Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Republican Party exchanged criticisms after Politico revealed that leaders of the Kansas Young Republicans used racist and violent language in a group chat with Young Republican leaders from across the country.
The Kansas Republican Party quickly denounced the two leaders of the Kansas Young Republicans, chair Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix. Hendrix was fired from his job with the Attorney General’s Office over the leaked messages, and the party became inactive after leaders and rank-and-file members resigned.
In a statement, Kansas GOP chair Danedri Herbert said that party leadership was disgusted by the comments and that they don’t represent the beliefs of Kansas Republicans.
“Republicans believe that all people are created in the image of God,” Herbert wrote, while also referencing the party’s platform, which condemns racism and racist acts, and calls for political equality and religious freedom.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Republican leaders should reflect on their language after top Kansas Young Republican leaders engaged in racist language in a Group Chat.
Governor urges Republican leaders to examine their online language
On Oct. 15, a day after the story was published, Kelly released a statement saying Republican leaders should examine the language they use online.
“While I appreciate the words of condemnation expressed by several Republican leaders and their expulsion of the Young Republicans chapter from the Kansas Republican Party, their words ring hollow when some of them repeatedly post content on social media that directly contradicts their statements condemning racism,” Kelly said.
Just days earlier, Kelly criticized social media posts from the Kansas Republican Party that she called “cringeworthy and childish.”
“I would encourage those leaders in the Republican Party to reflect on their own language and behavior to determine if they have provided license to younger followers to engage in such overtly racist dialogue. Those in positions of leadership have a responsibility to lead by example in both word and deed. They also need to remember that they represent our state and that Kansans celebrate diversity, not mock or condemn it.”
She was apparently referencing the Kansas Republican Party posting a photoshopped picture of Kelly in a sombrero and with a mustache. The party also posted a video of Laura Howard, the director of the Department of Children and Families, in a Lucha Libre mask.
Republicans say Laura Kelly isn’t denouncing Democrat for violent fantasy
The Kansas Republican Party responded to Kelly’s call for reflection with a broad denunciation of how the Democratic Party talks about racism and sexism.
“Laura Kelly should realize she lives in a glass house. Her party calls everything racist and sexist, desensitizing people to those terms and making it almost impossible to be believed when racism and sexism actually occur,” Kansas Republican Party executive director Rob Fillion said in a statement.
Fillion went onto call for Kelly to denounce Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones, who in leaked text messages described a violent fantasy about a political rival.
“As a national Democrat leader, she has a responsibility to lead by example in both word and deed. She has yet to condemn her party’s nominee for Virginia Attorney General, Jay Jones, who said his political foe ‘gets two bullets to the head.’ Republicans police our own. Laura Kelly should clean up her own house before casting stones at ours,” Fillion said.
In response, Kelly spokesperson Grace Hoge said Kelly has a “long history of condemning violent rhetoric and political violence, regardless of party.” This year, she’s spoken out in the aftermath of the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Minnesota state lawmakers who were targeted in a politically motivated attack.
“This instance is no different. It’s disappointing that Republican Party leaders are not taking this opportunity to reflect, not deflect, on their responsibility to model behavior that promotes a return to civil discourse,” Hoge said.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Republican Party leaders, Gov. Laura Kelly exchange criticisms
