Nikki McDonald

Nikki McDonald

Democratic Party

Candidate, Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor: Brad Boyd (D)

Compensation

Base salary

$43,000

Per diem

$178/day

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 4, 2026

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Arkansas, 1997

Graduate

University of Arkansas, 1998

Personal

Birthplace

Little Rock, AR

Religion

Unitarian Universalist

Profession

Consultant

Contact

Official website

Official X

Official Instagram

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Nikki McDonald (Democratic Party) is a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing District 49. She assumed office on December 20, 2023. Her current term ends on January 11, 2027.

McDonald (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Kansas House of Representatives to represent District 49. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. She advanced from the Democratic primary on August 4, 2026.

The Democratic Party of Kansas appointed McDonald to the Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on December 18, 2023, to replace Brad Boyd (D). She was sworn in on December 20, 2023.

Biography

Nikki McDonald was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas in 1997 and a graduate degree from the University of Arkansas in 1998. Her career experience includes working as a consultant. She previously worked as a teacher and as founder, executive director, and president of the Olathe Public Education Network.

McDonald has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• Project 10/20 Emergency Homeless Shelter
• Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church
• Johnson County Mental Health Advisory Board
• At large-member of Olathe NW Engineering Academy Booster Club
• Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild
• Greater Kansas City Orchid Society
• PSN Olathe Knitting Group

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

McDonald was assigned to the following committees:

• Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee
• Health and Human Services Committee
• K-12 Education Budget Committee

Elections

2026

See also: Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2026

General election

General election for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Incumbent Nikki McDonald and Tricia Sinclair are running in the general election for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Nikki McDonald (D)
		Tricia Sinclair (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Incumbent Nikki McDonald advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on August 4, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nikki McDonald	100.0	2,563

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,563
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Tricia Sinclair advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on August 4, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tricia Sinclair	100.0	2,134

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,134
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

Nikki McDonald received the following endorsements and voter guide recommendations. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• 92% Club (Sway voting group by Kenya Anissa)
• Humane World Action Fund
• Kansas Farm Bureau’s Voters Organized To Elect Farm Bureau Friends (VOTE FBF)
• Reject AIPAC from City Council to Congress (Sway voting group by Vote for Peace)
• We Persist (Sway voting group by Tabitha)

2024

See also: Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Incumbent Nikki McDonald defeated Kurtis Ruf in the general election for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nikki McDonald (D)	50.6	6,305
	Submit photo	Kurtis Ruf (R)	49.4	6,157

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,462
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Incumbent Nikki McDonald advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nikki McDonald	100.0	1,083

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,083
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49

Kurtis Ruf advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 49 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Kurtis Ruf	100.0	1,299

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,299
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

Nikki McDonald received the following endorsements and voter guide recommendations.

• Stand Up Blue Valley

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Nikki McDonald has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Nikki McDonald asking her to fill out the survey. If you are Nikki McDonald, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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You can ask Nikki McDonald to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing Info@McDonaldForKansas.com.

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Nikki McDonald completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McDonald's responses.

Expand All

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1997 with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and in 1998 with a Masters in the Art of Teaching with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development. I moved from NW Arkansas to Kansas House District 49 in 2003 with my husband, Patrick. After teaching first grade and English Language Learners (ELL) in Arkansas, I obtained a teaching position in Olathe working with elementary ELL students at Fairview Elementary. In 2005, I pressed pause on my career to begin a family. Our two sons have attended Olathe Public Schools since their early childhood years and are currently students at Olathe Northwest High School. I've spent the past 7 years becoming more involved with community organizing and public education advocacy work. In my spare time, I've worked to help elect others who share my values. When my representative in the KS House stepped down, I was chosen by my fellow precinct leaders to fill the vacancy. I am running as an incumbent for the 2024 election season as I complete the second half of this 2023/24 term. I believe firmly that we should all strive to grow where we are planted and make our community a better place. I am happy to do my part to ensure that we continue to enjoy living in a safe area with exceptional public schools and economic opportunities for us all.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• As a former teacher, special needs parent, public education advocate and community organizer, I will be a voice in Topeka advocating for our strong public schools.
• I have a strong commitment to work to improve access to quality mental health resources for our residents of all ages.
• It is imperative that we find solutions for rising property taxes. Too many residents are being priced out of their homes & this is unacceptable.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My area of greatest knowledge and interest is public school education policy. It's clear that strong public schools drive strong local economies. Our local public schools are exemplary & I will always advocate on their behalf.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Governor Laura Kelly is a great role model for finding common ground & governing in a pragmatic way. I hope to emulate her methods of reaching across the aisle to find solutions that improve the lives of everyday Kansans.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

