The latest Rasmussen Reports poll numbers on the Kansas governor’s race — with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius at 48 percent and GOP challenger Jim Barnett at 37 percent — leave a tough gap for Barnett to close in nine weeks. Of those polled, 35 percent view Sebelius “very favorably” and 32 percent “strongly approve” of her performance, while 19 percent view Barnett “very favorably” and he’s still an unknown to 18 percent. Another problem for Barnett: 39 percent of voters think he’s a conservative, 24 percent say he’s a moderate, and 28 percent are “not sure.”
But in reporting on the poll, Rasmussen Reports makes an observation that suggests a bigger-name Republican might have found it easier to deny the Democrat a second term: Her support has yet to rise above 50 percent in Rasmussen’s polls, and “her popularity — fairly high even with GOP voters — isn’t being translated into the safer levels of support that widely liked incumbents have attracted elsewhere.”
So there is some truth to Barnett campaign manager Christian Morgan’s contention that “this should quiet the notion that she’s unbeatable.” But is she beatable by Barnett?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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26 Comments
Barnett has the personality no better than one of his yard signs. His campaign literature reads like something straight from Citizens for Prosperity or the Club for Growth. In case you haven’t figured it out, these organizations actually produces neither. Both organizations wish to bankrupt the state government and reward the rich with further tax cuts. With backing like that, Barnett hasn’t got a chance.
Apparently you have not looked at the big business and rich that are backing Sebelius.
With 67% of the polled voters saying they approve or strongly approve of Sebelius’job performance, it is likely that she actually has more than 48% of support for her re-election. To put it another way, I think I can predict how most of those 18% undecideds will vote.
Neither option has much excitement going for it, which works for the incumbent. I predict Sebelius wins easily.
She will win, but it didnt have to be that way. If the kansas gop had not caved in to the wingnuts, they could have ended governor non-leadership’s political career.
But noooooooo.
They had to do the purity test, the morals test, hell the wingnut test for candidates. Sebelius has already proven there isnt a wingnut in the state she cant beat.
So they run wingnuts. Must be republican logic. A moderate could have won, but the kansas gop shunned the moderates, and now they are whining about defections and losing the elections.
Just keep running those ideologically pure wingnuts and soon you will need a microscope to see the republican winners in kansas. Run moderates and you win, but the ayatollahs of the party wont allow it.
so you lose. again.
Truely. Jesus wept.
..one more thing…
ya know, she is extremely vulnerable on water policy and water issues.
But for kansas republicans, a winning issue like water policy, where the r’s have voted consistantly for sane actions, just doesnt have the same ring as gay marriage, gay adoptions, no gambling, etc.
Water. The most important issue facing our state, and everyone this elections is ignoring it. The voters out here in 2000 told candidates it was the most important issue, and both parties ignore it.
Just let that winning issue lie on the ground. Someday, someone will pick it up and win on it.
But it will be too late for anyone to really win anything but a free trip to topeka for a few months.
Water. Sebelius’ achilles heel. Just ignore it wingnuts. There is anther chance in, oh, say, four years?
Exile is a lonely place.
Robin Jennison could have a good, but tough, shot at the governor seat.
Although many people would agree that Sebelius is grooming herself for a DC job, she will win pretty easily this time around again. STY made a statement about all the businesses and the rich that are backing her, well especially businesses, they always bet on the winner. So Sebelius will win another term.
I little bit of me wants Barnett to win, because that would mean that Susan Wagle would have to give up her Senate seat and I live in her district and I would put myself for running as a replacement, although I don’t know who the precient committee people would vote, most are staunch conservatives.
But on another note. With the word in the beltway about Hillary not running in 08 for President, but instead running to replace Harry Reid is making headway. I would think this would be a very smart move for Hillary. Although that vile of a Senator Ried wouldn’t want to give up his banter position.
With Hillary out and any other Democrat, including Al Gore not standing a chance to win against the Republican Candidate in 08, a good Ace to pull out would be Sebelius. There are a whole host of reason why I think that Sebelius could pick up the Presidency, if not a VP spot. So look for that in the next two years.
