioner of insurance race. Daniel Hawkins scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Dinah Sykes at 60, as of October 6, 2026. Daniel Hawkins's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Dinah Sykes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ric Koehn (2 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Kansas commissioner of insurance race in 2026?
Daniel Hawkins (Republican), Ric Koehn (Libertarian), Dinah Sykes (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Daniel Hawkins a good candidate for Commissioner of Insurance?
Daniel Hawkins scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Ric Koehn a good candidate for Commissioner of Insurance?
Ric Koehn has public evidence on 2 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Dinah Sykes a good candidate for Commissioner of Insurance?
Dinah Sykes scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Kansas race scored, and the Kansas 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.