N/A

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am curious, tenacious, driven, empathetic and hard-working.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

It is vitally important that a representative understand the will of the voters in their district. I have knocked MANY doors each cycle in House District 49 over the past several years & I have a unique insight into the priorities of my constituents. It falls to me to vote in a way that best reflects their wishes.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A legacy of kindness and compassion.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

N/A

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

N/A

What is your favorite book? Why?

I enjoy books written by David Seders because of his lighthearted approach to writing memoirs about his life.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Nothing comes to mind

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Nothing comes to mind.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

During college I was a nontraditional student. Taking on full-time classes & several part-time jobs was difficult, but I stayed with it and eventually my hard work paid off.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

I appreciate that US Representatives come from all types of professions & walks of life, each bringing with them their own knowledge and experiences.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. I think government should be "of the people". Previous experience should not be required.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Tribalism/Extremism

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

No. I believe it takes some time to learn the processes involved in governing and creating laws.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am open to the argument for a need to have term limits.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Again, Governor Laura Kelly is inspirational & has led Kansas through difficult times with skill and compassion.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I've met with constituents who have worked in various areas of service to the public, from veterans to law enforcement officers, firemen, teachers, nurses, doctors and more. Their willingness to sacrifice to make our community a better place is always touching.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Nothing comes to mind

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, both necessary and desirable.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

A budget is a reflection of our priorities. I would make sure that our budget actually prioritizes funding the things that matter most to our community. As a representative, I take this responsibility very seriously.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

My focus primarily has been on local and state government. To a limited degree I understand that the US House has subpoena and investigative powers. However, as an elected official in STATE government, this question really does not impact my work.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

N/A

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Nikki McDonald campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Kansas House of Representatives District 49	Won general	$93,894	$0
Grand total			$93,894	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Kansas

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

• 2025
• 2024

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Kansas State Legislature in 2025.

• Americans for Prosperity - Kansas — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy.
• Kansas Policy Institute — Legislators are scored on their support for bills promoting "individual liberty, limited government, free markets and student-focused education."
• The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
• Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Kansas State Legislature in 2024.

• Americans for Prosperity - Kansas — Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy.
• Club for Growth Foundation — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
• Kansas Family Voice — Legislators are scored on their votes on a variety of issues of interest to the organization.
• Kansas Policy Institute — Legislators are scored on their support for bills promoting "individual liberty, limited government, free markets and student-focused education."
• National Federation of Independent Business — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
• Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce — Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

See also

2026 Elections

What's on the ballot? Kansas U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. CongressState executivesState legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal governmentList of school districts in Kansas

Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

Kansas House of Representatives District 49

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Kansas House of Representatives District 49

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Brad Boyd (D)	Kansas House of Representatives District 49 2023-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Kansas House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Daniel Hawkins

Majority Leader:Chris Croft

Minority Leader:Brandon Woodard

Representatives

District 1

Dale Helwig (R)

District 2

Kenneth Collins (R)

District 3

Chuck Smith (R)

District 4

Rick James (R)

District 5

Courtney Sappington (R)

District 6

Samantha Poetter Parshall (R)

District 7

Dan Goddard (R)

District 8

Chris Croft (R)

District 9

Fred Gardner (R)

District 10

Suzanne Wikle (D)

District 11

Ron Bryce (R)

District 12

Doug Blex (R)

District 13

Duane Droge (R)

District 14

Charlotte Esau (R)

District 15

Lauren Bohi (R)

District 16

Linda Featherston (D)

District 17

Jo Ella Hoye (D)

District 18

Cindy Neighbor (D)

District 19

Stephanie Clayton (D)

District 20

Mari-Lynn Poskin (D)

District 21

Jerry Stogsdill (D)

