Leader Sykes Statement on a Redistricting Special Session Petition

Topeka, Kans. — Kansas Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes released the following statement:

“Kansans are concerned about the cost of groceries, access to health care, property taxes, and rising political violence,” Kansas Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said. Kansans aren’t clamoring for a new map, and why would they since Republican leadership emphasized how fair the current map is when they passed it in 2022.

“After the House overrode the Governor’s veto of the map on February 9, 2022, Speaker of the House (then House Majority Leader) Dan Hawkins said, ‘It’s a fair map.’

“Fairness dies when it exists merely in the eye of the beholder. In 2022, the Republican Supermajority decided it was fair to keep Johnson County together because it is the core of the Third District. Currently hypothetical maps would split this core into two or three sections.

“During floor debate on January 21, 2022, Senate President Ty Masterson himself said, ‘Johnson County’s never been divided, so the political decision was that [Johnson County] is the core… makes no sense to divide it… Everything else is a subset of that. So I would contend any map that divides Johnson County violates 4C*. It’s the definition of the core.’

“We have no new census information showing the core of the Third District has changed, so why redraw the map the Republicans celebrated as fair just three years ago? Simple. To eliminate a duly elected three-term Congresswoman from representing Kansas in the U.S. House of Representatives because their attempt three years ago failed. 

“The 2026 midterm elections are looming. Pressure coming from Washington D.C. and out-of-state special interest groups is mounting. With their supermajorities in both chambers, the Republicans will be able to draw four congressional districts that favor their candidates – delivering another seat in Congress that would support the White House’s agenda.

“Kansans deserve representatives who work to  solve problems and should expect elected officials to move away from political games to focus on the needs and the will of the people.”

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*Redistricting Guideline 4C: There should be recognition of similarities of interest. Social, cultural, racial, ethnic, and economic interests common to the population of the area, which are probable subjects of legislation (generally termed "communities of interest"), should be considered.