Ryun represented the 2nd Congressional District until he was ousted by former Rep. Nancy Boyda, a Democrat.

Tiahrt, a Goddard Republican, is running against fellow Republican Rep. Jerry Moran, who currently represents the 1st Congressional District which encompasses most of western Kansas.

The two are hoping to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, who is stepping down and running for Kansas governor in 2010.

Below is Ryun’s endorsement letter.

Dear Fellow Kansas Republican,

I served with both candidates currently running for the U.S. Senate seat in Kansas. I strongly endorse Todd Tiahrt.

Todd and Vicki were instrumental in getting me to run for Congress in 1996 and became a close friend and ideological ally as we fought for fiscal restraint and policies that protected life and traditional family values.

Kansans and most Americans want a conservative leader they can trust. They also want a leader who will fight the tough fights and get things done.

If you were in a difficult situation and needed help, the choice would be clear – you would want Todd Tiahrt standing with you.

That is why I am asking you to support Todd today.

Our country is in a difficult situation, and we need leaders who are willing to fight for our values, stand up against difficult odds and not cower in the face of tough votes.

Kansans and conservatives across the nation need Todd Tiahrt in the U.S. Senate to fight the liberal agenda being pushed by President Obama and Speaker Pelosi.

It is not enough to vote the right way most of the time. We need someone who will stand up and speak clearly and strongly for our Kansas values. We have no use for another politician who fades into the background out of fear that he will offend someone and not win 80 percent of the vote in his next election against token opposition.

Whenever I needed assistance on a project I was working on for the 2nd District of Kansas, I would turn to Todd. He has the respect of leadership and his colleagues, and as a result, has been one of the most effective members of the Kansas congressional delegation ever.

Todd was the member of the delegation to get Kansas exempted from the onerous “Wright Amendment,” which made airfares from Wichita to Dallas some of the most expensive in the nation. In just his second term in office, Todd accomplished what many others before him could not.

Todd is also respected because he is consistent and loyal. If he gives you his word, you can take it to the bank. That cannot be said about all of my former colleagues.

That respect and effectiveness may be why my former colleague former Speaker Dennis Hastert has joined me in endorsing Todd. We have worked with both candidates, and we know who will consistently fight for conservative values and get things done.

If I had never met Todd Tiahrt in my life, I would be supporting him for the U.S. Senate because of his record and his long list of accomplishments for Kansas.

Having the benefit of knowing him, knowing how he deals with tragedy and triumph, I can honestly tell you there is no better person for this job for Kansans and true conservatives everywhere.

We need Todd Tiahrt in the U.S. Senate.

Every year in January when we were in Washington, D.C. for the March for Life, I could always count on Todd Tiahrt and Sam Brownback to join me in braving the harsh cold winter weather to encourage pro-lifers from around the country and especially those stalwarts from Kansas, who always seemed to manage to be up front.

Todd is not ashamed of what he believes in, which is why we believe in him.

Please join my wife Anne and me in supporting Todd Tiahrt for the U.S. Senate.

Sincerely,

Jim Ryun

P.S. Please help Todd by sending a contribution to his campaign today!

The vote, 65 to 31, came just before 6 p.m. in Washington D.C. after an all-day debate.

Both Kansas senators, Republicans Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, voted for Sebelius, a Democrat.

Last week, Brownback had said the governor’s veto of a bill aimed at tighetning regulations of late-term abortions made it harder to support her. Sebelius had vetoed similar bills in previous years.

The move means Kansas is likely to have a new governor when the Kansas Legislature returns Wednesday for a wrap-up session.

It’s hard to say if Sebelius could hand the reins of power over to Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson tonight or not – her office is keeping mum on its plans.

Huelskamp, a Fowler Republican, is running for the 1st Congressional District hoping to replace U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, a Republican, who is running for the U.S. Senate that Sen. Sam Brownback is vacating. Brownback, a Republican, is running for governor.

