Jack Wu, who's been associated with the highly controversial Westboro Baptist Church, is vying for a spot on the Kansas State Board of Education. The anti-evolution, fundamentalist Christian candidate has raised no money, and spent none, according to recently released campaign records, but some say that may not matter in his conservative district.
According to the Associated Press, Wu said he has always planned to spend nothing on his campaign in the state's 4th District. Wu, the GOP candidate, recently had to file his official campaign reports, and the documents confirm he has collected only $5 in cash contributions, received $9.99 in donated goods and services, and spent zero.
“I don’t like asking for money,” Wu told AP. “It’s not my style.” In comparison, Wu's opponent, the incumbent Democrat Carolyn Campbell, so far has raised $16,000, and spent about $12,300.
But in the conservative district, the "R" (for Republican) by Wu's name is enough to assure him a certain number of votes, Kansas Democratic Party Chairwoman Joan Wagnon told AP. In little-known races, she said, voters tend to stick to party lines.
However, the Kansas Board of Education election is attracting more attention than normal this year due to a couple of factors.
Among those is Wu's connection to the widely unpopular Westboro Church. According to Raw Story, Wu has said he attends their services, but is not a member. The Topeka-based organization is infamous for picketing the funerals of military service members and carrying obscene, anti-LGBT signs.
Additionally, five of the board's 10 spots are on the ballot this year, with three contested races. The elections are being watched by education experts because of their possible role in an emerging conflict over science standards for public schools, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. This year, the board may vote on new standards regarding both evolution and climate change.
According to his website, Wu is running in order to "to throw out the crap that teachers are feeding their students and replace it with healthy good for the soul knowledge from the holy scriptures."
Let's be specific. Evolution should never be taught in public schools as science. Evolution is false science! God made the heaven and the earth and created humans from the dust of the earth! The very bad teachers that teach that men descended from apes via evolution need to have their teaching licenses revoked. Yes, students should be taught that God created everything.
Clay Barker, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party, said Wu "does not have any connection or been in contact with the Kansas Republican Party, other than filing as a Republican — something the party has no control over," according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.
