TOPEKA — Democrats blasted Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle on Friday for recent comments she made about the desire to redraw legislative and congressional district boundaries in Kansas to favor Republicans.
Wagle, a Republican from Wichita who is retiring from the Legislature after withdrawing from the U.S. Senate race, told a gathering of Republicans last month that the party needs to secure a supermajority in the Legislature to craft new maps in 2022 that would keep her seat in GOP hands and prevent Democrats from maintaining a foothold in the 3rd congressional district.
The comments enflamed Democrats who have accused Republicans of exploiting their political power to gerrymander political boundaries. Gov. Laura Kelly said the comments are an indication that Kansas should form a nonpartisan commission to make the maps.
