Derek Schmidt
Derek Schmidt | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Jake LaTurner |
| 44th Attorney General of Kansas | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – January 9, 2023 | |
| Governor | Sam Brownback Jeff Colyer Laura Kelly |
| Preceded by | Stephen Six |
| Succeeded by | Kris Kobach |
| Majority Leader of the Kansas Senate | |
| In office January 10, 2005 – January 10, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Lana Oleen |
| Succeeded by | Jay Emler |
| Member of the Kansas Senate from the 15th district | |
| In office January 8, 2001 – January 10, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Emert |
| Succeeded by | Jeff King |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Derek Larkin Schmidt January 23, 1968 Independence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Jennifer Schmidt |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Kansas (BA) University of Leicester (MA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Website | House website |
Derek Larkin Schmidt (born January 23, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district since 2025. He previously served as the Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023. A Republican, Schmidt was first elected to office serving in the Kansas Senate, where he represented the 15th district from 2001 to 2011, and served as Agriculture Committee chairman and Senate majority leader. Schmidt became the state attorney general in 2011, after he defeated incumbent Democrat Stephen Six.
Schmidt was the Republican nominee for governor of Kansas in the 2022 election, but narrowly lost to incumbent Democrat Laura Kelly.