Republican precinct committeeman Michael Kalny of Shawnee sent a Facebook message about Democratic congressional candidate Sharice Davids, who is running against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep Kevin Yoder for the 3rd congressional district seat in Kansas.
“The REAL REPUBLICANS will remember what the scum DEMONRATS tried to do to Kavanaugh in November. Your radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian will be sent back packing to the reservation.”
Emily’s List posted on Twitter in response: “This racist, homophobic language is totally unacceptable. We’re proud to stand with her & to help elect her.” They’ve since
promoted her, and another Native American candidate Deb Haaland of New Mexico.
A Kansas GOP official called @sharicedavids a radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian” who would “be sent back packing to the reservation.” This racist, homophobic language is totally unacceptable. We’re proud to stand with her & to help elect her. https://t.co/j7OuenwiHs
EMILY’s List (@emilyslist) October 10, 2018
Davids responded that the message “doesn’t represent Kansas values, and it doesn’t represent the values of the Republicans we know, many who support this campaign.”
On Wednesday, Kalny resigned. “He reflected an apologetic attitude and didn’t want to bring negative attention on the party or candidates running in this area,” Johnson County Republican Party Chairman Mike Jones said.
No word on an official apology from Kalny to Davids yet. The hateful message was sent to Anne Pritchett, president of the Johnson County Democratic Women’s north chapter, who had posted “hostile” messages on candidate Yoder’s page in this fiery election race.
Davids, a LGBT lawyer and amateur mixed-martial arts fighter, could become the first ever openly gay member of the Kansas Congressional delegation, if she wins, as well as the first female Native American lawmaker in Washington.
She is a member of the Wisconsin-based Ho-Chunk Nation (“People of the Big Voice“), which had historically been forcibly separated and relocated out of Wisconsin several times by the U.S. government.
Kalny, when questioned about his message by local media, said he needed to talk to his attorney and hung up the phone.
He also resigned from his position on the board of directors for the Kansas City Barbecue Society citing “personal reasons.”
C.J. Grover, a spokesman for Yoder, denounced Kalny’s comments:
“Kevin (Yoder) doesn’t believe this type of rhetoric is appropriate at all. It’s unacceptable,” Grover said. “These kind of nasty personal attacks are all too prevalent in politics these days, and it needs to stop.”
Davids has shown up in pre-election polls as leading Yoder by as much as 8 percent. She also faces Chris Clemmons, a libertarian candidate, on Nov. 6. Voter registration ends on Oct. 17, less than one week away.
