National GOP group targets 14 legislative seats held by Kansas Democrats
Democratic Rep. Stephanie Yeager represents one of 14 state legislative districts in the crosshairs of a GOP political organization in Washington, D.C.
The Wichita lawmaker sworn into office in January to complete an unexpired term said she wasn’t shaking in her shoes at the Republican State Legislative Committee’s determination to influence the outcome of her race in the 96th District.
“I know my neighborhood better than they do,” she said. “I will focus on them.”
RSLC, a national organization dedicated to electing Republicans to down-ballot, state-level offices, identified nine House districts and five Senate districts in Kansas that might be flipped. The organization’s long game is to build GOP influence in statehouses to better control decisions on redrawing congressional district boundaries for the purpose of electing more Republicans to the U.S. House.
It is based on an analysis suggesting that converting as few as 42 state legislative districts and tweaking congressional district boundaries could help Republicans win more than 130 U.S. House seats during the next decade.
“We’re full steam ahead on flipping districts in every corner of the country in November,” said Austin Chambers, president of RSLC. “Radical leftists are working to turn America’s communities into breeding grounds of socialism, while a unified Republican Party with a long record of putting the American people first is focused on making America great again, again."
The organization unveiled plans to elect Republicans in at least 115 Democrat-held districts carried by President Donald Trump in 2016. The districts are in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, New York and Kansas.
“No matter how inconvenient it is for national Democrats’ false narrative, state Republicans are absolutely on offense in this election cycle,” Chambers said.
The targeted Kansas House members are Reps. Monica Murnan, of Pittsburg; Cindy Neighbor, Shawnee; Tom Burroughs, Kansas City, Kan.; Jeff Pittman, Leavenworth; Jennifer Day, Overland Park; Tim Hodge, North Newton; Tom Sawyer, Wichita; Jason Probst, Hutchinson; and Yeager.
Senators on the hit list are Tom Holland, Baldwin City; Vic Miller, Topeka; Anthony Hensley, Topeka; Tom Hawk, Manhattan; and Mary Ware, Wichita.
Sawyer, the House minority leader, said House Democrats set a fundraising record and intend to flip enough seats in November to break GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate. House Democrats would need to gain one seat, while Senate Democrats would need to oust three Republicans.
“Between the tenacity of our candidates and the extensive resources we continue to collect, I’m confident that we’ll flip not just that one seat, but several,” Sawyer said.
By the filing deadline Monday, Democrats had recruited candidates in 91 of the state’s 125 House districts and 30 of the 40 Senate districts.
“The people of Kansas will have the opportunity to vote for Democratic candidates who are ready to work for hardworking Kansans on a bipartisan basis,” said Hensley, the Senate’s Democratic leader. “Our candidates understand the challenges facing their communities and our state. They are committed to doing what is best to move Kansas forward.”