Finalists for Kansas Supreme Court all women for 1st time

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Gov. Laura Kelly is set to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court from the first all-female group of finalists in state history. But the state’s most influential anti-abortion group is publicly opposing one of the candidates.

The governor has until Dec. 5 to choose among the three finalists named by the state’s nominating commission earlier this week.

They are state Court of Appeals Judge Melissa Taylor Standridge, Washington County District Judge Kim Cudney and Wichita attorney Kristen Wheeler.

The anti-abortion group Kansans for Life is opposing Standridge because she sided in a 2016 ruling with other judges who said the state constitution protects abortion rights.