Losing candidate disputes Kansas Democratic Party offered help to all

A second congressional candidate who lost in the primary election earlier this month is disputing Kansas Democratic Party officials’ statements that the party offered to help all Democratic candidates in the primary.

Nathaniel McLaughlin of Kansas City, Kan., who lost in a three-way race for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District, said he did not receive an offer for mailers or other services.

The issue came to light after Robert Tillman of Wichita, who lost in the 4th Congressional District, blamed his defeat on the state Democratic Party sending out mailers on behalf of his opponent, Dan Giroux.

Kerry Gooch, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said the party extended the offer to all congressional candidates but that Tillman never returned phone calls.

“I was surprised to see that,” said McLaughlin, the former head of the Kansas NAACP, who lost to businessman Jay Sidie by 6 percentage points in the 3rd District, which covers Wyandotte and Johnson counties.

McLaughlin said he did not recall being offered mailers or any other services by the state party.

“I am my campaign manager, my campaign committee – I’m everybody. And Kerry has my number. … They know how to get ahold of me,” McLaughlin said. “That offer never came.”

Heather Scanlon, spokeswoman for the Democratic Party, said Gooch called every Democratic congressional candidate with a primary to offer a variety of support services, including bulk mailers and voter files.

She said Gooch and McLaughlin talked “just after he announced” his campaign but that McLaughlin did not take Gooch up on the offer.

“Only Giroux accepted the bulk mail offer. Giroux and Sidie both used the voter file offer,” Scanlon said. “And Kerry has talked to Nathaniel many times since then.”

Scanlon blamed the situation on a breakdown in communication.

McLaughlin said if the party had offered these services, he would have used them. He said he didn’t blame the loss on that but that he wanted to correct the record.

Sidie will face Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder in the November general election.

Giroux will face Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo.

This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Losing candidate disputes Kansas Democratic Party offered help to all."