Kevin Yoder’s campaign is off to a rocky start. Yoder released a slate of endorsements yesterday, including the endorsement of the Mayor of Shawnee. The problem? The Mayor of Shawnee specifically told his office she does not endorse candidates, but Yoder’s campaign went ahead and announced it anyway.
“Kevin Yoder’s craven dishonesty is telling,” said DCCC spokesperson Rachel Irwin. “He’s clearly worried about his dire re-election prospects if he’s willing to tout endorsements he doesn’t have, especially after he was specifically told not to. If Yoder can so easily lie about this, what else is he lying about?”
Shawnee mayor says her statement on Yoder should not be taken as an endorsement
JAY SENTER – AUGUST 15, 2018
Shawnee Mayor Michelle Distler this afternoon said she was taken aback by the characterization of a statement she made about Rep. Kevin Yoder’s re-election bid as an endorsement.
She made clear that she does not endorse candidates in any race.
“They had asked me for an endorsement, and I told them that I do not endorse any candidates ever. I have a personal policy that I do not give endorsements. I don’t tell people who to vote for,” she said.
She did, however, agree to offer Yoder’s campaign what she calls a “statement of fact” about the city’s relationship with the four-term incumbent.
“I gave them a statement that every time we have reached out to him, he has been very responsive,” she said. “And I stand by that.”
However, she was not aware that her statement would be lumped in with the statements of 12 other area mayors in a press release with the headline “Local mayors announce support for Yoder’s re-election.”
“This morning, thirteen local mayors announced their support for Kevin Yoder for re-election to represent Kansas’ Third District in Congress,” read the release.
Distler said she was not aware her statement would be construed as a “statement of support.”