Month: February 2019

New Kansas GOP chairman promises unity but not moderation

by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service

The new chairman of the Kansas Republican Party is focused on winning back the governorship and the 3rd Congressional District. He told party leaders this weekend how he plans to do it.

Johnson County attorney Mike Kuckelman was the only one to present a full slate of leadership candidates for party officials to consider at their state convention Saturday.

Virginia Crossland-Macha is the party’s new vice chair. She’s currently a member of the Kansas State Fair Board with connections to the construction industry.

Emily Wellman will serve as party secretary and Bob Dool, who was treasurer for Kris Kobach’s gubernatorial campaign, will now be treasurer of the party.

Kuckelman told the GOP activists gathered for the convention that the party needs to improve its fundraising and engage unaffiliated voters in order to boost turnout and rebound from some stinging recent losses.

He urged the crowd to be prepared to pay for outreach to gather more votes.

“I will be asking for money. It’s just that important,” Kuckelman said. “We need the money to get this done.”

He joked that some Republicans might start hiding their wallets when they see him coming.

The Kansas GOP’s new leader takes over not long after Republicans saw their streak of congressional and statewide wins broken in 2018.

While Republicans held all other statewide offices and congressional seats, Democrat Sharice Davids unseated four-term 3rd District Rep. Kevin Yoder in the Kansas City area. And Democrat Laura Kelly beat the polarizing former Secretary of State Kris Kobach by a five-point margin in the governor’s race as she drew some Republican and unaffiliated voters.

Well over 500,000 Kansas voters are unaffiliated – nearly a third of the total registered.

“They don’t know who to vote for,” Kuckelman said Saturday. “They don’t understand why they should be a part of the Republican Party.”

Along with engaging unaffiliated voters, Kuckelman said Latinos could also be key to reinvigorating the Kansas GOP.

Latinos make up about 6 percent of the state’s eligible voting population.

Kuckelman said in an interview that immigration rhetoric from President Donald Trump and others makes them harder to reach.

“If you look at the Republican platform, we’re strongly in favor of immigration,” he said. “What the Republicans are opposed to, everyone I assume is opposed to, is people who violate the law.”

The state party platform calls “legal immigration … a blessing to this country,” but emphasizes border security, opposes sanctuary policies, and asserts that employers should have the right to fire workers who are not competent in English.

Kuckelman has represented Republicans in a number of high-profile legal fights.

Currently, he is representing the Kansas Senate’s majority leader in a defamation lawsuit against the Kansas City Star. He’s also defended a Republican House member charged with lying about his residency during the 2018 campaign. Kuckelman has called that charge “politically motivated.”

In 2014, Kuckelman also helped U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts successfully fend off a complaint that he didn’t really live in Kansas to stay on the ballot.

Outgoing Kansas GOP Chairman Kelly Arnold decided not to run for reelection after six years in the post.

Kelly led the party through that contentious 2014 campaign when Roberts and then-Gov. Sam Brownback faced tough challenges but both ultimately won reelection.

But in 2016, conservatives lost some of their grip on the Kansas Legislature, with more moderate Republicans and Democrats winning dozens of seats – enough to form a coalition majority to reverse Brownback’s signature tax cuts and pass school funding increases conservatives had long fought.

Conservatives regained some ground in 2018 and Republicans maintained their dominance in the Legislature, but after the fall elections several moderate lawmakers defected to the Democratic Party.

Kuckelman is promising to build more unity in the Kansas GOP.

To conservative John Hoffman, from Maple Hill, building unity doesn’t mean putting together a more moderate party platform.

He said members of the Republican Party should support the platform. If they can’t, they should consider whether the GOP is the right fit.

“They get to the point where they can’t agree … they leave. That seems to be a logical result,” he said.

The contentious gubernatorial primary between Kobach and then-Gov. Jeff Colyer – two conservatives with very different styles – also left divisions. Hoffman is typical of party members who want to see more unity.

“There was not very much party unity coming out of the primaries,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can get a little more organized.”

Despite his calls for outreach, Kuckelman doesn’t expect to moderate the party’s platform.

“Republicans in Kansas are always conservative,” he said. “I think it will continue to be a conservative party.”

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of Kansas Public Radio, KCUR, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link to  ksnewsservice.org.
See more at https://www.kcur.org/post/new-kansas-gop-chairman-promises-unity-not-moderation.

Wyandotte County under winter weather advisory from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning

Wyandotte County is under a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. Tuesday through 9 a.m. Wednesday. (National Weather Service graphic)
The winter storm is projected to begin between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)
The winter storm is projected to end between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)
From 3 to 4 inches of snow is forecast for Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)
Less than a tenth of an inch of ice is possible in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)

Wyandotte County is under a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, through 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, according to the National Weather Service.

Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties, the weather service said. Motorists should expect slippery roads and limited visibility, and use caution while driving.

With this storm, from 2 to 4 inches of snow is possible, with a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation possible, according to the weather service.

A minor to moderate impact on Tuesday afternoon traffic is expected. On Wednesday morning, snow and possibly ice-covered roads and difficult travel conditions are expected with the commute, according to the weather service.

Snow will change to light freezing rain and drizzle during the predawn hours on Wednesday, the weather service said. A tenth of an inch of ice also is possible.

