Industry Exec Selzer Elected Insurance Commissioner in Kansas

A Republican accountant and industry executive has won the Kansas insurance commissioner’s race without the backing of the retiring, three-term GOP incumbent.

Ken Selzer of Leawood defeated Democrat Dennis Anderson of Overland Park by a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent, according to the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.

Selzer is an executive managing director at reinsurance broker Aon Benfield.

Anderson operates a family business providing educational services to insurance and financial services firms.

The Democrat was endorsed by retiring GOP Commissioner Sandy Praeger. Praeger previously had broken with fellow Republicans by not harshly criticizing the federal healthcare overhaul championed by Democratic President Barack Obama.

Both Anderson and Praeger favor expanding the state’s Medicaid program for the poor and disabled in line with the federal law. Selzer opposes the idea.

The state’s Republican leanings helped Selzer, and he raised nearly $147,000 in cash contributions after last July, compared with Anderson’s $95,000.