GOP chair not seeking another term

By
Brad Cooper
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Kansas Republican Party chairman Kelly Arnold on Tuesday announced he would not seek another term leading the party.

Kelly Arnold

In an email letter on Tuesday, Arnold announced he would not run for a fourth term as party chair.

Possible replacements mentioned to replace Arnold are Virginia Crossland and party secretary Alana Zimmer-Roethle.

Arnold’s announcement came less than a week after the GOP lost the governor’s mansion but won all the other statewide races and appears to have held onto its 85-40 edge over Democrats in the Kansas House.

It’s down somewhat from the  2010 midterm elections when Republicans made big gains in the House and held a 92-seat majority in the chamber through the 2012 election. The Republican majority in the House grew to 97 after 2014 before sliding back two years later.

Republicans still hold both seats in the U.S. Senate and won three of the four congressional seats despite Kevin Yoder losing to Democratic newcomer Sharice Davids in the 3rd District.

The Kansas GOP raised nearly $900,000 this year, records show. The state Democratic Party raised about $770,000 this year.

“When I was elected, I came in with the message of party unity being the key to our success with a strong statewide organization focused on developing a deep bench of qualified leaders. I conclude my time as your chairman with the same message,” Arnold said in the email.
“Republicans must stand together. We must remember and celebrate the diverse people and conservative ideas that make the Republican Party a Grand Old Party,” he wrote.
Arnold added that was he “blessed to travel the great state of Kansas, connecting with communities from southeast Kansas to the Nebraska-Kansas border, Western Kansas and beyond.
“I’ve met people I never would have met, traveled to cities I’d not been to before, and learned things about myself and our party by spending so much time outside of my hometown,” he wrote.
“My love for our Party and the State of Kansas has grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
The new leadership team will be picked at next year’s state convention.

 

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