Topeka ? The Kansas Democratic Party fired its communications director Thursday over an online posting that mocked three towns in the state’s southeast corner, and two of the party’s top officials promised to visit the region to apologize.

The fired party spokesman, Dakota Loomis, issued a statement asking people not to hold “my own immaturity and stupidity” against Democrats. The flap over Loomis’ posting comes as Democrat Paul Davis remains in a tight race with Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Loomis posted his comment last week on a site dedicated to University of Kansas basketball, describing the towns of Cherryvale, Columbus and Galena as leading contenders for the “most craphole small towns” in the state. The comment had been deleted when the Pittsburg Morning Sun reported on it Tuesday.

The Kansas Republican Party immediately jumped on reports about the comment, and state Sens. Jeff King of Independence and Jake LaTurner of Pittsburg demanded Wednesday that Loomis be fired. LaTurner said the comment was an example of the snobbery prevalent toward small towns and rural areas in Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas and where both Loomis and Davis live.

Even before the two GOP lawmakers’ news conference, Davis called Loomis’ comment “unacceptable.” And in announcing Loomis’ firing Thursday, Jason Perkey, the state Democratic Party’s executive director, described it as “reprehensible.” Perkey said in a statement that he and state party Chairwoman Joan Wagnon would travel Monday to southeast Kansas.

“I am personally disappointed in Dakota,” Perkey said. “He has been a very close personal friend of mine. Nevertheless, there is no place on our staff for someone who would disparage Kansas or Kansans.”

Loomis said in his statement that it pains him deeply to have undermined the efforts of Democratic candidates through his “callous, insensitive, and frankly asinine comment.”

LaTurner, the state lawmaker, wasn’t moved by apologies. He said Loomis should have been fired earlier.

“I don’t think they’re sorry. I think they’re sorry they got caught,” LaTurner said. “They obviously had to do some clean-up work.”