The GOP and Kansas’ Democratic governor ousted targeted lawmakers in the state’s primary

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Laura Kelly and her allies have unseated a fellow Democrat who consistently voted against her in the Kansas Legislature, while GOP voters ousted a lawmaker many Republicans blamed for Kelly’s narrow reelection two years ago.

Democratic state Rep. Marvin Robinson, of Kansas City, and Republican state Sen. Dennis Pyle, of Hiawatha, lost in Tuesday’s primary as their parties picked nominees for congressional and legislative seats and scores of offices in the state’s 105 counties.

“I don’t take pleasure in ending somebody’s political career,” Kelly told reporters Wednesday. “I do take pleasure in the thought of a Legislature that will work together and work with me.”

Democrats simplify their goal in legislative races

Robinson’s loss could make it easier for Democrats to break the Republicans’ supermajorities. There’s no GOP candidate in Robinson’s district, and had he won, Democrats would have had to pick up an extra House seat to offset his possible votes against Kelly.

His break with Kelly and his party’s lawmakers became crucial to GOP efforts to enact new abortion restrictions and roll back LGBTQ+ rights over Kelly’s vetoes. Republicans and GOP-aligned groups backed Robinson’s reelection effort — one GOP-leaning PAC even produced a mailer favorably linking Robinson to former President Barack Obama to boost his primary chances, the Sunflower State Journal reported.

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