Kansas Democratic lawmaker who voted against transgender people loses primary election

Kansas state Rep. Marvin Robinson, a Democrat from Kansas City known for frequently siding with Republicans on key issues, lost his reelection bid in a crowded primary on Tuesday. The Kansas City Star reports that his defeat marks a significant setback in his political career, which was defined mainly by his controversial vote to ban transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams.

Elected in 2022, Robinson garnered attention by voting to overturn the governor’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The law mandates athletes to compete based on their gender assigned at birth, and it has been heavily criticized as discriminatory against transgender people. Despite Republicans holding a veto-proof majority, similar bans had previously failed, that is until Robinson’s deciding vote.

He also voted for limiting food assistance and against expanding Medicaid. He also joined Republicans in supporting restrictions on abortion and the elimination of diversity and inclusion measures at public universities.

He secured only 22 percent of the vote.

Democrat Wanda Paige, a retired educator and elected Kansas City Public Schools Board member, won the primary with 49 percent of the vote, the Star reports. She is set to assume Robinson’s seat with no Republican challenger in the upcoming general election.

Robinson's defeat has significant implications for the upcoming legislative session. Laws regulating transgender Kansans continue to be hotly debated, with Kansas Republicans recently falling just short of banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors, a ban Robinson supported, according to the Beacon News.

Paige has not explicitly stated how she would vote on a ban on gender-affirming care but emphasized the importance of doing what is suitable for children. “I want to vote to do the right thing,” she said. “Hear all the information, and let’s go and try to do what’s right for all of our kids.”