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GOP Official Out After 'Reservation' Comment on Gay Native American

Michael Kalny and Sharice Davids
Michael Kalny and Sharice Davids

A Kansas Republican said congressional candidate Sharice Davids  "will be sent back packing to the reservation."

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A Republican precinct committeeman in Kansas has resigned after calling Native American lesbian congressional candidate Sharice Davids a "radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian" who "will be sent back packing to the reservation."

Michael Kalny, a precinct committeeman in Shawnee, went on the rant in a social media message he sent last week to Anne Pritchett, president of the Johnson County Democratic Women's north chapter, The Kansas City Star reports.

"Little Ms. Pritchett- you and your comrades stealth attack on Yoder is going to blow up in your leftist face," he wrote. "The REAL REPUBLICANS will remember what the scum DEMONRATS tried to do to Kavanaugh in November. Your radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian will be sent back packing to the reservation." It ended with about 50 exclamation points, according to the Star.

Davids, a lawyer and mixed martial arts fighter, is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's Third District, which includes Kansas City and some of its suburbs. She is challenging incumbent Republican Kevin Yoder, and if elected in November, she would be the first female or LGBTQ Native American in Congress as well as the first gay member of Kansas's congressional delegation.

It's uncertain what motivated Kalny's message, although Pritchett told the Star it could have been a response to negative comments she left on Yoder's Facebook page. Still, she was "stunned" by it, she said.

Kalny had little to say when contacted by the paper. When questioned about the message, he said, "What is this lady trying to accomplish?" He then said he had to talk to his attorney and hung up. He resigned Wednesday as a precinct committeeman, a position representing the population of a precinct to a political party.

A spokesman for Yoder condemned Kalny's words. "Kevin doesn't believe this type of rhetoric is appropriate at all. It's unacceptable," spokesman C.J. Grover told the Star. "These kind of nasty personal attacks are all too prevalent in politics these days, and it needs to stop."

Davids told the paper that Kalny's message "doesn't represent Kansas values, and it doesn't represent the values of the Republicans we know, many who support this campaign."

Davids is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and served as a White House Fellow during the presidential transition between Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She is endorsed by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, EMILY's List, and former Vice President Joe Biden, among others.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.