Here’s the Kansas Equality PAC’s endorsements for the 2022 state legislative primary on August 2. When making endorsements, we consider a number of factors in weighing our decisions. In order of importance, we consider:
- Voting record as a public official, and whether the candidate is a “friendly incumbent” running for reelection to their current office, who has voted for policies that are important to our mission. Issues evaluated are primarily non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, school bullying prevention inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, and relationship recognition.
- Incumbent or former office holders who are running for a new office are evaluated on their historic voting record.
- Membership in Equality Kansas, or whether a candidate is openly LGBTQ;
- Responses to policy questionnaires sent to all candidates immediately after the June filing deadline;
- Public statements regarding LGBTQ equality issues.
Most endorsements decisions are relatively simple, especially for incumbents: They either vote with us or against us.
For newcomers, their questionnaire responses are key to our decision‑making process. We also consider voting records in prior offices held when a candidate is running for a different or higher office. You can view this year’s questionnaries at https://eqks.org/2022-candidate-surveys/
While we will consider public statements made by candidates, we never base our endorsements on private assurances of support.
We do not endorse in races where we either lack information on candidates or where we believe no candidate will represent the interests of the Kansas LGBTQ population.
Our endorsements are for the benefit of our membership, the Kansas LGBTQ community, and our friends and families. We do not consider whether a candidate has sought our endorsement, nor do we withhold endorsements at any candidate request.
No matter who you vote for, get out and vote! Nothing changes in Kansas without your active participation.
In September, we will revisit our endorsements in races where a primary might impact the outcome. We’ll publish an updated list by mid-October.
Kansas House of Representatives District 8
Pam Shernuk (Democratic, Overland Park)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 9
Alana Cloutier (Democratic, Humboldt)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 10
Christina Haswood (Democratic, Lawrence) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 15
Allison Hougland (Democratic, Olathe)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 16
Linda Featherston (Democratic, Overland Park) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 17
Jo Ella Hoye (Democratic, Lenexa) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 18
Cindy Neighbor (Democratic, Shawnee) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 19
Stephanie Sawyer Clayton (Democratic, Overland Park) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 20
Mari-Lynn Poskin (Democratic, Leawood) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 21
Jerry Stogsdill (Democratic, Prairie Village) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 22
Lindsay Vaughn (Democratic, Overland Park) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 23
Susan Ruiz (Democratic, Shawnee) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record, questionnaire responses, and member of the LGBTQ community
Kansas House of Representatives District 24
Jarrod Ousley (Democratic, Merriam) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 25
Rui Xu (Democratic, Westwood) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 29
Heather Meyer (Democratic, Overland Park) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record, questionnaire responses, and member of the LGBTQ community
Kansas House of Representatives District 30
Courtney Eiterich (Democratic, Lenexa) (Current Lenexa city council, running for House)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 31
Louis E. Ruiz (Democratic, Kansas City) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 32
Pam Curtis (Democratic, Kansas City) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 33
Bill Hutton (Democratic, Kansas City)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 34
Valdenia C. Winn (Democratic, Kansas City) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 37
Faith Rivera (Democratic, Kansas City)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 40
Martha Allen (Democratic, Lansing)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 41
Harry Schwarz (Democratic, Leavenworth)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 44
Barbara W. Ballard (Democratic, Lawrence) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 45
Mike Amyx (Democratic, Lawrence) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 46
Dennis “Boog” Highberger (Democratic, Lawrence) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 48
Dan Osman (Democratic, Overland Park) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 49
Brad Boyd (Democratic, Olathe)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 54
Lyndon Johnson (Democratic, Topeka)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 55
Tobias Schlingensiepen (Democratic, Topeka)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 56
Virgil Weigel (Democratic, Topeka) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 57
John Alcala (Democratic, Topeka) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 58
Vic Miller (Democratic, Topeka) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 59
Darrell McCune (Democratic, Ottawa)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 60
Mark Schreiber (Republican, Emporia) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 66
Sydney Carlin (Democratic, Manhattan) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 76
Chuck Torres (Democratic, Olpe)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 78
W. Michael Shimeall (Democratic, Olathe)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 79
Cristel Heffron Love (Democratic, Peck)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses, LGBT community member, and member of EQKS state leadership
Kansas House of Representatives District 83
Henry Helgerson (Democratic, Wichita) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 87
Chris Strong (Democratic, Wichita)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 88
Chuck Schmidt (Democratic, Wichita) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 89
KC Ohaebosim (Democratic, Wichita) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 92
John Carmichael (Democratic, Wichita) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record, questionnaire responses, and longtime ally to the LGBT community
Kansas House of Representatives District 95
Tom Sawyer (Democratic, Wichita) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 100
Mike McCorkle (Democratic, Wichita)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 102
Jason Probst (Democratic, Hutchinson) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record and questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 104
Garth Strand (Democratic, Buhler)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 105
Jaelynn Elise Abegg (Democratic, Wichita)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses and member of LGBTQ community
Kansas House of Representatives District 107
Susan L Concannon (Republican, Beloit) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 108
Brandon Woodard (Democratic, Lenexa) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record, questionnaire responses, and member of the LGBTQ community
Kansas House of Representatives District 113
Jo Ann Roth (Democratic, Ellinwood)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 116
Kirsten Lee Barger (Democratic, Pratt)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses and member of the LGBT community
Kansas House of Representatives District 117
Courtney Tripp (Democratic, De Soto)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
Kansas House of Representatives District 119
Bradley Ralph (Republican, Dodge City) (Current incumbent)
Endorsement Notes: Voting record
Kansas House of Representatives District 121
Mel Pinick (Democratic, Olathe)
Endorsement Notes: Questionnaire responses
