Honored to be the keynote speaker at the Juneteenth Event 6/5 on the steps of the Capitol in Topeka.

I can hardly believe that it has already been 100 days (110 to be exact) since I was elected to serve you as the State Party Chair alongside our amazing Vice Chair Shaun Junkins! It has been a great honor to listen to your voices and to do my best to implement the changes that we have identified together for the growth and betterment of the Kansas Democratic Party! Thank you for joining me in the process in deciding how we move our party forward in order to elect more Democrats! We know how imperative it is that we get more Democrats serving in office on every level from our municipal offices to the state legislature to Congress. During these first 100 days, there have been challenges to overcome, but also tremendous opportunities and a few wins to celebrate as well!

With that in mind, I wanted to share a few highlights from my first 100 days as the Chair of the Kansas Democratic Party:

• Making History
• SWOT Analysis
• Supporting the 3 C’s
• Communications
• New Executive Director
• Fundraising
• Upcoming Elections
• Staffing
• Thank You’s
• Pictures of the Journey so Far

Greater Kansas City Pride Event with KU Med School Students

Making HERstory

Yep- this is a very cheesy way to say we made some History here in Kansas!

•  At a time when GOP Leaders in Kansas are deciding to purge and silence diverse voices within their party, I am honored to be the first African American/Latina elected to serve as Chair of the KDP.
• I am proud to be a Democrat because I know that our big tent party celebrates and elevates diversity.
• I might be the first, but I won’t be the last.

SWOT analysis 

Taking the reins as State Chair, I knew that it was important to listen first and do an analysis of our organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

• This was a major undertaking and one that remains ongoing as we seek to make the KDP the best resource that we can be for all Kansas Democrats.
• I appreciated the thoughtful insights that people shared with me to guide how we build a stronger KDP.
• A high level synopsis of the SWOT will be shared with the State Executive Committee on June 19th and a version will be available for interested stakeholders by request.

Supporting the 3 C’s

I have been working to intentionally create more channels of communication by meeting with our Chairs and other leaders of our Congressional Districts, Caucuses, and Counties.

• We’re providing web support for our Congressional Districts and Caucuses where people visiting the KDP website can get information about the great work that our CD’s and Ancillary Caucuses are doing and how to get involved.
• I have been meeting with the chair of the County Caucuses and am so proud of the tireless efforts that each of our County Chairs puts into recruiting candidates and providing education and support to the Democrats in their areas.
• Thank you to all of the leaders of of 3 C’s for all the work and time that you give to the Democratic Party on every level. 
• And YES - you are the best of the best volunteers!

Communications

I promised you would hear from the KDP often and with greater transparency.

• The Communications team has been working to make sure that our presence on social media: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook is timely and includes frequent updates.
• These emails from the Chair are just the beginning and we will re-start a monthly newsletter by the end of the summer.
• The KDP has been intentional about utilizing the media to call out Republicans in the State Legislature and hold them accountable for their policies and votes!
• The Topeka-Capital Journal Published an Op-Ed from the Chair in April allowing the KDP to point out the disastrous failed policies that the GOP is falling back on since they have been in the majority for so long.
• Our Communications team is publishing press releases every week that are highlights of the great things Democrats are doing and not letting Republicans off the hook - see them here!
• KSNT allowed me an opportunity to share the vision for the Kansas Democratic Party recently as I closed in on these first 100 days.

New Executive Director!

After a months-long exhaustive statewide and national search process, I am excited to announce the hiring of a new Executive Director, Andriy Bilyk. 

• Thank you to everyone who was a part of this inclusive and comprehensive search process. Your advice to the Chair was appreciated more than I can say!
• We have the right person in the right role at the right time to help us ELECT MORE DEMOCRATS!
• Here is the process we went through to find Andriy.

New KDP Executive Director, Andriy "Andy" Bilyk

Andriy (Andy) Bilyk has worked on and with campaigns, around the country, and at almost every level from municipal races to President. Andy brings a wealth of experience as an organizer, field director, campaign manager, and as an advisor to Democratic candidates running in competitive environments. Andy has a track record of helping Democrats win in battleground states, including helping Wisconsin Assembly Democrats pick up seats in the challenging 2020 Presidential cycle. Andy is a proud husband, father, and graduate of Xavier University.

