Local Spat And Party Politics Threaten Kansas Governor's Pick To Head Commerce

[TexasTowelie]

Grievances generated by policy and personality clashes in a southeast Kansas community have spilled onto the statewide stage in the battle over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s nominee to head the state Department of Commerce.

David Toland often found himself at odds with Virginia Crossland-Macha when he was the CEO of Thrive Allen County, a community health-improvement and economic development organization based in Iola.

Crossland-Macha is the daughter of the late Ivan Crossland, founder of Crossland Construction, one of the nation’s largest general contractors. She is also the newly elected vice-chair of the Kansas Republican Party and she’s been working behind the scenes to scuttle Toland’s nomination.

The intensity of the battle has rattled many in the town of approximately 6,000, said John McCrae, a former mayor and current president of Iola Industries, a business development group.

Read more: https://www.kcur.org/post/local-spat-and-party-politics-threaten-kansas-governors-pick-head-commerce#stream/0

[TexasTowelie]

1. Update:

After bitter fight, Kansas senators confirm Gov. Kelly’s pick to lead commerce agency

TOPEKA -- Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s choice to lead the state’s economic development agency will remain on the job following a fight that echoed brutal Washington-style confirmation battles.

The state Senate voted 23-14 on Monday to confirm David Toland as Secretary of Commerce. The decision brought to a close a two-week drama over his nomination centered on past disputes in his hometown of Iola and statewide abortion politics.

The confirmation battle was unusual for Kansas, where most cabinet-level nominations don’t become overly controversial.

“David is a seventh generation Kansan who has given back to his hometown of Iola, as well as so many other communities across the state. Now is the time for Secretary Toland to get to work on behalf of our entire state,” Kelly said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article228682869.html