Kansas City Democrat Marvin Robinson is continuing his close alliance with Kansas Republicans during the 2024 Kansas legislative session, voting along with them time-after-time, often on issues that negatively impact his constituents.
Robinson, a second-year state representative from a predominantly Black district in Wyandotte County, ran as a Democrat.
He was well known for his work to restore the historic Quindaro Ruins, a town and a station on the Underground Railroad. He was endorsed for office by his predecessor – and cousin – Broderick Henderson, who had held the position for 28 years.
Henderson, also a Democrat, had consistently voted in support of Kansas Democrats on issues brought before the House, and it’s not unreasonable to believe voters expected the same from Robinson.
However, in 2023, Robinson aligned himself with Republicans in the legislature and formed a close relationship with Black conservative Republican Patrick Penn of Wichita. That alliance is just as close during the 2024 legislative session.
In 2023, Wichita Democratic representative Ford Carr labeled Robinson a “House Negro” for his votes alongside Republicans to reject expanding Medicaid and to override a veto of a bill that increased work requirements for people to receive food assistance.
Recently, he voted in support of legislation to ban Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on Kansas university campuses.
Just last week, Carr introduced a motion on the floor to add $5 million in funding to the budget for restoration of historic Black sites across the state and identified the Quindaro Ruins as a site that would benefit from the funding.
Carr says, as soon as he made the motion, he noticed Penn “scurrying” from Republican to Republican with some kind of message. He doesn’t know what Penn said, but Republicans voted against the proposed amendment, and so did Robinson. All other Democrats voted in support of Carr’s motion.
Carr says he believes Penn wanted to make sure Republicans, who supported a line item to add $250,000 in funding to the budget for the Quindaro Ruins in 2023, weren’t confused on whether or not to support the motion.
The 2023 funding request – introduced by Republicans – was to pay for drafting of a state plan to develop and make restorations to the Quindaro Ruins. Using her line-item veto power, Gov. Laura Kelly struck the Quindaro funding from the 2024 budget, saying it wasn’t properly vetted.
It is highly speculated that the $250,000 in funding was added to the 2023 budget by Republicans as a favor for Robinson’s ongoing support of their issues, and, in particular, his deciding vote that overturned the governor’s veto of a bill that banned transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports at public schools and colleges.
Robinson was the decisive vote and the only Democratic lawmaker to back the governor’s override, and it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to believe Kelly’s veto of the Quindaro funding was retribution for his veto-overturning vote.
Carr’s was shocked that Robinson – a historic preservationist – voted with Republicans and against a bill that might would have helped Quindaro and other historic African-American sites across the state.
“Marvin Robinson, as a new state representative, has been nothing but the most integrity-filled, the most caring and gentle, and the most passionate for his people here in the House 35th District,” Penn told Fox News in an appearance alongside Robinson. “He cares about their vision, their values, and he votes accordingly.”