Dinah Sykes
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]
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 | April 10, 1977 Lenexa, Kansas |
| Political party | Democratic (since 2018) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (before 2018) |
| Alma mater | Trevecca Nazarene University (BA) |
Career
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] She represents a Johnson County district.[5]
Sykes was elected as a Republican, but had a moderate voting record.[5] In October 2017, Sykes wrote an op-ed published in the Washington Post, in which she criticized large-scale tax cut legislation that Kansas Republicans enacted in 2012 for resulting in "nine rounds of budget cuts, stress on state agencies and the inability to effectively provide the core functions of government for our citizens."[6] Sykes urged Congress not to make the same mistake on tax legislation.[6]
In December 2018, Sykes switched to the Democratic Party, stating that: "I am a moderate person who represents a moderate and pragmatic district that expects me to focus on issues and solutions that impact their day-to-day lives. Increasingly, I see the Republican party focusing on issues and approaches that divide our country. I do not agree with that approach." Two other Kansas state legislators—Senator Barbara Bollier and Representative Stephanie Clayton—also left the Republicans and switched to the Democratic Party the same month.[5]
In December 2020, Sykes was elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to be Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate. [7]
References
- Christa Dubill (2016-12-22). "From PTA President to Kansas Senate, a local mom readies for her new job". Kshb.com. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
- "Senator Dinah Sykes". Kslegislature.org. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
- Wu, Andrew Bahl and Titus. "New guard in Senate, status quo in House as state lawmakers pick new leaders". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
- Hunter Woodall, Moderate candidates try to break away from one another in Kansas Senate race, Kansas City Star (October 25, 2016).
- Jonathan Shorman, More Kansas lawmakers switch parties: Sykes, Clayton leave GOP, become Democrats, Kansas City Star (December 19, 2018).
- Dinah Sykes, A message to Congress: Don't make the same mistake we did in Kansas, Washington Post (October 19, 2017).
- Wu, Andrew Bahl and Titus. "New guard in Senate, status quo in House as state lawmakers pick new leaders". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2021-01-19.