State Rep. KC Ohaebosim has spent nearly a decade serving in the Kansas Legislature. Now, the Nigerian American lawmaker is seeking a role that could place him in the state’s history books.

Ohaebosim, a data analyst and Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives representing the 89th District since 2017, was selected earlier this year by state Sen. Cindy Holscher as her running mate in Kansas’ 2026 gubernatorial race.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Wichita State University and an MBA from Newman University, according to The Kansas City Star, and serves as the ranking minority member on the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee.

If elected lieutenant governor, Ohaebosim would become the first Black person elected to statewide office in Kansas in more than a century, according to The Topeka Capital-Journal.

A partnership built on shared priorities

Holscher selected Ohaebosim after years of working alongside him in the Legislature, where the two Democrats developed a close working relationship.

In an exclusive interview with Blavity, the state senator said the pair entered the Legislature at the same time and have spent years collaborating on issues affecting Kansans.

“KC and I came in at the same time,” she said.

Holscher pointed to their work during the aftermath of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax-cut experiment, a period that reshaped Kansas politics and sparked fierce debates over public education and state funding. She also highlighted her record of bipartisan coalition-building, including helping establish a women’s bipartisan caucus and working across party lines to advance legislation.

“I have a history of being able to solve issues,” Holscher said, noting that a recent legislative study ranked her among the state’s most effective Democratic senators when it comes to moving bills across the finish line.

For Holscher, Ohaebosim’s ability to connect with communities across Kansas and work collaboratively made him a natural fit for the ticket.

“Everybody loves KC,” she said. “Great reputation, great community connections. But additionally, the ability to help solve problems.”

The focus of the campaign: affordability

While the historic nature of the ticket has drawn attention, both candidates repeatedly returned to affordability as the defining issue of their campaign.

Asked what issue she would tackle first if elected, Holscher pointed to health care costs.

“What I’m hearing from people is, even if they have insurance, it feels like they don’t,” she said. “The deductibles are so high, then the co-pays, and it’s just stretching people beyond their means.”

Ohaebosim said his understanding of health care affordability is informed by both his legislative experience and his family’s long history of serving Kansans.

“My father is a retired medical doctor. My mom is a retired nurse,” he said. His father practiced medicine in Wichita for more than 42 years. “We know the issues surrounding affordability with respect to health care.”

The Wichita lawmaker said younger Kansans are also concerned about access to good-paying jobs, affordable education and opportunities that allow them to remain in the state.

“We want to make sure that Kansas is a great state for anyone to live, work and raise their family,” Ohaebosim said.

Beyond the historic ‘first’

The historic implications of Ohaebosim’s candidacy have inevitably become an important piece of the campaign conversation, but throughout their conversation with Blavity, both candidates consistently steered the discussion back to the issues that matter to their constituents.

In a TikTok video shared by Leading Kansas last month, Ohaebosim made the case for accountability.

“It’s important that, somehow, somebody in Washington believes that dictatorship is the way to go. And to that, I say no. It starts with the grassroots. It starts here. And I believe that we can actually make a statement by actually showing up and holding our elected officials accountable.”

He then pointed to state Republican lawmakers’ plans to make health care less affordable.

“Because I don’t understand how a leader here from Sedgwick County can deny 150,000 people Medicaid. All you have to do is just invite him and ask him why?” he continued. “I mean, 80 percent of people living in our state want Medicaid expansion. They want strong schools. They want us to take care of our veterans.”