Kansas Republicans like Amanda Adkins are trying to ignore the amendment vote that exposed their views on reproductive rights as dramatically out of the mainstream—but as the Kansas City Star points out, those efforts are being derailed by the recount currently underway with the support of “far-right activist” groups.

As the extreme anti-abortion groups funding the recount promote baseless claims of fraud or, as they put it, “some kind of hanky panky,” Adkins refuses to say whether she agrees. As a reminder, ‘no’ won by 95,000 votes in Johnson County alone—and Adkins was a “100%” yes. 

Rep. Sharice Davids called out the recount attempts for what they are: “A waste of money and time from dangerously out-of-touch politicians who are unwilling to accept defeat.”

Read more from the Kansas City Star: 

​​‘It’s over with.’ Abortion recount hampers Kansas Republicans’ pivot to general election

“Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the Republican nominee for governor, and former Cerner executive Amanda Adkins, the Republican nominee in the 3rd Congressional District, have both shown little desire to make abortion a central focus on their campaigns following the Aug. 2 amendment vote. 

But now a far-right Wichita anti-abortion activist and a Colby-based election denier are keeping abortion front and center.

The recount won’t dramatically move the needle on the more than 165,000 vote lead. 

But it will keep the issue top of mind for voters as Republicans seek to win back the governor’s office and the 3rd District in November.

Neither Schmidt’s campaign, nor Adkins’ campaign, responded to questions about whether the GOP candidates supported the recount effort.

[…]

While Davids’ GOP opponent Adkins remained mum on the recount, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sought to tie the Johnson County Republican to the effort. The DCCC called it an attempt by “radical election deniers and conspiracy theorists … working to overthrow the will of voters in KS-03.

[…]”