The Kansas Chamber of Commerce nixed its relationship with the national branch following its endorsement of Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids.
The state chamber backed its decision to not renew its membership by claiming requests to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to remain neutral in the 2018 House race were ignored. Davids’s GOP opponent for the 3rd Congressional District had served on the board of the state chamber for 12 years.
“We’d love to be a partner, but you’ve got to treat us as a partner, and that just didn’t occur,” Alan Cobb, president of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, told the Kansas City Star.
ECONOMY BEAT EXPECTATIONS WITH 379,000 JOBS IN FEBRUARY, LED BY REBOUND AT RESTAURANTS AND BARS
The national chamber endorsed a total of 23 Democrats during the 2018 midterm elections. Along with Davids, the chamber endorsed New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim, Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, and Rep. Cindy Axne of Iowa.
Ellie Turner, a spokeswoman for Davids’s campaign, defended the endorsement, crediting the freshman Democrat with being an advocate for small businesses and a supporter of trade deals that benefit keeping jobs in the state.
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The Kansas Chamber of Commerce doesn’t make endorsements in federal races but has typically supported pro-business Kansas Republicans in state races, according to the report. The chamber is expected to contribute to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s GOP opponent in next year’s gubernatorial race.
