Equality Kansas general election endorsements

Equality Kansas, when making endorsements, considers a number of factors in weighing our decisions.  In order of importance, we consider:

1.  Voting record as a public official;
2.  Membership in Equality Kansas, or whether a candidate is a member of the LGBT population;
3.  Responses to policy questionnaires sent to all candidates immediately after the June filing deadline;
4.  Public statements regarding LGBT equality issues.

Most endorsements decisions are relatively simple, especially for incumbents:  They either vote with us or against us.  For this election cycle, the test was their position on HB2453, the 2014 "denial-of-service" bill introduced under the guise of "religious freedom."  Incumbents who voted in favor of HB2453, regardless of previous voting records, were not considered eligible for endorsement.

For newcomers, their questionnaire responses are key to our decision making process.  We also consider voting records in prior offices held when a candidate is running for a different or higher office.

While we will consider public statements made by candidates, we never base our endorsements on private assurances of support.

Arguably the most important race of the year, the outcome of the gubernatorial contest between incumbent governor Sam Brownback, House Minority Leader Paul Davis, and Libertarian candidate Keen Umbehr is extraordinarily important to Equality Kansas, our members, and our mission.

Governor Brownback's record is clear.  As a senator, he launched multiple attacks on LGBT Americans from the floor of the US Senate.  Using the worst kind of anti-LGBT rhetoric, he belittled our relationships and our families, blaming us for society's ills across the globe.  As governor, he has made public statements favoring denial-of-service legislation.  In recent days he has made clear that even though the US Supreme Court will let stand the 10th Circuit's opinion tossing out same-sex marriage bans, he will continue to enforce the now-unconstitutional Kansas ban.

Minority Leader Davis has a voting record on LGBT issues few Kansas politicians can claim.  From opposing the marriage amendment in 2004 and 05, enacting school bulling prevention statutes in 07, his assistance in killing the domestic partnership regisry in 2008, to his votes against denial-of-service legislation in previous four years, his voting record scores 100%. However, since becoming House Minority Leader, Mr. Davis has made public statements and taken actions that call into question the strength of his commitment to LGBT equality.

Libertarian Candidate Keen Umbehr has no legislative record on LGBT equality. However, Mr. Umbehr has made clear and unambiguous public statements opposing denial of service legislation and same-sex marriage bans, calling them "unconstitutional," and describing in detail how both are in violation of the 1st and 14th amendments to the US Constitution.  While we believe LGBT Kansans can count on a Governor Umbehr to veto discriminatory legislation, we are not confident he, as a Libertarian, would sign proactive legislation including sexual orientation and gender identity in current non-discrimination statutes.

Based solely on Minority Leader Davis' voting record, we are endorsing him for Governor.  We sincerely hope that, as Governor, Mr. Davis takes a strong, unambiguous stand for equal rights for all Kansans, including LGBT Kansans.

Our full list of endorsements follows.  Please note that we do not endorse in uncontested races, nor do we endorse in races where we either lack information on candidates or where we believe no candidate will represent the interests of the Kansas LGBT population.  Candidates are not advised in advance of our endorsement decisions.

No matter whom you vote for, get out and vote!  Nothing changes in Kansas without your active participation.

Yours in Equality,

Ryon Carey, Chair, Equality Kansas Political Action Committee
Sandra Meade, State Chair, Equality Kansas

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Kansas Governor/Lieutenant Governor: Paul Davis/Jill Docking (D, Lawrence/Wichita)

US Senate: Greg Orman (I, Olathe)

US Congress 1st District: James E. Sherow (D, Manhattan)

US Congress 3rd District: Kelly Kultala (D, Kansas City)

Kansas Secretary of State: Jean Kurtis Schodorf (D, Wichita)

Insurance Commissioner: Dennis Anderson (D, Overland Park)

Kansas House District 3: Julie Menghini (D, Pittsburg)

Kansas House District 10: John Wilson (D, Lawrence)

Kansas House District 16: Don McGuire (D, Overland Park)

Kansas House District 17: Larry Meeker (D, Lake Quivira)

Kansas House District 18: Cindy Neighbor (D, Shawnee)

Kansas House District 19: Stephanie Clayton (R, Overland Park)

Kansas House District 20: Elizabeth Arnold (D, Leawood)

Kansas House District 21: Barbara Bollier (R, Mission Hills)

Kansas House District 22: Nancy Lusk (D, Overland Park)

Kansas House District 23: Amber Versola (D, Lenexa)

Kansas House District 25: Melissa Rooker (R, Fairway)

Kansas House District 26: Cheron Tiffany (D, Olathe)

Kansas House District 29: James Eric Todd (R, Overland Park)

Kansas House District 30: Liz Dickinson (D, Lenexa)

Kansas House District 33: Tom Burroughs (D, Kansas City)

Kansas House District 36: Kathy Wolfe Moore (D, Kansas City)

Kansas House District 38: Jan Pringle (D, Gardner)

Kansas House District 39: Vicki Hiatt (D, Shawnee)

Kansas House District 43: Caitlin Trujillo (D, Gardner)

Kansas House District 46: Dennis "Boog" Highberger (D, Lawrence)

Kansas House District 52: Ty Dragoo (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 53: Annie Tietze (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 54: Ann E. Mah (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 55: Annie Kuether (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 56: Virgil Weigel (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 58: Harold Lane (D, Topeka)

Kansas House District 59: Blaine Finch (R, Ottawa)

Kansas House District 69: Gary Swartzendruber* (D, Salina)

Kansas House District 73: Von Peterson (D, Canton)

Kansas House District 76: Teresa Briggs (D, Reading)

Kansas House District 78: Jim Poe (D, Olathe)

Kansas House District 79: Ed Trimmer (D, Winfield)

Kansas House District 81: Lynn Wells (D, Derby)

Kansas House District 82: Danette Harris (D, Mulvane)

Kansas House District 83: Carolyn Bridges (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 84: Gail Finney (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 85: Patrick Thorpe (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 86: Jim Ward (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 87: Charles Jenney (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 88: Patricia M. Sloop (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 89: Roderick A. Houston (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 92: John Carmichael (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 93: Sammy K. Flaharty (D, Garden Plain)

Kansas House District 95: Tom Sawyer (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 96: Brandon Whipple (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 100: John Wallace Willoughby (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 102: Brian E. Davis (D, Hutchinson)

Kansas House District 105: Sherry Livingston (D, Wichita)

Kansas House District 112: Steve Muehleisen (D, Great Bend)

Kansas House District 119: John E. Thomas (D, Dodge City)

*Note on House District 69:  This is a qualified endorsement.  Mr. Swartzendruber signed the 2012 petition calling for the repeal of the Salina human rights ordinance inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity.  He has since publicly apologized for that signature, and scored 100% on our 2014 policy questionnaire.  His opponent voted in favor of HB2453.

The Gayly - October 13, 2014 @ 7:30pm