A Kansas progressive is leading the charge to form a political action committee to stop Democrat Aaron Coleman’s candidacy for the Kansas House.
Edward Rosson is starting a political action committee called the “Stop Coleman PAC” along with Jamie Jarvis, a former Kansas Democratic Party intern who worked for Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign in Nevada.
In an email, Rosson said Coleman “duped” voters about his background, which includes abuse of young girls with online bullying and revenge porn when he was in middle school. An ex girlfriend said Coleman was abusive last year.
“Corporate dark money is pouring into the race to protect their racket,” Coleman said in a text message.
Meanwhile, Coleman went on social media to encourage socialism.
“I know how to campaign, and that’s why I’m the Democratic nominee,” Coleman said.
“I’m willing to teach other people how to campaign. Once I’m elected, I’m hoping leftist organizations will learn how to be able to work with me so I can help with a socialist takeover of the KS Democratic party,” Coleman tweeted.
Rosson acknowledged that he initially supported Coleman’s candidacy for House District 37 until he learned about the candidate’s dark past.
“Like many people who encountered Coleman, I found him passionate about progressive issues and eager to shake up Topeka,” Rosson wrote in an email.
“I am also furious that he presents himself as a progressive when his conduct and continued harassment is anathema to progressive values,” Rosson said.
Rosson said he hopes to raise enough money to run social media campaigns and potentially send mail to voters in his district.
Rosson stopped short of saying whether the PAC would encourage voters to write in state Rep. Stan Frownfelter’s name when they cast their ballots.
Frownfelter lost the primary to Coleman by 14 votes. He is now running a write-in campaign, seeking to become only the second incumbent in Kansas history to lose a primary and then win the general election as a write-in candidate.
Also running a write-in campaign is Kristina Smith, treasurer of the Wyandotte County Republican Party.
“At the moment we are letting the write-in side of things sort themselves out,” Rosson wrote in an email.
“From what I understand, there is still some uncertainty if Frownfelter will be the consensus alternative or if another candidate will emerge.
“We do plan on supporting the clear alternative to Coleman when the time comes.”
Rosson was a field intern and a volunteer for Brent Welder’s failed congressional campaign for Congress in the 3rd District two years ago.
He was also a field office organizer for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in Iowa in 2019 and 2020.
He recently was elected executive director of Our Revolution Kansas, one of the many grassroots organizations that spun out of Sanders’ presidential campaign.