Today, the weather service said snow is likely, mainly after 5 p.m. Today’s high will be near 31, with an east wind of 8 to 11 mph. There is a 60 percent chance of precipitation.

Tonight, there is a 100 percent chance of precipitation, with snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain, in the Wyandotte County forecast, according to the weather service. The low will be around 27 with an east wind of 7 to 15 mph, gusting as high as 22. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches is possible, and new ice accumulation of less than a tenth of an inch is possible.

Wednesday, there is a 30 percent chance of freezing rain before 11 a.m., then a chance of rain between 11 a.m. and noon, the weather service said. The high will be near 35, with a south southeast wind of 6 to 10 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 19, and a southwest wind of 3 to 8 mph, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be sunny with a high near 43 and a light and variable wind becoming east southeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon, according to the weather service.

Thursday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 27, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 47, the weather service said.

Friday night, there is a 60 percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight, with a low of 36, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there is a 90 percent chance of rain before noon, then showers after noon, with a high near 49, the weather service said.

Saturday night, there is a 70 percent chance of rain, mixing with snow after 11 p.m., with a low of 27. It will be blustery.

Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 38, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 22, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 41, the weather service said.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.

Blue Devils have edge in hits, but drop 4 of 5 on Texas trip

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Statistics can be misleading – as Kansas City Kansas Community College proved on its spring trip to the Dallas area this past weekend.

The Blue Devils out-hit Eastfield Community College in three of four games, matched the Harvesters in the fourth game but lost all four contests, two in the final innings before finishing the road trip with a 7-6 10-inning win over Brookhaven.

The games were the first for the Blue Devils, who have been unable to get in outside workouts because of snow, ice and cold. Weather permitting, KCKCC is scheduled to play State Fair at Sedalia Thursday and then open at home against State Fair Saturday at noon.

“We played hard and were competitive,” KCKCC coach Matt Goldbeck said. “It was good to see we did not lay down in any game and we either came back or had the tying runs on base or at the plate in every game. Overall, we anticipated the pitchers being amped up and throwing a few more balls and hitters swinging at pitches out of the zone – the usual early season mistakes when the guys are excited about playing and try to do too much. Fielding ground balls on a gym floor is different than outside and I understand our infielders were a little time fielding ground balls but it’s not acceptable and we will keep encouraging them to play with confidence which will make them better.”

Sophomore Eric Hinostroza’s fourth hit of the game following a walk and hit batsman scored the winning run in the 10th inning in the 7-6 win over Brookhaven Sunday.

Freshman Tyler Henry forced extra innings with a game-tying home run in the top of the eighth. The hits made a winner out of Orlando Ortiz, who gave up just two hits and struck out three in 2 2/3 innings in relief.

Hinostroza’s four hits included a triple and two RBI while J.T. Goodfellow doubled and singled and Kemper Bednar and Traice Harter doubled in an 11-hit attack.

Matt Fred pitched the first 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits and six runs, only three of which were earned, and Jose Amaro worked two scoreless innings.

“Orlando Ortiz had an exceptional performance out of the bullpen and Fred and Amaro were solid,” Goldbeck said. “Obviously, Henry and Hinostroza had big hits and Bednar played very well at shortstop.”

Eastfield rallied twice in an opening 8-7 win on Friday. Trailing 4-3 in the sixth, Eastfield scored three runs (two unearned) for a 6-4 lead only to have the Blue Devils re-take the lead 7-6 with three runs in the top of the seventh.

Eastfield then won it with two runs on two hits and a walk off Hunter Paxton in the bottom of the seventh.

Matt Schrick and Jose Sosa each doubled and singled and Kevin Santiago and Goodfellow doubled in a 9-hit Blue Devil attack.

The Blue Devils were blanked 4-0 in Friday’s second game as Ryan Puyear allowed just four hits in seven innings.

Carlos Soto was the tough luck loser, allowing only three hits and four runs, three of which were unearned in four innings. Max Stortch pitched two innings of hitless relief. Harter doubled and singled, Henry doubled and Bednar singled for KCKCC.

KCKCC had a 6-4 lead in Saturday’s opener only to have Eastfield tie the game 6-6 with two runs in the bottom of the seventh and then win it with a run in the bottom of the eighth 7-6.

Goodfellow and Sosa both homered for KCKCC while Harter had four singles and two RBI as the Blue Devils outhit the Harvesters 13-8. Osvaldo Mendez gave up just two hits but walked four in allowing four runs in four innings while Zavier Morin gave up two runs and four hits in three innings. Storch took the loss, allowing two hits and two walks.

Eastfield won the second game Saturday 5-1, breaking a 1-1 tie with four runs in the fourth inning in a 6-inning contest.

Victor Gotay took the loss despite not giving up a hit as the Harvesters took advantage of two walks and five KCKCC errors to score three unearned runs. Henry homered and Harter singled and doubled as KCKCC had a 4-3 edge in hits.

“The area that was disappointing was not executing the little things that things we have emphasized through the fall and you can work on in the gym such as communications, bunt defense, first and third offense and defense,” Goldbeck said. “We just have to try to communicate it differently and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes.”