Next week in Kansas, Democrats look to begin their road back to relevance, and the first steps to that begin by determining the roles of leadership within the Kansas House. In Kansas, the Kansas Democratic House Leadership plays a key role in the distribution and use of funds, candidate recruitment and strategy for state house elections. Over the last few years, however, this hasn’t gone so well.
Before current leadership, Democrats in Kansas were outnumbered – that’s for sure, holding 49 seats in the Kansas house. Today, post the 2014 election, that number sit at 28. A loss of 21 seats in 4 years. Obviously, something has gone terribly wrong.
This leaves state Democrats scrambling to find a path way to a party that grows – without growth, donors, community support and overall interest is low – people may like the rapscallion Bad News Bears, but they aren’t busy snatching up tickets to sit in the bleachers.
Which leads us to the current contest of strategies. Next week, Kansas Democrats are set to choose between Jim Ward (HD-86) and Tom Burroughs (HD-33), as well as asst. Minority Leader contest between Louis Rouiz (HD-31) and Valdenia Winn (HD-35).
These internal contests fly below the radar for many post an election, but in Kansas these races matter a great deal for the future of the state party.
Tom Burroughs, who has been assistant Minority Leader out of Wyandotte County is often linked with the design of the Democratic Plan – which entailed a move toward the center, especially social center on numerous issues. This gave cover to religious conservatives and promoted candidate recruitment which at times didn’t work for those in Kansas who wanted to see change. It would be one thing if we could say there was success in this – a growth of the party, but the contraction of sitting members as highlighted above tells us that not only was this not a success around many of the areas of the state, it simply couldn’t succeed in the area that should have been a home base for Democrats – his home county, as well as the Northeast Corner. Contraction amongst Democrats hit hard in the Northeast, capped recently with the loss of a democratic seat previously held by Melanie Meier was overturned and went Republican in 2014. This district, with a 23% Minority population saw record low turnout, as Democrats again made an effort to not talk about “hot button” issues. Burroughs, who stood as an advocate for turning Republicans to Democrats for a one time run, made efforts in 2014 to recruit candidates like Ron Worley, an anti-choice, anti-gay rights Republican to run as a Democrat on the grounds ‘he might win’. This strategy not only backfired (Worley switched back and ran as a Republican, losing in the Republican primary) but it highlighted the problem with the direction of the Kansas Democratic Party.
Hindsight is easy. Burroughs, in his effort did what he thought was best for the party, and if that approach had worked as they say, we would all be singing his praises. It didn’t, and frankly, now Democrats are faced with record low numbers and a Republican Super Majority in both houses. With this as a consequence, the strategy of staying quiet or trying to ‘get along’ and recruit conservatives to our cause is simply not effective.
More importantly, Burroughs faces a real problem at home.
In 2014, in supposedly one of the brightest Democratic counties in the state, Burroughs found himself in a much tighter race then should have been provided:
D-Tom Burroughs 2,673 51%
R-Sue Adams 2,525 49%
This leaves Burroughs with a much bigger task than trying to help run the recruitment for the Kansas Democratic House – it puts at the top of his plate the working recovery of Wyandotte County, a project which may take not only time but a lot of hands on effort if we hope to reclaim what should be a true strength for Kansas Democrats.
Jim Ward, is also running for the seat hails from Sedgewick County (Wichita) an area where Democrats should be making more inroads with turnout. Ward, who has a past history in leadership for the Kansas Democratic Party served as assistant leader .. you guessed it, in the era where Kansas Democrats had 49 seats in the house.
Jim Ward is known for, well, throwing verbal punches. He’s also known for being part of the leadership strategy that managed to net the party 49 seats.. almost double where they stand now. Ward also brings to bear a district that strongly supports him – winning his district with 72% of the vote, giving him a much broader freedom to advocate for Democrats in other district without worrying about the safety of his home seat.
Jim Ward also finds himself in a leadership race that makes him the beneficiary of a real problem within the Democratic Party in Kansas. Both of the candidates for Assistant Minority Leader come from Wyandotte County. Simply put, Wyandotte County, seen by many as a real Achilles heel for Kansas Democrats – performing significantly under all neighboring counties with a 34% voter turnout presents an enigma for those rooting to reform the state. The concentration of all leadership roles within Wyandotte County simply isn’t palatable, and while the largest Democratic County in Kansas – if it performed as though that was true – deserves a seat at the table, with both options for Minority Assistant Leader coming from Wyandotte, now is the time for the Kansas Democratic Party to reach out into Wyandotte and do something that helps shake up the look of the party.
Wyandotte County is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of our state.
Wyandotte County
By 2007, 48.1% of Wyandotte County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 26.3% of the population was African-American. Native Americans made up 0.6% of the population. Asians were 1.8% of the population. Latinos made up 21.7% of the county's population.
Which has led to a great race for Assistant Minority Leader. While both candidates are good democrats who represent their community, Valdenia Winn gives Democrats a boost we really need. An African American woman who has been actively involved in Education, Children’s Issues and Economic Development, Winn brings to the table something that lacks elsewhere – an open outreach to the African American community and to women. Representing Wyandotte, which had historic low turnout, we need a message to come in our leadership that shows we value the diversity and we understand that we failed there, and to give us time to rebuild. Now, more than ever, promoting African American leadership within the Kansas Democratic House matters – low turnout in Wyandotte County is easily tied to poor turnout amongst minority members, and we need people in leadership roles that not only reflect the diversity present but provide something new.
I’ve met Louis Ruiz many times – and personally like him a great deal. Sometimes, when we look at these races we think that choosing one or the other is a slap at another Democrat. But we need leaders like Louis Ruiz who can help work in his own district to rebuild the voting effort; and especially now we need leadership that speaks to the direction of the party. Ruiz voice is important - and his willingness to speak on the issues is a real positive for Kansas Democrats.
We don’t often get opportunities to do something where we can say: We have repented, and we’re going to try and rebuild – and at the same time say: we are looking for a way forward, and we have real passion behind what we believe.
On Monday, Kansas House Democrats will decide the future of recruiting for the party. They will decide the direction they will take in the legislature, whether it is one that battles Republican ideals all the way – even though we know we cannot win – or one that sits quietly and hopes that better offices and less rancor will endear us to voters the next time around.
Now is not the time to be quiet, and to let our ideas be trampled. Now is the time to yell and scream, to protest as we go – to fight the good fight, if for no other reason there might be a longshot chance we can embarrass enough Republicans to do the right thing now and again.
Importantly, now is the time to recognize the diverse nature of our party, in gender, race, and yes geography.
I will welcome and support any outcome as it comes up – we work to win with all of leadership; but a Democratic Party that puts all leadership in Wyandotte County after the disaster performance of 2014 is a Democratic Party that puts our head in the sand and hopes for a window view to our lack of relevance. By putting leadership roles in different areas of the state, with different ideas, while giving Wyandotte that brush that says we acknowledge the importance now of this choice, we have a chance to make a lot of amends with voters who didn’t show up in 2014.
So, for the record, I’m endorsing:
Jim Ward for Kansas House Minority Leader
And
Valdenia Winn for Kansas House Assistant Minority Leader