The chairman and vice chairman of the Kansas Young Republicans have come under fire after taking part in encrypted Telegram chats filled with racist, violent, and antisemitic remarks, along with messages referencing white supremacy and the suppression of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Following the exposé by Politico, Kansas Republican Party Chairman Danedri Herbert announced that the state’s Young Republicans organization had been immediately deactivated.
According to Politico, Kansas Young Republicans chair Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix participated in a Telegram group called “RESTOREYR WAR ROOM,” alongside GOP figures from other states.
Over 2,900 pages of chat messages reviewed by Politico reveal Hendrix using racial slurs and making crude remarks about Black people. At one point, he said, “Bro is at a chicken restaurant ordering his food. Would he like some watermelon and Kool-Aid with that?” He was later fired from his communications job in Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office as Politico prepared to publish its findings.
“The comments in the chat are inexcusable,” Kobach said. “As soon as the office learned of those messages, Will Hendrix’s employment was terminated.”
The leaked chat also showed Dwyer and others discussing how to damage a political rival by linking them to white supremacists—a strategy that was quickly dismissed over fears it could “backfire” in Kansas, where “Young Republicans could end up becoming attracted to that opponent.” When a participant asked what room number they had at a hotel, Dwyer responded, “1488,” a well-known white supremacist code referencing “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” with “88” representing “Heil Hitler.”
In another exchange, Dwyer commented on the controversy over the Epstein files, writing, “Trumps too busy burning the Epstein files.”
Before the report became public, photos surfaced of Dwyer and Hendrix at a campaign event for Senate President Ty Masterson, who is running for Kansas governor in 2026. After the image circulated online, Masterson issued a statement distancing himself from both men.
“I categorically deny any association with William Hendrix or Alex Dwyer, as neither is current, nor has ever been, on staff or volunteered for my campaign for governor,” Masterson said. “Anyone suggesting otherwise is either lying or misinformed.”
Masterson said his Christian faith compels him to reject hate and violence. “I am personally disgusted by the comments attributed to individuals in the article, as such behavior is utterly counter to Christ’s message that life is valuable and we are all equal in God’s eyes, and my unwavering commitment to these values has not changed,” he said.
The fallout was swift across Kansas political circles. Former Gov. Jeff Colyer, now seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination, said the comments “dishonor the very spirit of Kansas.”
“The viewpoints expressed in this chat are not representative of Kansans. Period,” Colyer said. “Our state was founded on the belief that all of us are created equal under God.”
Vicki Schmidt, the state’s insurance commissioner and a Republican candidate for governor, called for Dwyer and Hendrix to resign. “Their actions are disgusting and disgraceful and they tarnish the reputation of Kansas nationally,” she said.
Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher, who is also running for governor, condemned the messages as evidence of extremism growing within the Kansas GOP. “Let’s be clear: These aren’t kids joking around,” Holscher said. “These are 20- and 30-something adults with leadership roles in the Republican Party.”
Kansas GOP Chair Danedri Herbert, who is Black, said the remarks were appalling and inconsistent with the party’s values. “Their comments do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large,” she said. “Republicans believe that all people are created in the image of God.”
She emphasized that the party’s platform “welcomes Kansans of every ethnicity” and condemns racism in all forms.
Michael Austin, CEO of the Kansas Black Republican Council, echoed that sentiment. “Such conduct is not merely offensive. It is a betrayal of the very principles upon which our party was founded: the defense of liberty, the abolition of slavery and the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being,” Austin said.
He added that Kansas Republicans must “uphold the standard of integrity, moral courage and respect that has long defined our party’s proud history.”
