Wichita attorney Lee Kinch is the likely next Democratic Party chairman

? Lee Kinch, a Wichita attorney and longtime activist in the Kansas Democratic Party, is now emerging as the consensus choice to become the party’s next chairman.

Party officials are scheduled to meet Oct. 3 in Salina to elect a new chairman following last week’s resignation of Larry Meeker.

Kinch was one of several names that were floated during the party’s Demofest convention in Wichita over the weekend. He confirmed in a telephone conversation Monday that he has been contacted by party officials and has told them he would accept the job if elected.

Lee Kinch

“Yes, I agreed to do that,” he said.

Dennis McKinney, a former state treasurer and House Minority Leader from Greensburg, has also been mentioned as a possible chairman in the past. But McKinney told the Journal-World Saturday that he supports Kinch for the job.

“He’d be a good, steady hand to fill in the time right now, somebody with experience to step in and do it,” McKinney said.

Meeker was forced to resign after making statements in the press suggesting that Kansas Democrats need to re-brand the party to make it more appealing to independents and moderate Republicans, stating that there are some Democrats who oppose marriage rights for same-sex couples as well as abortion rights.

Kinch, however, said he strongly agrees that forming coalitions with moderate Republicans is the only way for the party to move forward.

“The overwhelming consensus among all Democrats is that it’s essential we build coalitions with moderate Republicans,” he said. “People like (former Rep.) Rochelle Chronister and (former Senate President) Steve Morris. That’s the only way we can make a difference.”

He said the party’s top priority should be to elect more Democrats to the Legislature and form coalitions with moderate Republicans to reverse the policies of Gov. Sam Brownback.

“Our long-term goal has to be to change the (makeup) of the Legislature. We have to pick up seats,” he said. “We have to form coalitions with moderate Republicans. We have to change the numbers dramatically.”

Kinch served two terms as vice chairman of the party under former Chairwoman Joan Wagnon from 2011 through 2015. He also served as a national committeeman during former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration.

He also served a total of 12 years as the Sedgwick County Democratic Party chairman during the 1980s through the early 2000s.