District 22

Lindsay Vaughn (D)

District 23

Susan Ruiz (D)

District 24

Jarrod Ousley (D)

District 25

Rui Xu (D)

District 26

Chip VanHouden (R)

District 27

Sean Tarwater (R)

District 28

Carl Turner (R)

District 29

Heather Meyer (D)

District 30

Laura Williams (R)

District 31

Louis Ruiz (D)

District 32

Pam Curtis (D)

District 33

Carolyn Caiharr (R)

District 34

Valdenia Winn (D)

District 35

Wanda Paige (D)

District 36

Lynn Melton (D)

District 37

Melissa Oropeza (D)

District 38

Timothy Johnson (R)

District 39

Angela Stiens (R)

District 40

David Buehler (R)

District 41

Pat Proctor (R)

District 42

Lance Neelly (R)

District 43

Bill Sutton (R)

District 44

Barbara Ballard (D)

District 45

Mike Amyx (D)

District 46

Brooklynne Mosley (D)

District 47

Ronald Ellis (R)

District 48

Dan Osman (D)

District 49

Nikki McDonald (D)

District 50

Kyle McNorton (R)

District 51

Megan Steele (R)

District 52

Jesse Borjon (R)

District 53

Kirk Haskins (D)

District 54

Ken Corbet (R)

District 55

Tobias Schlingensiepen (D)

District 56

Virgil Weigel (D)

District 57

John Alcala (D)

District 58

Alexis Simmons (D)

District 59

Rebecca Schmoe (R)

District 60

Mark Schreiber (R)

District 61

Francis Awerkamp (R)

District 62

Sean Willcott (R)

District 63

Allen Reavis (R)

District 64

Lewis Bloom (R)

District 65

Shawn Chauncey (R)

District 66

Sydney Carlin (D)

District 67

Angel Roeser (R)

District 68

Nathan Butler (R)

District 69

Clarke Sanders (R)

District 70

Greg Wilson (R)

District 71

Steven Howe (R)

District 72

Avery Anderson (R)

District 73

Rick Wilborn (R)

District 74

Mike King (R)

District 75

Will Carpenter (R)

District 76

Brad Barrett (R)

District 77

Kristey Williams (R)

District 78

Robyn Essex (R)

District 79

Webster Roth (R)

District 80

Bill Rhiley (R)

District 81

Blake Carpenter (R)

District 82

Leah Howell (R)

District 83

Henry Helgerson (D)

District 84

Ford Carr (D)

District 85

Steven Brunk (R)

District 86

Elle Abigail Boatman (D)

District 87

Susan Estes (R)

District 88

Sandy Pickert (R)

District 89

KC Ohaebosim (D)

District 90

Steve Huebert (R)

District 91

Emil Bergquist (R)

District 92

John Carmichael (D)

District 93

Brian Bergkamp (R)

District 94

Leo Delperdang (R)

District 95

Tom Sawyer (D)

District 96

Tom Kessler (R)

District 97

Nick Hoheisel (R)

District 98

Cyndi Howerton (R)

District 99

Susan Humphries (R)

District 100

Daniel Hawkins (R)

District 101

Joe Seiwert (R)

District 102

Kyler Sweely (R)

District 103

Angela Martinez (D)

District 104

Paul Waggoner (R)

District 105

Jill Ward (R)

District 106

Lisa Moser (R)

District 107

Dawn Wolf (R)

District 108

Brandon Woodard (D)

District 109

Troy Waymaster (R)

District 110

Ken Rahjes (R)

District 111

Barbara Wasinger (R)

District 112

Sherri Brantley (R)

District 113

Brett Fairchild (R)

District 114

Kevin Schwertfeger (R)

District 115

Gary White (R)

District 116

Kyle Hoffman (R)

District 117

Adam Turk (R)

District 118

Jim Minnix (R)

District 119

Jason Goetz (R)

District 120

Adam Smith (R)

District 121

Mike Storm (R)

District 122

Lon Pishny (R)

District 123

Bob Lewis (R)

District 124

Martin Long (R)

District 125

Shannon Francis (R)

Republican Party (88)

Democratic Party (37)

Capital: Topeka

Kansas

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