Wichitopekington

10:48 p.m. — In the afterglow of Mike Pompeo’s 4th District congressional victory, his supporters basked in the statewide sweep they’d planned for years and expected for weeks.

Treatha Brown-Foster said that Goyle worked hard, but that Pompeo worked even harder on the campaign trail. “Mike didn’t take anything for granted,” she said.

She said she expects Republicans to make a real difference in Congress, but she noted that President Obama still has veto power. “We’re going to see if he’ll (Obama) work with Republicans,” she said.

Bob Aldrich said Pompeo’s message on jobs and smaller government caught people’s attention. “Voters are fed up and tired,” he said. “They want to be heard and nobody’s listening.”

The huge crowd at Pompeo’s party was shoulder-to-shoulder, except near the two airplanes parked in each corner. The campaigns said it planned for about 1,000 people. The crowd appeared close to that.

Several people said that it was the biggest election party they’ve seen in Sedgwick County. The event was catered, had a cash bar, professional lighting and sound and a live band. Read More »

Goyle

Pompeo

Both Raj Goyle and Mike Pompeo got an early start this morning on their final pitch as voters go to the polls in the 4th Congressional District.

Goyle broke from the gate first at 5:32 a.m. with an e-mail to supporters headlined “Today is THE DAY.”

Goyle, D-Wichita, highlighted his record as a state legislator, saying he voted to cut taxes and reduce spending, worked across the aisle with Republicans and wrote the law restricting funeral protests by Fred Phelps.

“In Congress, I promise to wake up every morning and go to bed every night working to protect and create Kansas jobs,” Goyle wrote. “I promise to fight outsourcing and work to reward companies for creating jobs in America, not overseas. I promise to work to restore fiscal discipline. And as I did in the State House, I promise to work with anyone for good ideas, regardless of ideology or party label. “

Fourteen minutes later, Pompeo, a Republican national committeeman, was up with his message, headlined “Thank You and Bless You.”

“Today is the day that we have all been pointed towards for so long,” Pompeo wrote. “It’s the day Americans, individually, choose their preference for leadership and the day those who have offered themselves as leaders learn whether the call is for them. It is how we keep our Republic strong.

“Susan, Nick and I are looking forward to spending today with you. It will provide us a chance to say thank you to each of you who have knocked on one more door, made one more phone call, and pushed out one more sign.”

The Pompeo message linked to a video of his Aunt Joan praising him during a campaign lunch in Wellington.