Kansas GOP governor candidate ‘respects’ vote on abortion

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the Republican candidate for governor, says if he is elected he will concentrate on defending current abortion laws in the state. Schmidt said Thursday during a campaign stop in Overland Park that he would respect the wishes of voters who on Aug. 2 overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have removed abortion rights from the state constitution. Schmidt, who is seeking to oust Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, said in the same campaign appearance that if he becomes governor, he would ask state lawmakers to quickly pass a bill banning transgender athletes from competing in women and girl’s sports.