Wichitopekington » Brian Black http://blogs.kansas.com/gov Insider dispatches from our writers on politics in Wichita, Topeka and Washington Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:58:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 en hourly 1 $10 million behind, Brownback leads the local money race http://blogs.kansas.com/gov/2007/04/15/10-million-behind-brownback-leads-the-local-money-race/ http://blogs.kansas.com/gov/2007/04/15/10-million-behind-brownback-leads-the-local-money-race/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2007 05:40:00 +0000 Brent Wistrom http://blogs.varsitykansas.com/the_hall_monitor/2007/04/15/10-million-behind-brownback-leads-the-local-money-race/ Sen. Sam Brownback trails Republican presidential hopefuls Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain by more than $10 million in campaign fundraising, according to recent finance reports. But the Kansas Republican easily leads all presidential candidates in the Sunflower State and the Wichita area. That’s according to analysis by The New York Times that came out over the weekend. Perhaps not surprising, Brownback’s home state gave the largest share of the $1.3 million he has raised in contributions of $200 or more. In all, more than $123,000 — or 9 percent — of his money came from Kansas –$44,182 from western and central areas, including Wichita (Zip codes 67000 to 67999) and $79,307 came from the northeast part of the state. (See Federal Election Commission reports here.)

Top donors in Wichita include Adam Beren, who frequently funds campaigns, Larry Flemming of the LDF Companies, James S. Kastens, and Gerald and Priscilla O’Shaughnessy. All gave $2,100 or more. The second best Kansas showing was from Giuliani, who took in $32,100 statewide.

Despite recent momentum from Democrats in this mostly red state and their dominance on the national fundraising scene, Brownback out-raised all the top Democratic candidates combined. Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards led the way in Kansas with $23,155; Sen. Barack Obama drew $15,716, including two $250 donations from Urban League of Kansas President Brian Black, and Sen. Hillary Clinton collected $14,720.

]]> http://blogs.kansas.com/gov/2007/04/15/10-million-behind-brownback-leads-the-local-money-race/feed/ 2 Annual meeting becomes a "church" rally http://blogs.kansas.com/gov/2007/01/30/annual-meeting-becomes-a-church-rally/ http://blogs.kansas.com/gov/2007/01/30/annual-meeting-becomes-a-church-rally/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:15:00 +0000 Christina Woods http://blogs.varsitykansas.com/the_hall_monitor/2007/01/30/annual-meeting-becomes-a-church-rally/ If anybody can turn an annual business meeting into a church service, it’s Brian Black, president and chief executive of the Urban League of Kansas.

On Monday, during the league’s meeting at Botanica that drew more than 300 people, Black used Psalms 23, “The Lord is My Shepherd,” to illustrate the tougher times he’s experienced in his attempts to guide the league in moving more people to the economic mainstream.

Black said there were times he felt like he’s walked through the “valley of the shadow of death” alone. But all he needed to do, he said, was to pause, look around and see that he wasn’t alone. Surrounding him were other nonprofit organizations and business people who he’s since joined hands with. Now they’re walking together, supporting and promoting one another’s mission.

To this, Black received a rousing round of applause and hearty “Amens.”

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