{{short description|American politician (born 1976)}} {{use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Kesha Rogers | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|12|9}}<ref name="ourcam"/> | birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | political_party = Independent | alma_mater = Texas State University, San<br>Marcos | 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.<ref name="time"/> 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.
==Personal life== 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.<ref name="votesmart"/><ref name="campaign"/> 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.<ref name="campaign"/>
On November 5, 2011, Rogers married her campaign manager, Ian Overton.<ref name="bio" />
==LaRouche movement== Rogers is an active supporter of the LaRouche Youth Movement,<ref name="votesmart"/><ref name="galveston"/> and has been photographed holding a LaRouche campaign sign depicting President Obama with a Hitler mustache.<ref name="now"/> Rogers attacked President Obama for allegedly trying to dismantle NASA (a big employer in the Houston area), and supported impeaching him.<ref name="wtimes"/> 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supports "a global Glass-Steagall", a reference to a banking reform law that was passed during the Great Depression and repealed in 1999.<ref name="now"/>
==2006 Texas Democratic Party Chairman election== Rogers ran unsuccessfully for chair of the Texas Democratic Party in 2006.<ref name="time"/><ref name="drawsfir"/><ref name="textrib"/>
==2010 United States House of Representatives election== {{see also|United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, 2010}}
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.<ref name="galveston"/><ref name="stte"/><ref name="dallas"/> The win was compared to that of surprise Senate candidate Alvin Greene.<ref name="stte"/>
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."<ref name="hpress"/><ref name="ssp"/> 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.<ref name="chron"/>
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.<ref name="textrib"/> Rogers called the decision "arrogant".<ref name="stte"/>
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."<ref name="chron"/> Rogers lost to Olson, 29.8% to 67.5%.<ref name="cq"/>
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.<ref name="chron"/>
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.<ref name="time"/>
==2012 United States House of Representatives election== Rogers continued to work on behalf of LaRouchePAC through 2011 and 2012. She once again won the congressional primary election on May 29, 2012, campaigning on a platform of impeaching Barack Obama "for gross violations of the Constitution in the service of Wall Street imperialism," restoring the Glass-Steagall Act, and reviving NASA. Rogers received 50.7% of the vote.<ref>Hamilton, Reeve, [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/democrats-shun-kesha-rogers-in-texas-congressional-race.html Candidate Is the Issue in a Democratic Race], ''New York Times'', March 25, 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.texastribune.org/election-2012/scoreboard/#tab-us-house Primary Results], ''Texas Tribune''</ref>
After Rogers announced her candidacy for the 2012 election, on 9 February the Democratic leadership in TX-22 started a "Stop Kesha Rogers" campaign. Meetings were held on February 18, 25, and 27, and March 3. The stated reason was because Rogers still wished to have Obama impeached (both Rogers and the Democrats assumed that Obama would win the 2012 election, which assumption proved accurate).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbcdp.org/houston/?p=1047 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730035146/http://www.fbcdp.org/houston/?p=1047 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |title=STOP KESHA ROGERS!! |date=February 9, 2012 |author=admin (Priscilla Harden, Karen Overton, Delores Mills, Johnny Johnson) |work=Fort Bend County Democratic Party |access-date=20 March 2012 }}</ref> The leadership and the local Democratic blogger Charles Kuffner endorsed instead KP George.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=44023|title=Who not to vote for 2012|date=March 20, 2012|author=Charles Kuffner|work=OffTheKuff|access-date=March 20, 2012}}</ref> Doug Blatt was also on the ballot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Democrats-who-filed-for-Texas-primary-3395899.php|title=Democrats who filed for Texas primary|date=9 March 2012|author=Safiya Ravat|work=chron.com|access-date=March 20, 2012}}</ref>
Despite this, Rogers won the Democratic nomination by 103 votes. As in 2010, she was disavowed by state and national Democratic leaders. She was frequently seen on the campaign trail singing, "Twenty-fifth Amendment now--he is nuts! Obama is nuts!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.khou.com/news/local/Anti-Obama-Democrat-on-campaign-trail-for-Congress-172921931.html |title=Anti-Obama Democrat on campaign trail for Congress |publisher=KHOU-TV |date=2012-10-05 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008232537/http://www.khou.com/news/local/Anti-Obama-Democrat-on-campaign-trail-for-Congress-172921931.html |archive-date=October 8, 2012 }}</ref> She was referring to LaRouche's call to have Obama removed from office on the grounds of insanity.<ref>[http://archive.larouchepac.com/node/16021 LaRouche Calls For Application of 25th Amendment to Remove Obama Now]. LaRouche PAC, 2010-10-07.</ref> She lost to Olson again, taking 32% of the vote to Olson's 64%.
