Craig Bowser

• Meritorious Honor Award

Craig Bowser
Bowser in 2009
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2025

Craig Bowser is an American politician serving as a member of the Kansas Senate from the 1st district.

Early life and education

Bowser was born in Warrensburg, Missouri, and raised by a single mother on a ranch near Holton, Kansas. After graduating from Holton High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University and an MBA from Washburn University. After leaving the U.S. Army Reserves, Bowser used his G.I. Bill to earn his doctorate in strategic security from the Henley-Putnam School of Strategic Security. ^[1]

Career

Bowser served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1991 to 2015 as a civil affairs officer and helped facilitate elections in Iraq in 2005. He was awarded the Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State during one of his combat tours. ^[1]

In 2018, governor Jeff Colyer appointed Bowser to the Kansas Commission on Emergency Planning and Response. He served as CEO of SAVE Farms, a nonprofit farm based in Manhattan training veterans for agribusiness careers. ^[1]

He currently works for the State of Kansas as an information security officer. In 2023, emails surrounding the 2023 police raid of the Marion County Record showed Bowser was on the criminal investigation team for the raid. ^[2]

Kansas Senate

Elections

2020

In 2020, Bowser challenged incumbent Democrat Tom Hawk for the 22nd district. ^[1] He opposed Medicaid expansion and government spending, instead emphasizing increasing the state's revenue through medical cannabis, sports betting, and privatizing the Kansas Turnpike. ^[3] He was defeated in the general election with 48.7% of the vote.

2024

In 2024, Bowser announced he would challenge incumbent state senator Dennis Pyle in the Republican primary election. Pyle had previously served as an independent from 2022 to 2024 and ran for governor as one in the 2022 election, irking the Kansas Republican Party's leadership. ^[4] Bowser defeated state representative John Eplee and Pyle in the primary election with 40.6% of the vote. ^[5] He was unopposed in the general election. ^[6]

Tenure

In 2025, Bowser supported a bill nullifying racial covenants on land owned by Wichita State University. ^[7]

Electoral history

2020

2020 Kansas Senate election, District 22

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Bowser	5,232	60.5
	Republican	Bryan Pruitt	3,411	39.5
Total votes			8,643	100
General election
	Democratic	Tom Hawk (incumbent)	15,687	51.3
	Republican	Craig Bowser	14,911	48.7
Total votes			30,598	100
	Democratic hold

2024

2024 Kansas Senate election, District 1

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Craig Bowser	5,069	40.64
	Republican	John Eplee	4,543	36.43
	Republican	Dennis Pyle (incumbent)	2,860	22.93
Total votes			12,472	100.00
General election
	Republican	Craig Bowser	29,530	100.00
Total votes			29,530	100.00
	Republican hold

Personal life

Bowser and his wife, Erin, live on their farm near Holton, Kansas. ^[1]

References

1. "Here's what divides candidates running for Manhattan area state Senate seat". The Journal. October 16, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
2. Smith, Sherman (November 6, 2023). "Kansas officials downplayed involvement in Marion newspaper raid. Here's what they knew". Missouri Independent . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
3. Peoples, Brandon (October 28, 2020). "Bowser hoping to unseat two-term incumbent in District 22 state senate race". KMAN . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
4. Mesa, Blaise (July 26, 2024). "The Kansas primary election races that could shift political balance in the Statehouse". The Beacon . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
5. Hills, Grace (August 7, 2024). "Bowser calls for unity after defeating senator and rep in 'most controversial' Kansas primary race". Kansas Reflector . Retrieved September 10, 2025.
6. Richardson, Bryan (November 4, 2024). "General election 2024: Full Kansas Legislature results". State Affairs. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
7. Carpenter, Tim (March 4, 2025). "Kansas Senate bill voids racist housing covenant on Wichita State University land". Kansas Reflector . Retrieved September 10, 2025.