Huleskamp is one of many Republicans hoping to replace Moran in Washington D.C. Other contenders include: Fort Hays State University education instructor Sue Boldra: Pratt businessman Tim Barker; and former Brownback chief of staff, Rob Wasinger.

Below is the release sent out by Huelskamp’s campaign announcing the endorsement.

“Kansas Anti-Tax Leader Notes Huelskamp Always Honored ‘Taxpayer Protection Pledge’

Conservative anti-tax Kansas crusader Karl Peterjohn today announced his endorsement of Republican Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) for Congress.

According to Peterjohn: “Some others in this race have bragged about being the first to sign the ‘no tax’ pledge. Well, I’m here to tell you that Tim Huelskamp signed American’s for Tax Reform’s ‘Taxpayer Protection Pledge’ thirteen years ago — and despite great pressure to break his pledge on several occasions – he has always honored his promise to Kansas taxpayers. I am proud to support his bid for Congress.”

Peterjohn has been the Executive Director of the influential Kansas Taxpayers Network since 1992 and was elected to the Board of Sedgwick County Commissioners in 2008.

“Karl Peterjohn has worked tirelessly on behalf of Kansas taxpayers. I am honored to receive his endorsement,” said Huelskamp.

Last week, Huelskamp met with Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist and has again signed the pledge — this time as a candidate for U.S. Congress.

“We signed the ‘Taxpayer Protection Pledge’ thirteen years ago when I first ran for the state senate and have never gone back on our word. I’m looking forward to continuing that same tradition of integrity and fiscal leadership in the United States Congress,” said Huelskamp.”

His campaign says he plans to file for the office Thursday, filling out the necessary paperwork at 10 a.m. at the Sedgwick County Courthouse, the AP says.

Tiahrt will be the second Republican to file for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Sam Brownback, who plans to run for governor. Rep. Jerry Moran also has filed, setting up a Republican primary in August 2010.

Over the weekend, Sen. Sam Brownback dropped the Peyton Manning bomb in Brett Favre country. The crowd let him know, according to an Associated Press story that several news websites picked up this weekend. After he realized his analogy flopped, he backtracked. “That’s really bad,” he said. “That will go down in history. I apologize.”

“Let’s take Favre then,” Brownback said later. “The Packers are great. I’m sorry. How many passes does he complete without a line?”

“All of them!” more than one person yelled from the back of the room.

• A communications director to help craft your message to the American people
• Tons of volunteers to help run the campaign
• A myspace page

A myspace page? Yes. Candidates vying for their party’s nomination have a myspace page and Sen. Sam Brownback isn’t any different.

A voter can learn a lot about Brownback from his page such as he’s a married, Virgo, Catholic with more than 6,000 friends on the social networking website. Voters will also be able to view a video of Brownback speaking on what he stands for and what the country needs in their next president. And if voters are confused at all by the video, 15 clickable icons will tell his stance on a variety of issues including marriage, the Iraq war, culture and values and education.

And yes there’s a blog and a list of interests like his favorite movie (Amazing Grace) and books (Lord of the Rings and the Bible).

On this front, Sen. Sam Brownback did better than many in the crowded GOP field. The Kansan, who trails several candidates in polls and fundraising, was largely in the shadows in most national wire stories last night. But a Republican political consultant with Politico.com, which sponsored the debate, wrote that Brownback “had a particularly strong night. He talked with passion and elegance about the social issues that are the backbone of his candidacy.” Brownback also picked up some quick hits in an Associated Press story where he raised his hand to show he doesn’t believe in evolution and when he said the day the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade would be a “glorious day of human liberty and freedom.” McClatchy’s Washington Bureau quoted Brownback when he said he could support a more liberal GOP candidate. “Somebody who is with you 80 percent of the time is not your enemy,” Brownback said, citing Ronald Reagan’s philosophy.

Based on his comments to the Christian Science Monitor last week, he probably won’t worry about the coverage too much. When the newspaper asked him about debates, he said: “I think it’s important to get candidates side by side. I don’t think you make the candidacy or lose it over a debate or two, [but] I think they’re very helpful to have.”

