Kansas Democratic Party fires communications director over insulting comment

The Kansas Democratic Party has fired its director of communications over derogatory comments made about southeast Kansas on an online forum.

Dakota Loomis, the party’s communications director, who lives in Lawrence, had posted in a thread on KU sports forum Kansas.scout.com on the topic “most craphole small towns” in the state.

In his now-deleted comment, Loomis had nominated Cherryvale, Columbus and Galena. He opined that southeast Kansas was “poor, depressed, and getting worse.”

Republican leaders from southeast Kansas called for Loomis to be fired after his comments were published in the Pittsburg Morning Sun earlier this week.

“Effective today, Dakota Loomis has been fired from his position as communications director at the Kansas Democratic Party. Dakota’s remarks were reprehensible, and nothing short of termination is in order here,” said Jason Perkey, the Democratic Party’s executive director in a statement. “The party is offended by Dakota’s comments, and we have heard from people all over Kansas who are, too.”

Perkey said that he and Joan Wagnon, the state party chair, would travel to southeast Kansas on Monday to speak with voters and personally apologize.

The controversy comes as Democrat Paul Davis nears the conclusion of a tight race against Gov. Sam Brownback. Recent polls have shown the candidates deadlocked, and both have made campaign stops in southeast Kansas this month.

The party initially suspended Loomis without pay Wednesday, before deciding to terminate his employment the following day.

Sen. Jacob LaTurner, R-Pittsburg, one of the Republican lawmakers who called for Loomis’ firing, said it was sad that it was not the Democratic Party’s first reaction.

“There’s a lot of snobbery in the (Democratic) Party. They think everyone outside of Lawrence is a knuckle dragger,” said LaTurner, who grew up in Galena.

Loomis issued an apology and asked voters not to hold his comment against the rest of the party.

“I must first and foremost apologize for me callous, insensitive, and frankly asinine comment,” Loomis said.

“I would ask that you not hold my own immaturity and stupidity against the great Kansas Democrats who are working every day to restore Kansas, especially those in southeast Kansas,” he said.

This story was originally published October 16, 2014 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Kansas Democratic Party fires communications director over insulting comment."