(WICHITA, Kan.) — "I didn't think I was going to win." That's what Michael O'Donnell said in his acceptance speech Tuesday night. The Wichita City Councilman defeated longtime State Senator Jean Schodorf in Tuesday's Republican primary.
O'Donnell won with 59% percent of the vote, Schodorf received 40%. He received 2,745 votes compared to Schodorf's 1,897 votes.
Schodorf was elected to the Kansas Senate in 2000. O'Donnell has served on the City Council since 2011.
O'Donnel says he didn't think he was going to win because it's so difficult to beat an incumbent. He started his campaign eight weeks ago and says his message is what got him to where he is right now.
This race is an example of a struggle going on in the Statehouse between conservative Republicans and moderate Republicans.
O'Donnell accused Schodorf of not being conservative enough, while Schodorf argued she was "open to new ideas." Both campaigns were the receipent and target of outside spending during the campaign.
