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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kelly Arnold
kellyarnold@yahoo.com
785-234-3456

February 1, 2015

Topeka, KS:  The Kansas Republican Party Convention concluded Saturday night.

Speakers:

Speakers included U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who gave the Republican response to the State of the Union;  Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina; and Kansas Day Club Banquet speaker, Congressman Steve Russell of Iowa, who, in a previous career, led the Army unit that captured Saddam Hussein.

The party congratulated Governor Brownback, Senator Roberts, and its other candidates for their sweeping victories in November 2014.  

The party especially thanked Senator Jerry Moran for his leadership of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that succeeded in taking back the US Senate.

Bob Dole Named Volunteer of the Year

The Party awarded its 2014 Huck Boyd Volunteer of the Year Award to former Senator Bob Dole, who despite being 91 and in fragile health, conducted a 105-county tour, gave unwavering support for the Republican ticket, and campaigned non-stop in the last two weeks of the election.   

"The award was particularly meaningful because Huck Boyd was the person who got Bob Dole started in national politics back in 1960,"  said Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins who accepted the award on Dole's behalf.  

State Party Officers:

The 182 person state committee, by acclimation, 
  • re-elected Kelly Arnold of Wichita as Chairman; 
  • elected Ashley McMillan Hutchinson of Concordia as Vice-Chair, 
  • re-elected Derek Kreifels of Roeland Park as Secretary, and 
  • re-elected T.C. Anderson of Topeka as Treasurer.  
"The Party, confident in Chairman Arnold's leadership,voted to stay the course," said party executive director Clay Barker.

"Kelly and Ashley represent a younger forward thinking generation of leadership," said Clay Barker.  The Kansas Republican Party now has one of the youngest and dynamic leadership teams in the nation.  Chairman Arnold is 36 years old and Vice-Chair Ashley McMillan Hutchinson, mother of two young sons and married to a high school teacher, is 31 years old.  

"The party is focused on winning elections, as Ashley's election, with her well-earned reputation in data-driven election operations, demonstrates." said Heath Kohl, party political director.

Since the 2010 election, Kansas has experienced an incredible level of turnover in its elected officials.  The state party, in contrast, has remained a constant bedrock on which to build election success.  The previous chair, Amanda Adkins, served two terms and was succeeded by her vice-chair Kelly Arnold, who will also serve two terms.  The last time successive state party chairs each served two terms was when Ronald Reagan was elected.

Additionally Clay Barker, who recently become a grandfather, has held the party executive director position longer than any other Kansas Republican and is currently one of the longest serving in the nation.  He assumed the position in 2011 from Ashley McMillan, the new party vice-chair. 

Presidential Caucus & National Convention

The State Committee was briefed on the proposed Presidential Caucus and National Convention plans for 2016.  The Kansas Republican Caucus will probably take place on Saturday, March 5, 2016, and the National Convention in Cleveland will take place July 18-21, 2016. 

Straw Poll Results:

We did two polls.  

#1:  We gave every member of the 182-person state committee an index card and asked them to write their top two preferences for president. (some voted for only one name, a few did not vote).  The state committee members are representative of the activist base, most likely to vote in the Presidential Caucus for Kansas' 40 delegates.  

#2:  Young volunteers walked around the hallways of the convention with ballot boxes and for $2 anyone could cast a ballot - unlimited times.  It was a fund raiser.   

Results:  Below the 1st number is the state committee poll, the 2nd number is the pay to vote poll.  

Scott Walker 83, 253
Ben Carson, 46, 249
Ted Cruz, 28, 8
Marco Rubio 20, 48
Bobby Jindal 18, 22
Jeb Bush 17, 36
Rand Paul 16, 49
Rick Perry 15, 46
Mike Huckabee 13, 6
Rick Santorum 9, 4
John Kasich 7, 3
Chris Christie 5, 31

Mitt Romney 2, 2
Paul Ryan 3, 36
Carley Fiorina 1, 0
Sarah Palin 3, 0
Susan Martinez 2, 39
Trey Gowdy 4, 0
Joni Ernst 1, 0
Mike Pence 0, 2
John Thune 0, 3
Condaleza Rice 1, 0
Tim Pawlenty 1, 0





 







 Paid for by the Kansas Republican Party; 2605 SW 21st St, PO Box 4157, Topeka, KS 66604.

www.ksgop.org    Kelly Arnold Chair;

Not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's committee.