When he won the primary election for that seat, the incumbent resigned and Haley was appointed to fill out his predecessor's term.
Both his House and Senate districts have been in demographically-diverse (largely African-American) Wyandotte County, in the metropolitan Kansas City area.
[5] In February, 2025, Haley was the subject of intense political attention, when he threatened to become the lone Democrat to vote with Republicans to provide a crucial swing vote to override Governor Laura Kelly's veto of a controversial flat tax bill, which had been passed by the Senate's large Republican majority.
Seen as a power-play, his position on the issue generated great pressure on him from both parties, each side threatening retribution for an opposing vote.
[5] Haley has advocated for criminal justice reforms (including abolition of the death penalty), the legalization of marijuana, and constantly urged increased investment in eastern Wyandotte County.