==2014 United States Senate election==
In December 2013, Rogers filed as a candidate in the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate in Texas.<ref>Swartsell, Nick, [http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/12/anti-obama-democrat-kesha-rogers-files-for-u-s-senate.html/ "Anti-Obama Democrat Kesha Rogers files for U.S. Senate"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209013552/http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/12/anti-obama-democrat-kesha-rogers-files-for-u-s-senate.html/ |date=2013-12-09 }}, ''Dallas News'', December 6, 2016</ref> In the March 4, 2014 primary election, she came in second in a field of five candidates, advancing to the May 27 run-off election where she lost to dentist David Alameel.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/may27_174_race0.htm |title=2014 Democratic Party Primary Runoff - RESULTS |access-date=2014-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529085305/https://team1.sos.state.tx.us/enr/results/may27_174_race0.htm |archive-date=2014-05-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Among the items on her campaign platform were opposition to fracking,<ref>Philpott, Ben, [http://www.myhighplains.com/story/d/story/alameel-and-rogers-a-study-in-contrasts-make-their/58342/ei40UPKM70CXdf7UvHYvvg Alameel and Rogers, a Study in Contrasts, Make Their Case] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512224449/http://www.myhighplains.com/story/d/story/alameel-and-rogers-a-study-in-contrasts-make-their/58342/ei40UPKM70CXdf7UvHYvvg |date=May 12, 2014 }}, ''Texas Tribune'', May 8, 2014</ref> support for single-payer health care, restoration of the Glass-Steagall Act, and other familiar themes from her earlier campaigns.<ref>Diaz, Kevin, [http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/U-S-Senate-race-puts-Texas-Democrats-in-a-bind-5452796.php U.S. Senate race puts Texas Democrats in a bind], ''Houston Chronicle'', May 2, 2014</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|refs= <ref name="ourcam">{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=228868 |title=Candidate - Kesha Rogers |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=August 29, 2010}}</ref> <ref name="time">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100621123815/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1998076,00.html Hilary Hylton, "Texas Dems Grapple With Their Own Alvin Greene"]}}, ''Time'', June 20, 2010.</ref> <ref name="campaign">{{cite web|url=http://www.kesharogers.com/candidate |title=Meet the Candidate |access-date=March 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307022145/http://www.kesharogers.com/candidate |archive-date=March 7, 2010 }}</ref> <ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://teapartycheer.com/bios/the-south/texas/kesha-rogers-tx-bio/ |title=Kesha Rogers (D-TX-Senate) |access-date=July 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714193712/http://teapartycheer.com/bios/the-south/texas/kesha-rogers-tx-bio/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref> <ref name="drawsfir">{{cite news|title=District 22 candidate draws fire from Democratic party|author=Monica Perin|work=Houston Chronicle|date=April 25, 2010|page=12}}</ref> <ref name="votesmart">{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=116997|title=Kesha Rogers (TX)|access-date=March 3, 2010|archive-date=September 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100930001235/http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=116997|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name="now">{{cite web|url=http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/19/44085 |title=District 22 Candidate Calls For Impeachment Of President Obama |author=Jamie Mock |date=February 19, 2010 |work=Fort Bend Now |access-date=June 4, 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725002425/http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/19/44085 |archive-date=July 25, 2011 }}</ref> <ref name="wtimes">{{cite news|url=http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/04/reach-to-impeach/|title=Reach To Impeach?|date=March 4, 2010|work=Washington Times|author=Jennifer Harper|access-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> <ref name="chron">{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6899832.html|title=This win seems to be out of right field|date=March 6, 2010|author=Chris Moran|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref> <ref name="stte">{{cite news|url=http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/06/23/2288481/disowned-democratic-candidate.html|title=Disowned Democratic candidate will attend state convention|work=Star-Telegram|date=June 24, 2010|author=Anna M. Tinsley|access-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> <ref name="galveston">{{cite news|url=http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2f86414adab095de|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110711070613/http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2f86414adab095de|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2011|author=Karn Dhingra|work=Galveston County Daily News|date=March 3, 2010|title=District 22 Dems go for Rogers|access-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref> <ref name="dallas">{{cite news|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/state-politics/20100302-Texas-U-S-House-4055.ece|date=March 3, 2010|agency=Associated Press|work=Dallas Morning News|title=Texas' U.S. House members win in primary election |access-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref> <ref name="hpress">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/03/democrat_impeach_obama.php|title=Victory! For The Democrat Who Wants Obama Impeached|access-date=March 3, 2010|archive-date=March 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319232622/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/03/democrat_impeach_obama.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name="ssp">{{cite web|url=http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/6507/ssp-daily-digest-34-morning-edition|title=SSP Daily Digest: 3/4 (Morning Edition)|date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=March 4, 2010}}</ref> <ref name="textrib">{{cite news|title=Texas Dems Back Away From LaRouche Candidate|date=March 16, 2010|author=Elise Hu|work=The Texas Tribune|url=http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2010-legislative-races/texas-dems-back-away-from-larouche-candidate/|access-date=June 4, 2011}}</ref> <ref name="cq">{{cite web |url = http://innovation.cq.com/media/election2010/?ref=rc#5 |title = Election Night 2010 |access-date = February 24, 2011 |work = Roll Call |archive-date = November 5, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101105135603/http://innovation.cq.com/media/election2010/?ref=rc#5 |url-status = dead }}</ref> }}
{{LaRouche movement|state=expanded}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Kesha}} Category:1976 births Category:African-American people in Texas politics Category:21st-century African-American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:African-American activists Category:LaRouche movement Category:Living people Category:Texas Democrats Category:Texas independents Category:Texas State University alumni Category:Women in Texas politics Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American women politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians