Don’t make too much of Morrison’s move

Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison’s switch to the Democratic Party to run for attorney general looks to us like a singular act of strategy. It’s a moderate Republican’s pragmatic way of trying to beat a conservative Republican incumbent, given that conservative voters tend to decide GOP primaries in Kansas. But others, perhaps thinking wishfully, see Morrison’s move as the start of something big for Kansas Democrats. Columnist Steve Kraske argued in The Kansas City Star: “A new political paradigm is in the works. How can moderate Republicans regain their footing in Kansas? Well, run as Democrats.” And The Salina Journal editorialized: “Moderates are watching the public’s reaction to Morrison’s move. If there is no backlash then others will follow his lead, and Democrats will find their rolls swelling with Republicans.” More likely, Morrison doesn’t want to be a Democrat so much as he really, really wants to spare the state another four years of Attorney General Phill Kline’s narrow agenda.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

3 Comments

  1. Galahad
    Posted November 6, 2005 at 8:20 pm | Permalink

    Of course it’s impossible to predict the future. But I don’t remember a prominent Repub running as a Dem because he thought it would give him a better chance of winning.

    Taken together with W.’s plummeting approval rating (already into the Carter zone), the Republican war that drags ever on, the historic high debt, the cronyism and the corruption, the NCLB educational policy that brings MORE federal control of local public education . . . it shows that Republicans feel their party is growing ever out of touch with the majority, and in many cases, even its own values.

  2. Joe Blow
    Posted November 7, 2005 at 6:53 am | Permalink

    The preceeding Galahad dream has been brought to you by Michael Moore’s Big and Tall Clothing.

  3. Galahad
    Posted November 7, 2005 at 11:58 am | Permalink

    Heh, yup, JoeBlow, it’s called “reality.”

    But you and the president “don’t believe in polls.” Hmmm . . . well remember, elections are based on polls . . . that’s why they collect the voting booths at “polling stations.”

    Lewis Libby–indicted for lyingTom Delay–indicted for money laundering and conspiracyBill Frist–target of investigation for insider tradingGov. Harding–illegal campaign fundingTom Noe–fund raiser, illegal contributionsJack Abramoff–Republican fund raiser, ripped off Indian casino ownersRalph “Christian Coalition” Reed–used money ripped off from casinos to fund pet projects and conservative politicians

    But stick with the “bizarro world” view, JoeBlow. That seems to be working out so well for you guys so far . . .