How Kansas governor is influencing Democratic primaries and what Vic Miller says about it

Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is using her Middle of the Road PAC to influence Democratic primary races, despite indicating she wanted to use the political action committee and its money to break the Republican supermajorities in the Statehouse.

Kelly's PAC on Thursday endorsed four Democratic legislative candidates in contested primaries, including in one Topeka race.

The governor is officially backing Patrick Schmidt over Vic Miller and ShaMecha King Simms. The trio are running for Senate District 19, a new Democrat-leaning district in the area following redistricting.

Kelly is also backing incumbent Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, in a primary challenge from Rep. Christina Haswood, D-Lawrence; Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, in a challenge from Ephren Taylor III; and Wanda Brownlee Paige over Kimberly DeWitt and Michelle Watley in a primary challenge to incumbent Rep. Marvin Robinson, D-Kansas City, who consistently sided with Republicans on key votes.

"Kansans want leaders who will put politics aside and do what's in the best interest of the people they represent — like funding our schools, responsibly cutting taxes, and stopping divisive legislation that harms Kansans," Kelly said in a statement from her PAC. "These candidates are uniquely qualified to serve in the Kansas Legislature and I know they will put partisan politics aside to do right by Kansas families. I enthusiastically endorse these four candidates and look forward to working together with them."

Why Vic Miller says Laura Kelly is opposing him

Miller, who is the current House minority leader, previously served in the Senate for the remainder of Kelly's term after she was elected governor in 2018.

Miller alleged that Kelly is opposing him because he attempted during last month's special session to amend the compromise tax cut plan that the governor negotiated with Republican leadership. His proposed amendment would have given property tax relief to disabled veterans, but was rejected without a roll call vote.

"This is retribution to me offering an amendment to help our totally disabled veterans," Miller said, alleging that Will Lawrence, Kelly's chief of staff, said at the time that Miller would "pay for it."

A governor's office spokesperson referred questions to the PAC, which didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Miller said Lawrence called a friend of Miller's the night before the PAC publicly announced the endorsement "and told him that's why she (Kelly) was supporting endorsing my opponent, was because of that action that I took to try to take care of totally disabled veterans. And that I find very sad. However, if that's the sword I have to fall on in politics, I'll do it 100 times when it comes to taking care of totally disabled veterans because we cannot do enough to show our appreciation for their service."

Miller said he would have understood had Kelly endorsed his other primary opponent, King Simms.

"I, like the governor — or what I thought the governor was — I have a high priority on electing women to the Legislature," Miller said. "So I would have understood if that was who she chose to endorse and that was the reason she gave. I want to see more men and women of color in the Legislature because I think they, too, are underrepresented.

"And had she chosen to endorse the third person in my race, I would have understood that for that reason."

But Miller said he doesn't understand why Kelly endorsed Schmidt, who moved into the district in the past year. Miller said a former Democratic congressman told him that Schmidt, who lost a race for Congress two years ago, "wants to run for Congress again" and the Statehouse seat "would be a good stepping stone."

What do other candidates say about endorsement?

Schmidt said he is grateful for Kelly's support.

"I think it's great that she recognizes that there are a lot of people eager to get some new leadership in the Legislature — and leadership and support that'll stand by her in the priorities she has for the Legislature," Schmidt said.

At a candidate forum last weekend featuring the three candidates for the Senate District, Miller accused Schmidt of being too willing to work with Republican leadership. Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty said the approach may have been a factor in the endorsement.

"I did wonder if the differences of Schmidt and Miller's approach to working with Republicans, which he (Miller) expressed in that forum, might be a factor in this endorsement, that the PAC is looking to for someone who will work with Republicans when needed in the next two sessions," Beatty said.

Schmidt, however, levied the same criticism at Miller in an interview on Thursday.

"We need people in the Legislature that are going to be tireless in their support of what the people of 19th district in Kansas want and need and won't compromise with extremist Republicans," Schmidt said.

A spokesperson for King Simms didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

More: With 2024 elections looming, here's how Laura Kelly plans to break up GOP supermajorities

Why is Democratic governor getting involved in primaries?

Kelly has said she wants to use her PAC to endorse moderates regardless of political party.

"When she set up that PAC, it was announced they might even support Republicans," Beatty said. "This was a PAC that, one of their goals was to help Kelly in her last two years and get things done."

But another one of its goals is to break Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate.

"Those stated goals don't jive," Miller said. "They just don't."

The PAC didn't respond to a question of why Kelly is getting involved in Democratic primaries.

"Notwithstanding what the governor did in this regard, I am 100% committed to breaking the Republican supermajority in both the House and the Senate," Miller said.

The endorsement comes two months after reporters eating lunch at a local chili parlor happened upon Schmidt and Lawrence leaving with other Democratic insiders, including Cory Sheedy, chief of staff for Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa.

Sykes earlier this month told The Capital-Journal that she wasn't involved in the Senate District 19 primary.

"I am not," Sykes said. "I mean, we offer some services to all of them and I have a fundraiser and all of them are invited to come, but I don't get involved in primaries."

Days after the chili parlor meeting, following an event at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, reporters asked Kelly whether she or her PAC were backing Schmidt over Miller.

"Right now, we have not done any endorsements of any candidate, regardless of party," Kelly said in May. "It's a little premature for that. So the answer is no."

At the time, Kelly didn't know whether her PAC would get involved in Democratic primaries.

"We really haven't had those discussions," she said. "I think we will take a look and see if it would be in the best interest of the Legislature and the state of Kansas if we were to get involved. So we'll play it by ear."

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Laura Kelly's Middle of the Road PAC endorses in Democratic primaries