Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A Kansas state school board member has won re-election over a challenger who has an anti-evolution platform and ties to a Topeka church known for picketing military funerals.

Democrat Carolyn Campbell of Topeka won a second, four-year term on the State Board of Education in Tuesday's election in the 4th District of northeast Kansas. She defeated Republican Jack Wu of Topeka.

The board is keeping a majority favoring evolution-friendly science standards for public schools. Wu said he'd end the teaching of evolution.

Wu has said he was drawn to Kansas from California in 2008 by Westboro Baptist Church. The Topeka church is led by the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. and says soldiers' deaths are God's punishment for the U.S. tolerating homosexuality. Wu isn't a member but attends services regularly.