[7][9] In 1999, Stovall was among the founding board members of the American Legacy Foundation, an organization formed to reduce teen tobacco use and warn all people of tobacco-related disease (particularly through their familiar "truth" campaign).
[2] Initially, Stovall was one of the presumed "front-runner" candidates, and her anticipated run against the probable Democratic nominee, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, drew national attention as becoming possibly a rare "woman-vs.-woman" gubernatorial race.
[11][12] Though the front-runner among moderate candidates[2][13][14] — and confident that she would win if she stayed in the race[14] — Stovall dropped out in April, 2002, citing a lack of enthusiasm for campaigning, and for the job of governor,[14][15][2] and announced plans to marry Kansas media mogul Larry Steckline, whom she married in August.
[16][17] Stovall's abrupt withdrawal threw the moderate wing of the Kansas Republican Party into chaos, as they scrambled to replace her.
[18] Stovall's withdrawal was credited with giving advantage to the Democratic nominee (and ultimate victor), Katheleen Sebelius.
[13][15][19] Stovall abandoned her gubernatorial candidacy, abruptly retiring from politics, married Kansas media mogul Larry Steckline, and settled into domestic family life.