Kevin Wagner is the new chair of the Bourbon County Republican Party. The party selected its officers for the coming year Thursday night, Sept. 10, at its annual leadership reorganization meeting.
Katie Casper was elected vice-chair, Jennifer Hawkins secretary and Doug Niemeir treasurer.
Wagner succeeds Kaety Bowers, who had chaired the party since September 2024 and who signed its public statements as chair through the county clerk vacancy this summer. The outgoing officers, elected Sept. 19, 2024, at the Fort Scott Livestock Market, were Bowers as chair, Tim Emerson as vice-chairman, Gayle Sackett as secretary and Donna Banwart as treasurer.
Wagner has served as the party’s precinct committeeman for Pawnee Township. Niemeir has served as precinct committeeman for Fort Scott’s 6th Ward. Casper is a member of the county’s Budget Advisory Committee. Hawkins is the elected Bourbon County treasurer, a county office that is separate from the party treasurer’s post Niemeir now holds.
Officers are nominated and voted on each year at the reorganization meeting, and the results are reported to the state. Under the party’s rules, its leadership must include both a man and a woman, Emerson said after the 2024 election. The officers represent the county at state Republican meetings and at the party’s local meetings.
Related coverage: New Leadership Elected For the Bourbon County Republicans on September 19 (2024).