photo by: Stephen Koranda/Kansas News Service

The Kansas Young Republicans, one chapter in a national organization, went inactive after Politico reported on racist messages shared by its leaders.

The Kansas GOP said the Kansas Young Republicans organization is inactive as of Tuesday after leaked messages showed the group’s leaders making racist and antisemitic remarks.

Politico obtained thousands of pages of chats among leaders of Young Republican chapters across the country. Screenshots show Kansas Young Republicans leaders Alex Dwyer and William Hendrix using slurs for Black and gay people and laughing at comments implying they are pro-Nazi.

At one point, Dwyer made reference to “1488,” a known white supremacist meme that includes shorthand for “Heil Hitler,” the article said.

“Kansas Republican Party leadership is disgusted by the comments by young Kansas Republicans,” said Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, who is Black.

“Their comments do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large, who elected a black chair a few months ago,” she said. “Republicans believe that all people are created in the image of God.”

As of Tuesday, Herbert said the Kansas Young Republicans organization is inactive. The website has been made private.

Hendrix was also terminated as a communications assistant for Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, who called Hendrix’s comments “inexcusable.”

In a statement on social media, the board of directors of the Young Republicans National Federation called on all individuals involved in the group chats to resign.

Michael Austin, who leads the Kansas Black Republican Council, also decried the leaked comments by Dwyer and Hendrix.

“Let there be no confusion, these few individuals do not represent Kansas, nor do they reflect the values of Kansas Republicans,” Austin said in a statement. “We call on all Republicans to uphold the standard of integrity, moral courage, and respect that has long defined our party’s proud history.”

Hendrix, 24, ran for Topeka City Council in 2021. He did not respond to a request for comment.

Dwyer, from Wichita, also did not respond. Nor did the Kansas Young Republicans’ former secretary, treasurer or national committeeman.

— Zane Irwin reports for Kansas News Service.