Laura Kelly takes D.C.

Daniel Desrochers

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was in Washington Thursday in her new role as vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association.

After winning reelection last year — the only Democratic governor to win in 2022 in a state where former President Donald Trump won in 2020 — the 73-year-old Kelly is in line to be DGA chairwoman during the 2024 elections.

Kelly was among several Democratic governors who appeared at a press conference on Tuesday to take a victory lap over the November election, where Democrats picked up control of two additional governor’s mansions in Maryland and Massachusetts.

After listing out some of her accomplishments to the national reporters — she talked about business investments, funding the public schools and working to fix the foster care system — Kelly laid out the general philosophy she reiterated throughout her campaign.

“We put our nose to the grindstone and just did the job, didn’t pay attention to the noise,” Kelly said. “And we’re focused on the task at hand.”

But, even as she’s taken on a leadership role with the DGA, Kelly didn’t appear too eager to field questions from the national press.

When one reporter asked about the wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country, Kelly let the governors from New Jersey, Oregon and Maryland handle the question. Members of the Kansas Legislature have sponsored several bills targeting LGBTQ issues and Kelly hasn’t weighed in on the issue since the election, when Republican nominee Derek Schmidt tried to make his opposition to transgender rights a cornerstone of his campaign.

She also passed on answering a question about the Democratic Party’s strategy for winning seats in 2024. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat elected in November, said governors need to focus on investing in public education and infrastructure and focus on creating economic opportunities and “protect real freedoms.”

“At the end of the day that is what was on the ballot in 2022 and we saw those results,” Shapiro said. “And if they want to try and run that playbook again in 2024, the DGA will only expand its numbers in the future.”

Kelly has never appeared particularly hungry for national attention, perhaps in part because of the fact that the national Democratic Party isn’t very popular in Kansas. In order to win election in a Republican leaning state, Kelly had to portray herself as focused specifically on Kansas and keep any national political conversations at an arms-length.

But having won a second term, Kelly can now take on a different role in the party.

Next year, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is running for reelection in Kentucky, a state Trump won by nearly 20 percentage points. And Democrats are hoping to hold control of the governor’s mansion in Louisiana, a state Trump won by about 19 percentage points.

In theory, Kelly’s success in Kansas could be a model in Kentucky, particularly her ability to distance herself from the national party and center her messaging on what the Democrats call “kitchen table issues.” Beshear did not appear at the press conference on Thursday.

Though if her willingness to cede the floor was any indication, her role in 2023 and 2024 may be more prominent behind the scenes than in front of the cameras.

More from Missouri

Did you know the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl? Well their presence in the big game has revived a debate over sports betting in Missouri, as people are heading to Kansas to place their bets. There are at least two bills moving through the Missouri legislature that would legalize betting, but it remains to be seen if they’ll become law.

Here are headlines from across the state:

And across Kansas

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is back in Kansas on Friday to promote his new book, “Never Give an Inch.” But as he tours the country to talk about his time in the Trump administration, he’ll have to figure out a way to get enough attention to win over Republicans in a primary where all the attention appears to be on former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The latest from Kansas City

In Kansas City …

Have a news tip? Send it along to ddesrochers@kcstar.com

Odds and ends

Assault Weapons Ban

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, signed onto another Democratic effort to ban assault weapons, a few days after President Joe Biden called for such a ban in his State of the Union address.

Cleaver has been outspoken in both his opposition to gun violence and his frustration at Congress’ inability to pass meaningful gun reforms. Over the past year, he’s left the House chamber in protest any time members hold a moment of silence for victims of gun violence.

But he may be looking at another year of frustration. Even though the Democrats control the Senate, they haven’t been able to get enough Republican votes to ban assault weapons. The best it could do was a bipartisan bill last Congress that strengthened background checks for people buying guns.

This Congress, Republicans are in control of the House, which will make it even more difficult for gun reform. Already members like Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Missouri, have introduced bills to get rid of gun regulations, not add more.

Hawley BBQ

Before the last Chiefs game, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, wagered barbecue from Joe’s Kansas City, a restaurant that’s on the Kansas side of the metro.

Some Democrats were quick to pounce on the perceived faux pas, ridiculing him for not being able to find a BBQ joint in the state he represents in the Senate.

One of his potential opponents is trying to make even more hay out of it. Former Marine Lucas Kunce, who lost his U.S. Senate bid in 2022 in the Democratic primary against Trudy Busch Valentine, held an event Thursday giving out free Gates BBQ at an event with the tagline “Josh Hawley can’t find a BBQ joint in Missouri, so we’ll make it easy for him.”

More Chiefs

Sen. Roger Marshall was once again wearing his red Chiefs shirt under his suit jacket on Thursday in the Capitol. He told reporters he thinks the Chiefs will win 33-31.

But on the House side, Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and Sharice Davids have been teased repeatedly over the game. Lawmakers presented them with a cake that said “Fly Eagles Fly.”

There are also a number of bets flying right now. As of right now, if the Chiefs win their flag will fly at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Cleaver will get to eat some Philly cheesesteaks.

From a purely food perspective, while I understand why everyone is betting cheesesteaks (my go-to was Jim’s on South Street), I think other Philly cuisines are being unrepresented.

Cleaver should have pushed for a box of soft pretzels from the Philly Soft Pretzel company, which are the perfect snack during the day. Or, since it’s been warm in D.C., he should have gotten someone to hand over some water ice.

Only after leaving New Jersey did I learn that not everyone has this delicious frozen treat, which is essentially Italian ice, but with a slightly softer texture. Every town has their own homemade water ice store. Mine was Diane’s, where I would get a gelati after school (blue raspberry water ice with vanilla soft serve ice cream).

Happy Friday

Here’s an article about how cities are changing more than fifty years after “White flight” to the suburbs. Apparently wing prices are much cheaper compared to last year. Here’s a recipe for your Super Bowl party. It’s 60 degrees in Washington! Here’s the London Symphony Orchestra playing Stravinsky’s the Rite of Spring.

Enjoy your weekend.

Daniel Desrochers is the Star’s Washington, D.C. Correspondent
Daniel Desrochers is the Star’s Washington, D.C. Correspondent

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