Topeka, Kansas — The Republican House Speaker and Majority Leader, as well as the Republican Senate Vice President have endorsed Representative Steven Johnson for Kansas State Treasurer.
“Steven Johnson is the reason our state pension system is back on the right financial track,” said House Speaker Ron Ryckman, Jr. (R-Olathe) “He put all of his energy behind eliminating high-interest debt payments and restructured the system saving taxpayers billions of dollars.”
Johnson first ran for the House in 2010, aiming to put his experience in the financial services industry to work saving the state pension system from the brink of bankruptcy.
“The public employee retirement system is recovering from decades of mismanagement,” said Sen. Rick Wilborn (R-McPherson). “Steven Johnson is the reason we have gone from 53% funded to 80% funded in ten short years. That’s an amazing feat.”
Johnson made his career in financial services at Ameriprise Financial, working his way up to the position of Senior Region Vice President in charge of investment products. He is a graduate of Kansas State University where he served as student body president and received his MBA from the University of Chicago.
“It is so important that we elect a state treasurer who can truly lead the office and do a great job,” said House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita). “Steven Johnson has the right experience to make sure invested taxpayer dollars are receiving the highest rate of return.”
Johnson has also been endorsed in the race for state treasurer by more than 50 of his Republican colleagues in the House and Senate.