Kansas
Kansas legislative forum sparks debate over treatment of Black female candidates • Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — As the first Black woman to run the Kansas Democratic Party, Jeanna Repass knows what it’s like to be told to step down for a white male politician. Her message: “It’s got to stop.”
The competition over Topeka’s District 19 Senate seat has reignited conversation about the treatment of women of color running for seats at the state and local level.
In Senate District 19, House Minority Leader Vic Miller is involved in a five-candidate race for an open seat. Cynthia Smith and Tyler Wible are running in the Republican primary, while ShaMecha King Simms and Patrick Schmidt are running against him in the Democratic side. The district stretches east from Topeka to Lawrence, including Tecumseh and Lecompton.
During a May 11 Democratic candidate primary forum, Miller said he expected a record number of Democratic women candidates on the ticket and that the legislature needed more women.
Then he addressed Simms.
“ShaMecha, that’s not an endorsement of you,” Miller said. “Your time’s another day, another place.”
Miller later said he meant his comment as a compliment. Others have called it part of a disturbing pattern in state politics.
“I’ve been in politics long enough to know that people take things out of context,” Miller said in a Kansas Reflector interview. “It would be silly for me to say that it was her time to beat me. I’m in the race, and I don’t know what’s in her future. But as far as the immediate future, I think I’m the best candidate, or I wouldn’t be running myself. … I’m not in this race to lose or to endorse somebody running against me. That was the context. It was actually meant as a compliment, not as a slight.”
Repass put the incident another way: “Everyone supports women running until a woman wants to run against them. Everyone supports candidates of color until candidates of color want to run against them.”
She added: “Those punches land. They’re meant to land, and they do. They land, and they hurt.”
Repass emphasized that as party chair, she is not endorsing or opposing any candidates in the race, but she felt the need to share her own perspective. During her run for the party seat, Repass’ competitor was Lynn Rogers, a former lieutenant governor and state treasurer.
After announcing her intent to run, Repass received a phone call from someone she didn’t want to identify but characterized as a “white male who has been formidable in Kansas politics.” Her phone was on speaker, so her son also heard everything.
She says that he told her: “ ‘You blacks. When you speak well, you can talk people into anything. … Jeanna, you can be a preacher. You can be anything you want, but you can’t be the chair. It’s Lynn’s turn. It’s his time.’”
When she watched the video of the May candidate forum, Repass remembered that call. She said she felt shocked and disturbed.
“It was very disappointing to me that I am leading a party where anyone is going to tell anyone else, in an open democratic process, that you should not be running for something,” Repass said. “There’s room for all of us to add our voices. But in particular, when it is white men telling black women when our time and when our place is to run, it is beyond disappointing. It is disturbing. And I will tell you I find it unacceptable and it’s got to stop.”
Miller’s statement was the catalyst for the “It’s Our Time Kansas! — A Celebration of Women of Color Candidates,” campaign event held by the Topeka chapter of The Links, Incorporated. The Links is an international nonprofit including more than 17,000 women of African descent committed to sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival for women of color.
The event supported Simms and fellow women of color state legislative candidates, including Stacey Knoell, Brooklynne Mosley and Jessica Porter. Knoell is running for the Senate District 23 seat. Mosley is running for the Kansas House of Representatives District 46 seat, and Porter is running for the Kansas House of Representatives District 50 seat.
Simms said the incident allowed for a larger conversation about values, unspoken biases and legislative mentalities.
“I think what we’re really up against now, we’re trying to birth a new way of relating to one another, and the old ways don’t work for that,” Simms said. “They’re stuck in a cycle that doesn’t allow for growth. It doesn’t allow for reflection, and without reflection and growth, we can’t move the ball forward. And that’s really just kind of where I stand on that. I want to see growth.”
Indiana’s portal haul continued to grow Sunday as multiple outlets reported the addition of Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.
Osunsanmi has played in 36 games over the last four years and has 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Most of that production came over the last two seasons. He has a total of 47 QB pressures during his college career.
In 2025 he played in six games and had 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He suffered a season-ending injury in October.
He saw action in all 13 games in 2024 as a reserve defensive end and on special teams, recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 303 defensive snaps and 31 special teams plays.
In 2023 he saw time in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker, a rush end on passing downs and on special teams. He was tied for team-high honors with five tackles on kickoff coverage.
He played in four games in 2022 and preserved his redshirt.
The 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Osunsanmi has one year of eligibility remaining.
The Wichita, Kan. product (Wichita East H.S.) was regarded as the 232nd-best overall player in the nation for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.
Osunsanmi will help fill the void left by outgoing edge rushers Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley.
More transfer portal information:
For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.
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LAWRENCE — The Division I transfer portal window for college football is open from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, and that means Sunday is another chance for the Kansas football program to shape its roster.
The Jayhawks already gained one public addition earlier this offseason in Grand Valley State transfer Jibriel Conde — whose signing was announced Dec. 4. Conde, who is making the jump up from Division II, is a 247Sports-rated three-star defensive lineman in the portal and is listed by KU as a defensive tackle. On Saturday, a number of current Kansas players — including redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Blake Herold — also outlined in social media posts on X that they are locked in with the program for the 2026 season.
Marshall is set to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. Kubecka has the chance to step up into a more significant role at wide receiver. Herold is in line to be a key part of Kansas’ defensive line.
Those positives, though, don’t outweigh the fact that there has been a sizable group of players who have revealed their intentions to transfer away. Looking overall, when it comes to those whose decisions became public before and after the portal opened, the significant names to know include redshirt senior safety Lyrik Rawls, redshirt junior linebacker Trey Lathan and freshman quarterback David McComb. Lathan led KU in tackles in 2025.
Check in here for more updates during this transfer portal window about a KU team that finished 5-7 during the 2025 season, with transfer ratings as outlined by 247Sports.
Kansas football transfer portal additions
Jibriel Conde (3-star defensive lineman from Grand Valley State) — KU lists him as a defensive tackle
Kansas football transfer portal departures
Joseph Sipp Jr. (linebacker)
Jacoby Davis (cornerback)
Dylan Brooks (defensive end)
Jaidyn Doss (wide receiver)
Carter Lavrusky (offensive lineman)
Trey Lathan (linebacker)
Tyler Mercer (offensive lineman)
Harry Stewart III (running back)
Caleb Redd (3-star edge) — KU lists him as a defensive end
Aundre Gibson (3-star cornerback)
David McComb (3-star quarterback)
Kene Anene (3-star interior offensive lineman) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman
Laquan Robinson (3-star safety)
Jameel Croft Jr. (3-star cornerback)
Logan Brantley (3-star linebacker)
Greydon Grimes (3-star offensive tackle) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman
Jon Jon Kamara (3-star linebacker)
Lyrik Rawls (3-star safety)
Damani Maxson (3-star safety)
Jaden Hamm (tight end)
Bryce Cohoon (wide receiver)
JaCorey Stewart (linebacker)
Johnny Thompson Jr. (running back)
Efren Jasso (punter)
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Hundreds of people packed the Gem Theatre over the weekend to celebrate Kwanzaa.
The celebrations run nightly through January 1. Each night highlights a different core value, including unity, cooperation and faith.
The event features local vendors and performances. Organizers say it’s a great way to start the new year.
The Kwanzaa celebration is free and open to everyone.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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