Dinah Sykes | |
---|---|
Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate | |
Assumed office January 11, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Anthony Hensley |
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 21st district | |
Assumed office January 9, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Greg Smith |
Personal details | |
Born | Tennessee, U.S. | April 10, 1977
Political party | Republican (before 2018) Democratic (2018–present) |
Spouse | Jeffrey |
Children | 2 |
Education | Trevecca Nazarene University (BA) |
Dinah Sykes (born April 10, 1977) is an American politician who has served in the Kansas Senate from the 21st district since 2017.[1][2] Since 2021, Sykes has served as the Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate.[3]
Career
[edit]Sykes earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Trevecca Nazarene University.[4] She was a stay-at-home mom and personal chef before entering politics.[4] Sykes also served as a PTA president before being elected to the Kansas Senate.[1][5]
Sykes was first elected to the Kansas Senate as a Republican in November 2016. In December 2018, Sykes switched to the Democratic Party along with three other female Kansas legislators—Senator Barbara Bollier, Representative Joy Koesten, and Representative Stephanie Clayton.[5]
In December 2020, Sykes was elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to be Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Christa Dubill (December 22, 2016). "From PTA President to Kansas Senate, a local mom readies for her new job". Kshb.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ "Senator Dinah Sykes". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ a b Wu, Andrew Bahl and Titus. "New guard in Senate, status quo in House as state lawmakers pick new leaders". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ^ a b Hunter Woodall, Moderate candidates try to break away from one another in Kansas Senate race, Kansas City Star (October 25, 2016).
- ^ a b Jonathan Shorman, More Kansas lawmakers switch parties: Sykes, Clayton leave GOP, become Democrats, Kansas City Star (December 19, 2018).