Candidates and campaigns routinely tout endorsements. The Beacon has compiled a list of Kansas, Missouri and national groups that are active in the 2024 election.
Meet the endorsers and learn who and what they support:
Abortion Action Missouri
Abortion Action Missouri is an abortion access advocacy group that used to be called NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League) Pro-Choice Missouri.
Abortion Action wants to enshrine abortion access in the Missouri Constitution through the passage of Amendment 3 this November. The group doesn’t just focus on abortion, though. It also supports a bill that allows schools to offer classes on LGBTQ+ history. And it opposed a proposal that prevents Missouri from working with companies that boycott businesses based on environmental, social or governance criteria.
The group only endorsed Democrats in 2024.
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is a combination of 60 unions. Its members range from pilots, government employees and bricklayers to the WNBA players union and even an elevator construction union.
Missouri’s branch of the AFL-CIO advocates for labor, but it also lobbied against expanded school vouchers that send taxpayer money to private schools. The Kansas branch is pushing for Medicaid expansion.
The Missouri and Kansas affiliates almost exclusively endorsed Democrats.
Americans for Prosperity Kansas/Missouri
Americans for Prosperity is a conservative think tank originally funded by the Koch brothers. It has Kansas and Missouri branches.
The group supports principles such as securing the southern border, increasing school choice, protecting free speech and fighting cancel culture. In Kansas, the group pushed hard for a flat tax on income that was the top priority for GOP lawmakers.
The Kansas and Missouri affiliates only endorsed Republicans in 2024.
Cannabis Justice Coalition-Kansas
The Cannabis Coalition wants “fair and equitable” cannabis laws in Kansas, where marijuana is illegal for both recreational and medical use.
The group generally endorsed Democrats, but also endorsed some Republicans and Libertarians.
Chambers of commerce
Chambers of commerce are an assortment of businesses. Kansas, Missouri, Kansas City and Wichita all have chambers of commerce.
The groups are businesses-minded. In Kansas, the state branch pushed for tax reform — including a flat tax on income — workers compensation reform and limiting government overreach on businesses. They don’t just look at business issues, though. The Missouri group supported changes to the judicial selection process.
Each of the four chambers (Kansas, Missouri, Kansas City and Wichita) endorses their own candidates. Chambers generally endorse Republicans, but not exclusively.
Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown for Gun Safety is a gun violence prevention group that is active in all 50 states. It lobbies for background checks, red flag laws and banning assault weapons and against stand your ground laws.
The group only endorsed Democrats this year in statewide races in Kansas and Missouri.
Farm Bureaus (Kansas/Missouri)
The Farm Bureau is a 100-year-old nonprofit that positions itself as the voice of agriculture.
Rural health care, property rights and broadband access are all key issues for the Missouri Farm Bureau.
The Kansas Farm Bureau’s 2024 endorsements leaned more toward Republicans, but the group did endorse Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids. The Missouri Farm Bureau endorsed only Republicans in 2024.
Game On for Kansas Schools
Game On for Kansas Schools is a public schools advocacy group. Its members are teachers, parents and other concerned community members.
The group usually endorses Democrats.
Kansas Family Voice
Kansas Family Voice advocates for conservative family values. The group opposes gay marriage, gender-affirming care for minors and abortion. It wants to see religious exemptions for vaccinations.
The group only endorsed Republicans in statewide races in 2024.
Kansans for Life
Kansans for Life is an anti-abortion group that spearheaded the campaign to allow Kansas lawmakers to restrict abortion access in 2022.
It regularly endorses candidates and bills who are anti-abortion. It says life starts at the moment of conception. The group’s legislative priorities stretch beyond banning abortion, which isn’t possible under current Kansas law, to include pregnancy resource center funding and a tax credit for families who adopt children.
The group only endorses candidates who are anti-abortion.
Kansas Livestock Association
The Kansas Livestock Association is a trade association with about 5,600 members. It was formed in 1894.
The group does endorse Democrats, but overwhelmingly picked Republicans this year.
Kansas Rifle Association
The Kansas Rifle Association is a pro-gun advocacy group. The group tracks gun legislation and its website has everything from links to firearm safety courses to a place to buy a Gadsden flag (Don’t Tread on Me) license plate.
The group endorsed just one Democrat in the 2024 primary election.
Mainstream Coalition
The Mainstream Coalition is a Kansas-based group that was founded in 1993 to stop “ideological extremism and protect the separation of church and state.”
It advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, religious freedom for all and reproductive health care. The group opposed bills that banned gender-affirming care or required medical facilities to report why people got an abortion, and it opposed a bill that required county election workers to record the names of everyone who brings in multiple ballots.
Missouri Firearms Coalition
The Missouri Firearms Coalition is a pro-gun advocacy group. The group tracks gun legislation and creates ratings for Missouri lawmakers based on their firearm voting records.
The group endorses Republicans and backed more conservative candidates in the 2024 primary election.
Missouri Right to Life
Missouri Right to Life is an anti-abortion group.
It hasn’t yet released its general election endorsements, but it regularly endorses anti-abortion candidates and bills.
National Education Association (Kansas/Missouri)
The National Education Association is a union made up of public school employees.
NEA tends to oppose GOP-led priorities. The Kansas group demands more funding for special education and opposes “the restriction of participation in programs based on … gender identity (and) sexual orientation.” The Missouri group opposes school vouchers.
Both the Kansas and Missouri groups have endorsed Republicans, but they mostly endorsed Democrats.
NFIB-Kansas
The National Federation of Independent Business is a national group with Kansas and Missouri branches. It advocates for small businesses.
It overwhelmingly endorsed Republicans in 2024.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes
Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes is a political nonprofit that’s an arm of the Planned Parenthood health care clinic. The group is in four states — Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Abortion rights issues made Planned Parenthood a household name, but the group also monitors general reproductive health and gender-affirming care access as well.
The group only endorsed Democrats in Kansas and Missouri this year.
PROMO Missouri
PROMO Missouri is an LGBTQ+ rights group. It tackles familiar issues, like supporting gender-affirming care, but also works on supporting older LGBTQ+ Missourians.
The group only endorsed Democrats.
SEIU
The Service Employees International Union represents, among others, fast-food workers, Uber drivers and players from the University of Dartmouth men’s basketball team.
SEIU is focused on workforce issues but has advocated in support of immigrants seeking asylum.
The union largely endorses Democrats.
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is a national group with operations in all 50 states. Its only focus is on environmental reform, and it favors candidates with more liberal-leaning conservation policies.
The Missouri chapter opposed bills that would ramp up greenhouse gas production and supported a bill that limited how much of Missouri’s water could be exported outside of the state.
The Missouri chapter only endorsed Democrats in statewide races this year.
