Fundraising for Kansas’ abortion ballot question tops $10 million as August vote nears

Kansas is holding the first statewide vote on abortion rights in a post-Roe America, and more than $10 million this year has poured into the fight— a strikingly high number for a ballot measure in a Kansas primary.

Campaign finance reports filed Monday offer the first glimpse into the internal operations and fundraising efforts of the state’s major advocacy groups since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and struck down the federal right to an abortion, raising the stakes of the Aug. 2 state constitutional amendment.

According to the reports Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, the primary “vote no” group, outraised the primary “vote yes” group, the Value Them Both Association, by nearly $2 million. Kansans for Constitutional Freedom also spent about $400,000 more than their anti-abortion counterparts.

Kansans for Constitutional Freedom raised $6,542,900 this year, spending $5,836,388 from January 1 to July 18. Value Them Both Association raised $4,691,596 and spent $5,406,417 during the same period.

“Those are impressive numbers on both sides. It’s a lot of money. Part of that is the unique circumstances coming after the Supreme Court decision,” said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University Political scientist. “A few months ago it looked like the no side was kind of lagging behind the yes side in terms of money and messaging. Well, they’ve caught up.”

Beatty said the numbers may indicate to national observers that the race is closer than they may have expected.

The vote, which both sides have been preparing for since January of last year, essentially overturns a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling that found a state-level right to an abortion.

It gained national attention in the weeks following the fall of Roe v. Wade as neighboring states, including Missouri, enacted abortion bans and advocates for abortion rights looked to Kansas as a space where access to the procedure could be protected in the Great Plains.

On the “vote no” side U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, posted a fundraising link for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom on her Twitter page, telling her roughly 6 million followers that donating to the group was a “concrete next step … in our fight for the right to an abortion.”

Ashley All, a spokeswoman for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, said the group saw an increase in small donations after the decision.

“Donations from Kansas grassroots donors have remained strong throughout. But we definitely saw an uptick in out-of-state small dollar donations immediately following the Dobbs decision,” All said in an email.

The majority of the group’s money, however, came from national and regional organizations aimed at preserving abortion access.

The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a left leaning PAC, contributed nearly $1.4 million while combined contributions from national and regional Planned Parenthood funds contributed more than $1.3 million. Tulsa philanthropist Stacy Schusterman donated $1 million to the campaign.

Catholic Church donations

Meanwhile, Value Them Both’s fundraising continues to be largely driven by Catholic churches and dioceses in Kansas. While churches are usually barred from donating to campaigns, issue based ballot initiatives are an exception. Catholic leaders in Kansas have framed the amendment as a moral and religious issue that merits church involvement.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, which contributed $500,000 last year, donated an additional $2.45 million since January. The donation covered more than half of the organization’s total fundraising this year.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann previously led the U.S. Conference of Bishop’s Pro-life Activities Committee. He has been a leading voice advocating on behalf of the amendment in Kansas, holding a rally in June and authoring opinion columns to urge “yes” votes.

The Wichita Diocese was the second largest donor this year with $551,000, followed by Kansans for Life at $325,000.

The Salina Diocese, Kansas Catholic Conference and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Leawood also made six-figure donations.

While national forces have been involved in the anti-abortion push for the amendment they didn’t donate directly to the Value Them Both association.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America announced last month they were investing $1.3 million in Kansas. The organization has sent canvassers working directly with them door to door in the state.

Mackenzie Haddix, a spokeswoman for the Value Them Both Association, said there has been an increased energy among supporters to combat “misinformation” since Roe v. Wade was overturned but did not say whether that translated into donations.

“Our excitement, momentum, and engagement have all continued to increase and we’re hopeful this will be reflected at the ballot box on August 2nd,” Haddix said.