KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Democrats elected Jeanna Repass state chair Saturday, making her the first Black woman to lead the party.
The Overland Park Democrat is a political newcomer who earned the chair position with the support of party heavyweights Gov. Laura Kelly and U.S. Rep Sharice Davids despite questions raised about her credentials and alleged non-payment of campaign staff during her unsuccessful run for Kansas secretary of state.
Repass beat former Kansas Treasurer Lynn Rogers, who served as Kelly’s lieutenant governor during the first two years of her governorship. Repass won by a vote of 122-107 to become the first woman of color to lead either state party in Kansas.
“I know how to raise money and build,” Repass said, pitching herself to the party delegates who had gathered for the party’s annual convention at the Ramada Hotel in Topeka. She promised transparency from the party throughout her time at the helm.
John Nave, vice president of the Kansas AFL-CIO, nominated Repass arguing her ability to energize and engage with others was key to the party’s success.
“That kind of energy brings everything. It causes people to act,” he said.
Repass ran against Republican incumbent Scott Schwab for Kansas secretary of state last year. She lost by 20 points.
In the aftermath of her campaign, her former campaign manager Nicole Aghaaliandastjerdi sued her for unpaid wages to the tune of $4,000. Aghaaliandastjerdi said her final check for work on the campaign bounced.
Repass denied the claim but her campaign finance report does not show payment to Aghaaliandastjerdi or Tom Witt, her first campaign manager.
Repass also told KCUR earlier this week she had not graduated from college even though her LinkedIn profile says she earned a bachelor of science from Midland University in Nebraska.
Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Democrat, expressed frustration with efforts to scrutinize Repass’ background before the vote.
“I don’t think that if it had been a white woman running that we would have gone to that extreme,” she said before the vote.
In a statement to The Kansas City Star Wednesday, Repass said she hoped to help inexperienced candidates like herself in future cycles. During the Saturday vote at the party’s convention, the allegations against Repass were not mentioned by any candidates or supporters.
Instead Repass and Rogers called for the party to come together behind whoever won and leave the infighting behind.
Rogers had pitched his experience in the state Senate and statewide office.
“I have stepped up every time the Kansas Democrats asked me to,” he said.
Kelly’s endorsement, which was a striking move to pick a newcomer over her former running mate who she later appointed state treasurer, sent a powerful message to delegates. Repass also earned the endorsement of major party committees including Kansas Young Democrats, the African American Democratic Caucus and labor unions.
House Minority Leader Vic Miller said he liked and respected Rogers but believed the party needed the fresh leadership Repass would provide.
“I think she’s got tremendous energy, she’s a very impressive person,” Miller said.
Rep. John Carmichael, who supported Rogers, said Friday he wished party leaders would have stayed out of the conversation rather than throwing their support behind a newcomer.
But on Saturday, Carmichael said Repass will make a good leader and called Kelly’s endorsement instrumental.
“Traditionally, at least in the Democratic Party, the incumbent governor selects his or her party chair and that carries a great weight with state party members,” Carmichael said.
