Kobach: ‘I am running for governor of Kansas, not governor of Virginia’

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Wednesday he didn’t speak out about violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, because he is running for governor of Kansas, not Virginia.

Kobach issued a fiery and personal response to Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, who earlier in the day said that silence by Kobach and Gov. Sam Brownback had been deafening after last weekend’s white supremacist gathering and President Donald Trump’s equivocating comments.

"It goes without saying that white supremacist views and racism are reprehensible. I did not comment on the horrific attack in Charlottesville because I am running for governor of Kansas, not governor of Virginia," Kobach said in a statement.

"Apparently, Mr. Hensley thinks that the vast majority of governors in America are all racists too, because they have made no public comment on the Charlottesville attack either. It is pathetic that a man with such poor logical thinking has been teaching public school kids in Kansas for so many years."

Hensley, who teaches at a high school in Topeka, said in his statement that Kobach had been a featured speaker at a white nationalist group and had been an architect of voter suppression laws. He added that 40 of 50 governors have made statements.

Kobach has advocated for voter identification and proof of citizenship voter registration laws. He spoke at a 2015 writer’s workshop organized by The Social Contract Press, which the Southern Poverty Law Center says is a white nationalist publisher.

Kobach described the Social Contract Press in 2015 as “a think tank for pro-enforcement immigration policies” and said it was ridiculous that the Southern Poverty Law Center viewed it and other opponents of illegal immigration as white nationalists. He also has noted that some of the speakers at the workshop were Hispanic and black.

Kobach said Hensley’s "slander against me" has no place in civil discourse.

Hensley said that as a candidate for governor, "the people of Kansas deserve to know whether your silence is indicative of your tolerance of such hate."

"Racism and bigotry have no place in this state or country. Kansas was founded on solid principles that all men and women are created equal, and we have a rich history of defending these principles," Hensley said.

"It is shocking that leaders of the Republican Party in our state have not denounced the vile behavior of white nationalists,” Hensley said. In comments after Kobach spoke, Hensley said Kobach would have spoken before Hensley called him out if he truly believed racism is reprehensible.

On Tuesday, Trump said "there is blame on both sides" for the deadly violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, appearing to equate the actions of white supremacist groups with those protesting them. He showed sympathy for the fringe groups’ efforts to preserve Confederate monuments.

On Monday, Trump had called members of the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists who take part in violence "criminals and thugs."

Brownback, who has been nominated by Trump to be ambassador at large for international religious freedom, condemned racism but didn’t mention the president.

"Racism, hatred, and violence should have no place in American life. Our state was born of the idea that all people are created equal, and that all people should be treated with respect and dignity. I, along with the people of Kansas, condemn any sentiment or demonstration against this fundamental truth," Brownback said.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, who is set to become governor if Brownback is confirmed, said "we must stamp out these harmful ideologies and evil doers before they can take root here at home."

Other Kansas leaders have also weighed in. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran said white supremacy, bigotry and racism have no place in society, and no one – "especially the President of the United States" – should ever tolerate it. U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins called white supremacy a "blight" on the nation.

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes has not spoken about the issue since Trump’s Tuesday remarks; he denounced white supremacy on Monday. U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said Monday that cities need strong hate-crime ordinances and he praised Trump’s initial response to Charlottesville, which was also criticized as equivocating between white supremacists and demonstrators opposing them.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder said Wednesday that he was angry that all leaders in the United States aren’t outraged by what happened in Virginia.

"White Supremacy, Nazism, KKK, that has no place in America. We will not allow these racists and bigots to turn back the clock," Yoder said. "Each leader needs to stand up forcefully and clearly and directly, that it will not be tolerated and not be accepted."

Contributing: Hunter Woodall of The Kansas City Star

This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Kobach: ‘I am running for governor of Kansas, not governor of Virginia’."