(KNZA)--Kansas State Senator Dennis Pyle Monday submitted a petition to run for Governor, with the Kansas Republican Party, shortly following Pyle’s filing, issuing a statement saying Pyle is “playing games” with the future of Kansans.

Pyle, a longtime Republican Senator from rural Hiawatha, switched his affiliation from Republican to Unaffiliated and followed the switch by announcing, in June, his intentions to file for Governor.

According to a release from his office, a win for Pyle means he would join the Republican and Democrat winners of the August 2 primaries.

"It is very likely historical to have three state senators on the ballot together for governor in the general election. Having served six consecutive sessions with both former Senator Schmidt and former Senator Kelly, my fiscal and social conservative record stands in stark contrast to their liberal voting records, they are two peas in a pod." 

The presumptive Republican winner of that primary is Kansas Attorney General Schmidt, with the Kansas GOP Monday issuing a statement saying Pyle is playing games “by knowingly providing [Governor] Laura Kelly the only path to a second term,” with KS GOP Executive Director Shannon Pahls adding that “Pyle only cares about Dennis Pyle,” and a vote for him is for four more years of Laura Kelly and liberal Democrat control.”

Pyle, in his release, doesn’t touch on the criticism, but does imply that he is the only conservative in the Kansas Gubernatorial race, saying there is no difference in the R and the D. "Currently, there is no choice for voters. Liberal vs. liberal. When our petition is confirmed, voters will have real choice and definitive contrast," Pyle said. "When comparing votes on the issues, I am the conservative choice, without me voters only have liberal choice." 

Pyle, in the release, notes that he filed 8,894 signatures from qualified electors while the requirement is 5,000. Pyle’s running mate is Kathleen Garrison, a business owner for over 25 years who currently serves on the Clearwater USD 264 Board of Education.