Andy is excited to join the strong team that Chair Repass is assembling at the Kansas Democratic Party. He looks forward to working with the Chair in helping to build the party infrastructure that will help re-elect Congresswoman Sharice Davids and elect more Democrats to work with Governor Laura Kelly to stop Republicans in the statehouse from standing in the way of her work on behalf of everyday Kansans. He can’t wait to get to work with and on behalf of Democrats across the state.

Fundraising

• It takes money (among other things) to be able to carry our message to our neighbors across our great State. We MUST tell unaffiliated voters and disenfranchised moderate Republicans that Democrats are the big tent party of values! 
• I am putting my mouth where I need money to be and I am doing call time every week. If you hear your phone ringing, it might just be the Chair calling you!
• Together we have already exceeded our annual call time revenue goal. But we have more to go!
• If we all give a little - we can accomplish great things!
• We need YOU to join the  “Blue Kansas Club,” By Investing in the Kansas Democratic Party we can break the super-majority in the legislature and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
  • Our goal is to have 1,000 Democrats donating a recurring amount each month to help us defeat the awful agenda and policies that Republicans have continued to push on the state. 

We are about halfway there - will you help and join the growing number of new members of the Blue Kansas Club?

Preparing for Future Elections

If these 100 days show anything, it is that time flies and Tuesday November 7, 2023 is only (146) days away and Tuesday November 5, 2024 is only (510) days away! 

• The awesome staff of the KDP has been working through local leaders to provide support to candidates who are registered Democrats in the municipal election cycle - thank you Jonathan Jones!
• Kansas will have a State-run primary for the 2024 Presidential election removing the need for the KDP to run a caucus or mail in primary. 
• The KDP Staff has been able to focus on putting together a Delegate Selection plan that our State Committee delegates voted on and that every Democrat had a chance to read an add input into from our website. 
  • Thank you Edgar Pando for your great work on this along with Mike Gaughan!
  • Thank you everyone for voting on the plan. It has been submitted to the DNC for their approval.
  • Stay tuned for more updates on this soon!

Staffing

Staff Members

Jonathan Jones - Political Director & Votebuilder

Katie Sgroi - Finance Assistant/ Call-time Manager

Edgar Pando - Interim Director of Coalitions; former Interim ED and Former Vice Chair

New Staff Members

Tom Keating - Operations and Compliance

Matthew Lang - Communications

Norine Spears - Large event coordinator

Caitln Duffy - Human Resources through Optimize Solutions

Transition Team

I absolutely cannot imagine these past 100 days with the party moving in such a positive direction without the advice, support and guidance of the transition team of:

Mike Gaughan - former KDP ED

Brooklynne Mosely - former KDP staffer

Democratic Family

Last but certainly not least by any measure - I want to thank and acknowledge ALL OF YOU. This email is already long enough - so I can not possibly thank everyone by name for the support, calls, emails, occasional “passionate sharing of your feelings” and the every-so-often laughs that you have shared with me during these first 100 days. I would be remiss if I did not personally thank:

Governor Laura Kelly

Lt. Governor David Toland

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes

House Minority Leader Vic Miller

Congresswoman Sharice Davids

Vice Chair Shaun Junkins

Treasurer Vicki Hiatt

Secretary Yolanda Taylor

National Committee Chairwoman Usha Reddi

National Committee Chairman Hank Chamberlain 

The State Executive Committee

Black Legislative Caucus (Senator Faust-Goudeau, Representatives Winn & Ballard)

Hispanic Caucus

Labor - ALL OF YOU!

My “A-Team” of Advisors (You know who you are!)

Paid for by The Kansas Democratic Party | Vicki Hiatt, Treasurer

Kansas Democratic Party

P.O. Box 1914

Topeka, KS 66601

(785) 234 - 0425

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