Kesha Rogers
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Marcos
Kesha Rogers | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 9, 1976[1] |
| Alma mater | Texas State University, San Marcos |
Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Ian Overton (2011–present) |
Lakesha D. Rogers (born December 9, 1976) is an American political activist in the Lyndon LaRouche Youth Movement, a former candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas, and a two-time Democratic Party nominee for Texas's 22nd congressional district.[2] Rogers, an African American, is a follower of Lyndon LaRouche and his LaRouche movement. She called for the impeachment of U.S. President Barack Obama.
According to her campaign biography, Kesha Rogers was born to a "lower middle class family", with her father being a minister and construction worker and her mother working for the Houston Independent School District. She graduated from Texas State University in 2001 with a degree in Political Science and Speech Communications.[3][4] She has criticized "the standard institutions of higher education" as "the biggest barrier towards students wanting a real classical education", and has expressed an interest in recruiting young people to the LaRouche Youth Movement.[4]
On November 5, 2011, Rogers married her campaign manager, Ian Overton.[5]
LaRouche movement
Rogers is an active supporter of the LaRouche Youth Movement,[3][6] and has been photographed holding a LaRouche campaign sign depicting President Obama with a Hitler mustache.[7] Rogers attacked President Obama for allegedly trying to dismantle NASA (a big employer in the Houston area), and supported impeaching him.[8] She has also criticized Obama for supporting health care reform proposals that she argued are fascist and will kill Americans. Rogers supports "a global Glass-Steagall", a reference to a banking reform law that was passed during the Great Depression and repealed in 1999.[7]
2006 Texas Democratic Party Chairman election
Rogers ran unsuccessfully for chair of the Texas Democratic Party in 2006.[2][9][10]
2010 United States House of Representatives election
On March 2, 2010, Rogers ran in the Democratic primary election for the US House Texas 22nd District against two opponents, Doug Blatt and Freddy John Wieder, Jr., winning the nomination with 7,467 of 14,281 votes.[6][11][12] The win was compared to that of surprise Senate candidate Alvin Greene.[11]
Following Rogers' primary victory, state and national Democratic leaders kept her at arm's length. A Texas Democratic Party spokesperson assured the Houston Press that "[Rogers's] campaign will not receive a single dollar from anyone on our staff," stating that Lyndon LaRouche followers are "not Democrats."[13][14] The Chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party said, "One of the things the LaRouchites are able to do is to engage young people. If she can turn out young people to vote for Democrats, all the better." He voiced the opinion that Rogers' policies would appear more mainstream were it not for her association with LaRouche, stating with Rogers that LaRouche's support for "investment in public works, separating commercial from investment banking and opposition to corporatism" were similar to the programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt.[15]
Subsequently, the Texas Democratic Party's state executive committee passed a resolution cutting ties with Rogers. Members were not required to support her, nor was she to be recognized at party meetings or mentioned on the party website's list of candidates. The resolution cited the "illegal activities, discriminatory proclamations and thuggish behavior" of the LaRouche movement.[10] Rogers called the decision "arrogant".[11]
Rogers' opponent in the general election was incumbent Pete Olson, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary. A spokesman for Olson's campaign said, "You never take an election for granted, but you, perhaps, wonder whether the Democrats in this district have profoundly changed their views on the president. She didn't hide her position."[15] Rogers lost to Olson, 29.8% to 67.5%.[16]
During her 2010 primary campaign for U.S. Representative, Rogers accused President Obama of "pissing on John F. Kennedy's legacy" by proposing to end NASA's Constellation program. She argues that London banking interests are trying to ruin America's economy.[15]
Her campaign slogan was "Help send me to Congress, and we can send our grandchildren to Mars!", a reference to the LaRouche movement's strong support of space travel.[2]
