On western Kansas’ voting clout, pricey AG races

Kansas City Star political correspondent Steve Kraske offered some interesting predictions for the political season. Among them:
– That GOP gubernatorial contender Robin Jennison (in photo), former Kansas House speaker from Healy, should not be underestimated. Kraske wrote: “There’s this thing about Kansas politics. Call it the 10 percent edge that Jennison and other westerners accrue just because the good folks out west vote in heavier numbers than anywhere else in the state. And for four years, Jennison was host of the ‘Kansas Outdoors’ radio program heard out west. He’s well known.”
– That Republican Phill Kline and Democratic challenger Paul Morrison each will spend three times the $550,000 Kline spent in 2002 to win the attorney general job.
– That Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will make a big show of embracing Morrison, a former Republican, “to show the world that she’s rebuilding the Democrats in a red state.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman

7 Comments

  1. Joe Williams
    Posted July 5, 2006 at 7:29 am | Permalink

    It’s July and I’ve only seen one political tv ad and a few yard signs, but by one candidate and that is Judge Kennedy.

    No Republican Gubenatorial Candidate yard signs or tv/radio ads yet. Only a month left.

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted July 5, 2006 at 8:29 am | Permalink

    I have seen some GOP gov yard signs out in west wichits

  3. johngalt
    Posted July 5, 2006 at 8:35 am | Permalink

    Yes, that Western Kansas strategy sure worked out well for Dave Kerr.

    Shallenburger beat Kerr out West.

    Good in theory, but it doesn’t always work.

  4. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted July 5, 2006 at 8:41 am | Permalink

    Since governor leadership’s former chief of staff once told me “there arent enough votes in western kansas to matter” I hardly think the “western kansas” strategy is going to be widely adopted.

    The gov knows she is not popular out here, and frankly, she doesnt care. Why are folks out here unhappy? Uh… because of her insane water policies and attack dogs like joe harkins.

    Jennison has a natural advantage, not because he is from here, but because he is on the side of those who want sane water policies that balance the needs of municiple use, recreational use, and BENEFICIAL agricultural use.

    Sebelius? Just give all the water to Steve Irsik in Garden City and John Bird in Hays.

    But then, we all know, thanks to her, there really arent enough votes out here to matter…

  5. waterboy
    Posted July 6, 2006 at 7:59 am | Permalink

    No one will lose or win a gubernatorial race in Kansas b/c of water policy.

  6. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted July 6, 2006 at 11:19 am | Permalink

    waterboy–no shit! Waaaayyyy too many fingers in the ears singing lalalalalala amongst the voters. Hell, we have god, guns and gays to worry about!

    Like the frog being boiled alive, people in ks would rather be warm and fuzzy and ingnorant about water issues than jump out of the pot before it is too late.

    No one in ks will miss the water until it is gone.

    Then they will no doubt blame clinton.

  7. Ben Huie
    Posted July 6, 2006 at 11:54 am | Permalink

    kfg – within about 10 years we will reach the goal of “no further depletion” of the Ogalalla … because it will be empty!