See coverage of the Democrat’s debate last week.

See what Eagle readers had to say on WE Blog.

Top donors in Wichita include Adam Beren, who frequently funds campaigns, Larry Flemming of the LDF Companies, James S. Kastens, and Gerald and Priscilla O’Shaughnessy. All gave $2,100 or more. The second best Kansas showing was from Giuliani, who took in $32,100 statewide.

Despite recent momentum from Democrats in this mostly red state and their dominance on the national fundraising scene, Brownback out-raised all the top Democratic candidates combined. Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards led the way in Kansas with $23,155; Sen. Barack Obama drew $15,716, including two $250 donations from Urban League of Kansas President Brian Black, and Sen. Hillary Clinton collected $14,720.

That comes just a day after he was campaigning in Iowa and told The Des Moines Register that his opposition to the surge is a problem for some conservative voters.

Brownback’s answer is to split Iraq three ways and lead the country into federalism. “If the surge works, federalism can provide the framework necessary to stabilize Iraq over the long term,” he said in a press release. “If the surge fails, and Iraq’s sectarian violence deepens, a federal Iraq will be the only choice available to separate the warring factions while keeping Iraq from breaking apart – something that we cannot allow to occur in such a vital region.”

See his full statement:

“U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today released a statement regarding the upcoming Senate vote on whether Congress should impose a deadline for withdrawal of troops from Iraq:

“We have arrived at a key moment for U.S. policy in Iraq. History recalls Operations Desert Shield and Storm in 1990 and 1991. It recalls the no-fly zones we maintained in the 1990s. It recalls the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998. It recalls our sanctions against Saddam Hussein. And when history records Operation Iraqi Freedom, it will remember whether Congress provided the direction necessary to complete the mission or chose to cut it off prematurely. History will judge today s vote.

“The American people await this vote. The Iraqi people await this vote. Al Qaeda awaits this vote. A timetable for withdrawal is like March Madness for terrorists. The terrorists envision a timetable for withdrawal advancing through the House and through the Senate. They even have a timetable for withdrawal beating a presidential veto and becoming law. We need to break that bracket this afternoon.

“The surge is now underway. I did not support the surge, but I hope it works. The first reports have been encouraging, but the fog of war remains thick. Over the next few months, we will be able to assess whether the surge is working or not. Now is hardly the time to set a date for retreat.

“I am not saying we should have an open ended commitment, but I am saying that our mission over there – and not politics over here – should drive our policy. I know many of my colleagues believe we have nothing to gain by staying. But I believe there is a way forward.

“Everyone agrees that a political solution is crucial to success. And it turns out that the political solution Iraqis ought to pursue is the most American of all: Federalism.

“Thankfully, in the early days in America, we did not have the kind of factional violence and terrorism we’ve seen in Iraq. But it certainly included rivalries between the colonies and different visions of the future.

“The great solution chosen by the founding fathers was federalism – something embodied by the Senate itself. An Iraq with several federal regions, with Baghdad as a federal capital represents the best chance for Iraq to achieve stability.

“If the surge works, federalism can provide the framework necessary to stabilize Iraq over the long term. If the surge fails, and Iraq s sectarian violence deepens, a federal Iraq will be the only choice available to separate the warring factions while keeping Iraq from breaking apart something that we cannot allow to occur in such a vital region.

“I believe that instead of giving the terrorists a reason to be hopeful and sending mixed signals to our forces in the field, we should be talking about the possibility of a federal Iraq. The Iraqi Constitution calls for it. The Iraqi Parliament passed a law supporting it. The Kurdish region proves that it can be successful. Yes, a federal Iraq may require the presence of U.S. forces for some period of time. But as we have seen in Bosnia, our deployments in support of a political solution endorsed by all sides can bring lasting peace and a chance for a brighter future.

“For this reason, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Cochran amendment. We need to stop talking about how to retreat and start talking about winning in Iraq. A conversation about a federal Iraq is the best way for the Senate to contribute to success in Iraq.”