Kansas Republican congressional candidate Jake LaTurner fired a shot over the bow Wednesday with hiring of the campaign manager U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins relied upon to win a surprisingly close and turbulent 2018 general election.

LaTurner, one week from exiting the U.S. Senate race and announcing a challenge of Watkins in the 2nd District, added Pat Leopold to his campaign staff as a general consultant for the 2020 race.

"Pat has tremendous experience winning elections in the 2nd Congressional District and will be a huge asset to my team," LaTurner said. "We are delighted he has chosen to join us as we work hard to earn the support of the voters and ensure that the seat stays in Republican hands next November."

Leopold was U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins' chief of staff for a decade in Washington, D.C. He is listed as a principal along with Jenkins at LJ Strategies, a political consulting firm set up before Jenkins' retirement from Congress. The company's website touts Leopold's success helping elect Watkins to succeed Jenkins in a "top targeted race nationally."

He guided Watkins through the defeat of Democratic nominee Paul Davis in November. Watkins, backed by a $700,000 super PAC financed by his father, won the race against Davis by 0.85 percentage points. The margin was narrow given that President Donald Trump carried the 2nd District by 19 points in 2016.

Bryan Piligra, a spokesman for the Watkins campaign, dismissed the hiring of Leopold by LaTurner as unimportant.

"The only people who care about political consultants are political consultants, particularly one who asked to be hired back by us less than a month ago," Piligra said.

In response, Leopold said he didn't consider private conversations between himself and Watkins' staff members to be public information. Leopold said Watkins offered him a campaign job on Aug. 27, but he declined to accept.

Piligra said the 2020 campaign for U.S. House wouldn't be about Washington insiders but about the candidate most capable of turning out Republican primary voters in August.

"Nevertheless," Piligra said, "it’s unfortunate that Kansans have to spend a year listening to LaTurner’s team desperately try to defend his liberal record of raising taxes, defending labor unions and making it harder for Kansas working families to make ends meet."

Leopold's experience offers the LaTurner campaign depth of perspective on the GOP-leaning eastern Kansas congressional district. More importantly, he knows Watkins' strengths and weaknesses. Watkins campaigned as a U.S. Army combat veteran, political outsider and Trump adherent but faced scrutiny for exaggerating his business background and exploits climbing mountains. Watkins rejected claims by several women that he behaved inappropriately with them in Alaska and Kansas.

LaTurner, who is the Kansas state treasurer and a former state senator from southeast Kansas, was encouraged by former Gov. Jeff Colyer to make the primary run against Watkins. Colyer said he wasn't convinced Watkins could win re-election in 2020, asserting LaTurner would give Kansas voters a "viable conservative option in the Second District."

There has been renewed concern in Kansas GOP circles Watkins' support among the state's conservative voters could significantly erode. Democrats consider the seat a prime target after the 2018 win in the 3rd District by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat.

Lawrence resident Abbie Hodgson is the lone Democratic candidate in the 2nd District campaign.

"The last thing we can afford is Kansas sending another vote for Nancy Pelosi to Congress," Leopold said. "The 2nd District seat is again in jeopardy of a Democrat takeover, and Jake is the best candidate to lock this seat down for the Republicans."

Republicans Sam Brownback, Jim Ryun, Jenkins and Watkins have held the 2nd District for 24 of the past 35 years. Democrat Jim Slattery served the district for a dozen years, while Nancy Boyda was in for a single term.

"I’ve known Jake for more than 10 years and respect his vision for our state and country," Leopold said. "He is a conservative to his core and I trust him to do what is right and stand up for Kansans in Washington."