Gov. Laura Kelly’s political action committee has reported raising $2.1 million in roughly 15 months as she seeks to bust up the Republican supermajority in the Legislature.
The governor’s PAC raised about $806,000 from July 26 to Oct. 24, bringing her total to a little more than $2 million after it was started in early August of last year.
The governor’s PAC has been raising money at a faster pace than some other major political committees that have raised less money over a longer period of time.
By comparison, the political arm of the House Republican caucus has raised about $1.4 million since 2023, with the bulk of its fundraising getting started in June of last year.
The House committee raised about $666,000 in 2023, about $204,000 in the first seven months of this year and about $522,000 since July 26.
The governor’s new presence on the national political scene has clearly helped.
The Democratic Governors Association, which Kelly now chairs, gave the PAC $235,000.
Another $100,000 came from the KAN PAC for the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council in St. Louis and $50,000 came from the transportation workers union.
The governor’s PAC also received $30,000 from the Way Back PAC in Sheridan, Wyoming.
The Way Back PAC says it works to support and elect leaders across the mountain West who focus on “issues facing their communities instead of national party priorities” and “defend our democracy and aspire for a more functional republic.”
The governor also picked up $50,000 from the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees trade union and $50,000 from the American Federation of Teachers.
The PAC also received $25,000 each from Superior Bowen Asphalt Co. in Kansas City and Pittsburg businessman Richard Miller.
The PAC’s report for the period ending Oct. 24 shows it spent money on 12 legislative races, five in the Senate and seven in the House.
The PAC spent about $54,000 trying to defend Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth against Republican challenger Jeff Klemp in a race that outside groups have been spending on for months.
The Kansas Chamber of Commerce for instance reported spending about $39,000 in that race not counting other groups that weighed in.
Also, the nonprofit group Liberty First Project Inc. has been running ads against Pittman.
Liberty First is chaired by Michelle Schroeder, the chief of staff for Senate President Ty Masterson, according to state records.
The group’s treasurer is Mike Pirner, who is the director of policy and communications for Masterson.
The governor’s PAC also spent about $41,000 helping Democrat Andrew Mall challenge Republican state Sen. Mike Thompson of Shawnee and another roughly $41,000 aiding Democrat Karen Thurlow in her challenge of Republican Sen. Kellie Warren.
Both of these races figure to be among the most expensive in the state.
Mall and Thompson have reported spending almost $400,000 in combined in 2023-2024, not counting outside money that the governor and other groups have brought to this race.
The Warren-Thurlow race is now approaching $430,000 not counting outside groups, and Thurlow didn’t start raising and spending money until this year.
The governor’s PAC also put money into helping Democratic state Rep. Jason Probst of Hutchinson help defend his seat against Republican Kyler Sweely.
It also is assisting Democrat state Rep. Virgil Weigel of Topeka defend his seat against Republican Penny Kloos-Boyer.
Weigel – representing a Democratic-leaning district – has been targeted by a PAC affiliated with Attorney General Kris Kobach and the Lift Up PAC, which contributes primarily to Republican candidates and counts on heavy support from the business sector.
The governor also came to the aid of Democratic challenger Kim Zito of Manhattan, who is running against Republican Angel Roeser in a controversial race where each candidate has been playing defense.
The governor also provided financial assistance to Democrat Ace Allen of Leawood, who is challenging Republican Rep. Carl Turner in Johnson County, and Democrat Betsey Lasister, who is trying to beat Republican Rep. Laura Williams of Lenexa.
Allen lost to Turner by 60 votes but has outraised Turner by about $66,000 this year.
The governor’s PAC also gave money to Democrat Stacey Knoell, who is trying to win an open seat in Johnson County that is now represented by Republican Rob Olson of Olathe. She is facing Republican Adam Thomas of Olathe.
It may not be easy to track where all of the money from the Kelly PAC went.
It gave $350,000 to the Bluestem Foundation for Economic Freedom Inc., a
Federal tax records filed last year – the most recent available – show that Howard Bauleke, chief of staff to the late Congressman Dennis Moore, was the president.
Former House Minority Leader Paul Davis was listed as vice president, although he said he has since left the group.
Bluestem raised about $2.1 million in contributions during the 2022 governor’s race.
The PAC also gave another $250,000 to the Kansas Values Institute, another social welfare group that doesn’t have to disclose its donors but has played big for Democratic candidates for years, especially in 2022 when Kelly was reelected.
