KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Two years to the day after his 10-year-old son was killed on a water slide at a water park, Scott Schwab rode to victory in the Republican primary for Kansas secretary of state.
Caleb Schwab died Aug. 7, 2016, from a fatal neck injury on Schlitterbahn's Verruckt water slide. The Schwabs, of Olathe, were visiting the water park in Kansas City, Kan., as part of a free day for the families of elected officials. Scott Schwab is a state representative.
During his victory speech Tuesday night at Overland Park's DoubleTree Hotel, Schwab remembered his son.
"I want to take a minute," Schwab said, standing with wife Michele and son Nathan. "We did not spend our day caring a whole lot about politics or campaign.
"Between 1 and 2 o'clock we lost a son two years ago to that hour. And how much we would love to have Caleb on this stage with us. So we just took a moment and said, 'God, say hi to him for us.'
"So it's been a day full of paradox. But we're here. We embrace where we are today. We embrace what we're doing here today."
In Tuesday's primary, Schwab defeated four other Republicans for the opportunity to replace Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach in the office as Kobach mounted a run for governor.
Schwab will face Democrat Brian McClendon in the general election.
