19-year-old Fmr. Candidate for KS Governor may have just won a State House seat

[tmthforu94]

In addition, quite a few candidates in their 20's won primaries across the state and across the aisle. I like seeing young political activism in my state!

[tmthforu94]

In addition, quite a few candidates in their 20's won primaries across the state and across the aisle. I like seeing young political activism in my state!

Tmth should run for something. Tmth for State House/Senate?

Hah! If anything I'll be running Benson's campaign.

[tmthforu94]

More absentee counting in - his lead has expanded to 5.

[tmthforu94]

Aaron Coleman is not a good guy. I hope Frownfelter can mount a write-in campaign!

Nope. Kansas has a sore loser law.

Alaska and West Virginia have sore loser laws, but they only apply to candidates on the ballot, not write-ins. Does the sore loser law in Kansas apply to write-in candidates?

I'm not 100% certain on this, but I believe write-in candidacies are still allowed. Frownfelter couldn't get the nomination for another party, though. This is based on remembering there being talk in '14 of Wolfe running as a write-in in the Senate race before ultimately deciding not to, so my guess is since it was talked about, it would have been legal.

[tmthforu94]

He needs to withdraw his name from consideration.

[tmthforu94]

I agree with all of the comments that the Speaker shouldn't refuse to seat him. Perhaps an argument could be better made if this came out AFTER the November election, but at this point, the voters are aware of Coleman's past and if they choose to elect him, that is their choice. Democracy should be respected. My guess is there is some sort of credible write-in challenge. If he still wins, he probably won't get committee assignments and will lose big in 2022, if he even runs or makes it until then without resigning.

[tmthforu94]

If Republicans had bothered to put someone on the ballot here, they could have won, especially if Frownfelter pursues the write-in campaign. As it stands, I doubt they have much chance.

[tmthforu94]

If Republicans had bothered to put someone on the ballot here, they could have won, especially if Frownfelter pursues the write-in campaign. As it stands, I doubt they have much chance.

What are the chances of him not being seated?

Honestly it is pretty low, at this point people are aware of what happened and if they choose to elect him, that is their democratic prerogative. I haven't heard much murmurs locally on whether or not he should be seated. Heck if anything Republicans probably want this kid to win, as it is ammo to use against Democrats in the future. Based on what I know about him, he will make many moronic statements to come.

[tmthforu94]

If Republicans had bothered to put someone on the ballot here, they could have won, especially if Frownfelter pursues the write-in campaign. As it stands, I doubt they have much chance.

What do you think happens in the likely scenario of this kid (D) vs. Frownfelter & some rando GOP-er as write-in options?

I need to see how it plays out the next few weeks.....I think Frownfelter will probably win this, the kid's fundraising is going to dry up as a result of all of this. The Wyandotte GOP isn't particularly organized so I wouldn't put too much trust in them being able to successfully pull off a write-in candidacy in a district TRUMP will probably only get 30-35%.

[tmthforu94]

@tmthforu94: so what happens now? Does the KS Democratic Party's state executive committee nominate Frownfelter? Or does KS law provide for a different process re: filling a vacant nomination?

It is decided by Democratic precinct committee members in this district. That’s how a vacancy is filled, so I assume it is the same process here. They’ll nominate Frownfelter I’m sure.

[tmthforu94]

REVERSE REVERSE

Now he says he is staying in.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article245238050.html

A Kansas House candidate dogged by past inappropriate behavior who promised to drop out has abandoned his pledge and now says he will campaign against “corporatist politics” and stay on the November ballot.

[tmthforu94]

To answer much of the speculation that has surrounded this thread:

https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200826/democrats-say-they-will-fight-against-seating-aaron-coleman-if-teen-wins-house-race

House Democrats reiterated Wednesday that they will fight against seating Aaron Coleman, the controversial Kansas House candidate, if he prevails in November.

...

The Party is continuing to follow the lead of the House Democratic Caucus to secure alternate representation for hardworking Kansans in HD-37,” Hyatt said. “The Party will in no way be helping Mr. Coleman’s candidacy or campaign.”

But threatening not to seat Coleman, in which the House would essentially refuse to recognize his election, would be an extremely rare move.

...

In order to remove a lawmaker, a formal complaint would first be needed to formally request discipline. A committee would then be formed and, after it makes recommendations, a two-thirds majority would be needed to expel that person.

Burdett Loomis, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Kansas, said such a move could be dicey because it would be effectively reversing the democratic choice made by voters.

It'd be an easier choice if all of this had been uncovered after November. I think the trickiest part is the fact voters could still very well choose him in November in spite of all of this since he is the only one on the ballot. If there are charges of domestic abuse and the likes brought against him, that could further simplify this. Very shameful what he did and an embarrassment to the state, I sympathize with the countless young women he has hurt.

[tmthforu94]

Here's a good one: does Kansas have in state law that anyone voting in a party primary must vote for that party's nominee in November? I know it's never enforced but as I hate open primaries if Frownfelter wins by a large margin this would be the perfect example to make in court the absurdity of the law. Frownfelter could even be the person Coleman could aggrieve against because Frownfelter would have to admit publicly he did not vote for Coleman and if that law is on the books, then Frownfelter by definition would no longer be a bona fide Democrat.

(We're really going out there I know but I'm doing this because that law in states it does exist is an unenforceable fiction and the fiction is tolerated to have open primaries. If the law exists in Kansas and Frownfelter wins it provides evidence of the fiction and why the law should not exist. A small town near me in 2015 the losing candidate brought this issue up in a lawsuit and it was quite the tempest in a teacup.)

No. I don't think any state does since general election votes are private.

[tmthforu94]

I wish I had better news, but I don't. At this point, I think Coleman is still the favorite. Just from what I've seen on the ground. There are quite a bit of Coleman signs across the district. He is treating the campaign like a full time job and is reportedly spending 50 hours a week knocking on doors. I haven't seen nearly as much activity from the incumbent or the GOP write-in, and a strong grassroots campaign is necessary in order to win a write-in race.

[tmthforu94]

Final unofficial results:
Dem Aaron Coleman 3,496
Write-In Totals 2,013

What a disgrace.

[tmthforu94]

The ride never dies.

Democrats are now seeking to oust him for ordering a hit on Governor Kelly, who he claims is too conservatvie.

https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-topeka-elections-fd91a21ee706c19194c7d302a2315d28

A political operative provided The Associated Press with a screen shot of another tweet that was no longer online Thursday in which Coleman predicted that Kelly would face an “extremely bloody” Democratic primary in two years. The screen shot was provided anonymously because the operative was not authorized to speak about the race.

“I’m not playing around,” Coleman wrote in the tweet. “People will realize one day when I call a hit out on you it’s real.”

[tmthforu94]

My sources in Topeka tell me that the plan is now for him to be expelled.

[tmthforu94]

My sources in Topeka tell me that the plan is now for him to be expelled.

When the special is held, it better not have Frownfelter in it. With all due respect, he lost to this guy TWICE.

It won't be a special - precinct committeepersons would choose his replacement. I agree - The People have spoken and while Coleman shouldn't be in office, neither should Frownfelter.