Kansas Democratic Party

Kansas Democratic Party
Senate leader	Anthony Hensley
House leader	Paul Davis
Headquarters	700 SW Jackson St. Topeka, KS
Ideology	Moderate Progressivism Center-left
National affiliation	Democratic Party
Official colors
Seats in the Upper House	8 / 40
Seats in the Lower House	33 / 125
Website
[2]
Politics of the United States Political parties Elections

The Kansas Democratic Party is the state affiliate political party of the United States Democratic Party headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. The State Party Chairman is Joan Wagnon

Overview

Since its founding as a territory, Kansas politics have been largely dominated by the Kansas Republican Party and in 1857 the Kansas Democratic Party was formed in an attempt to curb this trend by writing a constitution which would make Kansas a pro-slavery state. This constitution, which was written in Lecompton, Kansas, was boycotted by many of the free-stater's and seen as illegitimate. Eventually a free-state constitution was drafted in Topeka and was adopted.^[1] The Kansas Democratic Party has not been able to send a U.S. Senator to Washington since 1939, a record currently unmatched by any state party in America, Republican or Democratic. Kansas Democrats haven't controlled the Kansas Senate since 1917, the only period in which Democrats have ever held a majority in the upper house, and the Democrats have had only three non-consecutive two-year periods of majority control in the Kansas House of Representatives, the last being in 1991. Since becoming a state there have been 11 Governors from the Democratic Party, 6 of which came after 1961.^[2] In the 2000s the Kansas Democratic Party was able to win statewide offices and make gains in the Kansas Legislature by benefiting from tension in the Kansas Republican Party between its conservative and moderate wings.^[3][4][5] These gains, however, were erased in the 2010 Kansas elections as the Kansas Democratic Party saw its worst defeat on a ballot since 1954. The Kansas Democratic Party candidates lost every statewide office race (including U.S. Senator), every congressional race, and suffered a loss of 14 members in the state House of Representatives.

Washington Days

Since 1895 the Kansas Democratic Party has hosted the annual Washington Days consisting of one weekend of caucus meetings, dinners, receptions, and ending with an address from a keynote speaker. It is traditionally held in Kansas' capitol Topeka. The keynote speech has historically been a proving ground for future Democratic candidates for President of the United States including William Jennings Bryan, and Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. ^[6] Vice Presidents Alben Barkley, Al Gore and Joe Biden have also given keynote speeches at Washington Days.

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

• None

Statewide offices

• None

Legislative

• Senate Minority Leader: Anthony Hensley
• House Minority Leader: Paul Davis

Party officers and executive committee

• Chair Joan Wagnon (Topeka)
• Vice-Chair Lee Kinch (Derby)
• Treasurer Dan Watkins (Kansas City)
• Secretary Barbara Fowler (Emporia)
• National Committeewoman Randy Roy (Topeka)
• National Committeeman Larry Gates (Overland Park)

Prominent past party officials

• Dennis Moore (Congressman 1999-2011)
• Mark Parkinson (Governor 2009-2011)
• Kathleen Sebelius (Governor 2003-2009, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services 2009-present)
• Nancy Boyda (Congresswoman 2007-2009)
• Joan Finney (Governor 1991-1995)
• Jim Slattery (Congressman 1983-1995)
• John W. Carlin (Governor 1979-1987)
• Dan Glickman (Congressman 1977-1995, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture 1995-2001)
• Martha Elizabeth Keys (Congresswoman 1975-1978)
• William R. Roy (Congressman 1971-1975)
• Robert Docking (Governor 1967-1975)
• George Docking (Governor 1957-1961)
• James Floyd Breeding (Congressman 1957-1963)
• John Mills Houston (Congressman 1933-1943, National Labor Relations Board Member 1943-1953)
• Georgia Neese Clark (Treasurer of the United States 1949-1953)
• George McGill (U.S. Senator 1931-1939)
• Jouett Shouse (Congressman 1915-1919)
• Guy T. Helvering (Congressman 1913-1919, Commissioner of Internal Revenue 1933-1943)
• William Augustus Ayres (Congressman 1915-1921, 1923-1934)

References

1. ^ Stampp, Kenneth M. "America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink". Oxford University Press, 1990. p. 150-154
2. ^ Office of Secretary of State.[1] "Kansas History", August 1,2011.
3. ^ Slevin, Peter (2006-10-19). ""Moderates in Kansas Decide They're Not in GOP Anymore," Washington Post" (English). The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801679.html. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
4. ^ Wickham, DeWayne (2006-06-05). ""Kansas Political Shifts Sign Of Things To Come?," USA Today" (English). http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/wickham/2006-06-05-kansas-politics_x.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
5. ^ ""Kansas Republicans Evolve -- Into Democrats," Salon" (English). http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/05/sebelius/. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
6. ^ ""Clinton To Speak," Wichita Eagle" (English). http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/16814019.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-10. ^{[dead link]}

See also

• Kansas Republican Party
• Political party strength in Kansas

External links

Official sites

• Kansas Democratic Party
• Kansas Government
• Nancy For Congress