Republican Senator Barbara Bollier (left, above), has always been a thorn in her fellow Republicans’ side. The pro-choice, pro-LGBT Republican has found herself spending more and more of her time fighting her own party as she serves in one of the most Democratic registration friendly districts in Kansas.
This morning, Senator Bollier decided to make her endorsements for the races this fall, and chose to endorse against Kevin Yoder (Pictured above) and in favor of Tom Nierman, one of the Democratic candidates in the 6-way field to challenge the sitting congressman.
From the Kansas City Star:
“We need someone electable who will represent the district and actually talk to the people in the district,” Bollier said. “I think Tom would be a great uniter of different ideas.”
Bollier is a vocal moderate in the Kansas Senate who made expanding Medicaid a key part of her first two years in the chamber.
Before being elected to the Senate, Bollier served in the House.
“Kevin (Yoder)’s a good man, but he has not, in my opinion, represented our district,” Bollier said. “And I am frustrated as a citizen of not being able to have a public town hall meeting where my congressman was present.”
Bollier continued by deciding to back another senator — and another Democrat — for the Governor’s race, choosing to back Laura Kelly in her bid for office.
Republicans, ever civil, responded quickly.
While “hag” may not be seen as quite so civil (along with the threats to “get her”), it isn’t new to the Senator.
2nd district congressional candidate Steve Fitzgerald (R-Leavenworth) speaking from the senate floor referred to the Prairie Village Republican in this way:
From the Kansas City Star:
When Bollier challenged Fitzgerald on the amendment, he responded by comparing Bollier’s rationale to that of Nazi Germany and Josef Mengele, who performed medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners at Auschwitz.
"She brought up the same rationalization that was used by the Nazis," Fitzgerald said.
The isn’t the first, as three years ago, Bollier had been referred to in a county meeting as a “anti-conservative, pro-choice b*(&”, after questioning whether or not a fellow senator had behaved ethically in the use of an outside charity to pay himself after sweeping campaign funds into the charity’s bank account.
Melissa Rooker (R-Fairway) has not yet announced whether or not she will continue to support Kevin Yoder (black hair, on right) this election cycle, but the strong support by the Trump administration today certainly brings up questions as to whether or not the three pictured above are breaking up the band.
Just another day in the Kansas legislature for the Republican senator. If those days are meant to include more verbal attacks and assaults on her physical appearance, her demeanor, and replays of former claims as to whether or not she is Joseph Mengele, one thing is certain: civility is alive and well in the Kansas Republican Party.