When Sebelius was elected, our state was in a HUGE deficit created by her Republican predecessor. Very creatively, and without screwing the people, Gov. Sebelius brought our state back into the black. Look back in history: Republican governors bankrupt us, while Democrats save our state. That’s not true for every state race, but it is clear who to vote for as Kansas’ Governor: Kathleen Sebelius!
“Democrats save our state.”
Truly unbelieveable. Keep buying into the 2-party BS. We wouldn’t want you to actually focus on how ALL of these crooked bastards are screwing us over at every opportunity.
Maybe businesses support Sebelius because they know that policies supporting education etc; although they cost money; benefit most businesses in the long run.
I work in education and I can’t believe that Sebelius is taking credit for the school finance issue. It was the “courts” that were responsible for the increase in funding, not her. After seeing those paid political advertisements, I won’t vote for her because its misleading and dishonest. Steve Dryden
What’s the big deal about Sebelius’s school ad?
She doesn’t say that she fixed the problem herself. She only points out that Topeka lawmakers were fighting and their focus should have been the kids in the classroom.
If you take offense by this ad, then your conscience must be bothering you for backing one of those unruly lawmakers?
Hammer that hag over her anti-gun and pro-wetback positions. Hamerr her over her cozy relationship with the water waster and she is uber beatable. If the repukes can’t whup her then they are stupid and incompetent and they deserve to lose.
V.L.R.B!!
Good for you, Steve Dryden!
Vote for Barnett and Wagle, two rock-ribbed right-wingers who will cut your salary.
At least they’re honest about hating education, right Steve?
(heavy sarcasm)
BTW, Sebelius shepharded the bill through the legislature and signed it.
Thank God she was there to do it.
If you’re an educator and you’re voting Republican, you are the dumbest ass in the herd.
Joe Williams,
Your party already left you behind. You said that you could make a good governor of Kansas someday. You probably could, but you need to defect to the D’s. Your party has shunned you because you challenged an old bag that votes the way Brenda tells her to. Wagle’s career is over – change parties and run against her in 2008.
What Holman conveniently fails to mention is that Barnett has shaved 6 points off the Sebelius’ lead.
Despite the incumbency and big warchest, Kansans are seeing through Sebelius’ bogus ads and recognizing her no plan, do nothing, take credit tenure.
This is why Sebelius and her water-carryin’ Eagle had their panties in a bunch before Moran decided not to run.
Maybe Barnett would have name recognition and better traction if the Sebelius-lovin’ Eagle would actually print a few lines covering his campaign.
NE Heatbreak! I would and trust me, I’ve been talking to the Democrat Party. I even know the Sedgwick County Democrat Party Executive Director personally.
There are a lot of issues I disagree with about the Republican Party and there are plenty of issues I side with on the Democratic Party. But there are those few things and issues that Democrats embrace that keeps me from crossing over.
I’m too pro-business, pro-capitalist and pro-individual to belong in todays Democrat Party. I wish they could see the economic light! But the unions, leftist and socialist have too much influence over them. It’s not JFK’s Democrat Party anymore.
I’m more of a Libertarian. While the religious right may not like me, the leftist hate me even more.
I’m basically in limbo. Like Tammy Bruce for instance. If you don’t know who she is, she is a personality who has a radio show. A very intelligent woman I might add. An openly gay, feminist, was the President of NOW chapter in LA but she can’t bring herself to the Demcrats because she believes leftism is the wrong way to go. I believe that.
Here is a great interview with her on BookTV.
http://www.booktv.org/feature/index.asp?segID=7355&schedID=448
http://www.tammybruce.com/
Sigh…..
Joe is taken in again.
Her protestations to the contrary, Tammy Bruce is about as much a Democrat as that kook Zell Miller. Tammy girl uses the “convert” thing to win deluded listeners. Righties LOVE to think a former liberal has found “the truth”, that’s Tammy’s schtick. There is absolutely NOTHING democratic or progressive about her. In fact, recently, she seems to have “found Jesus”.
This topic? Barnett has as much chance of winning as Tammy Bruce does convincing me she was ever a Democrat.
The “big” school’s like Wichita got all the money where the political capital is. We got maybe a 3% raise in western Kansas. Sebelius “implies” in her adds that she is responsible for the increase in education funding. It was the medium size school’s and their lawsuit that was responsible for the increase. I just don’t like politician’s taking credit when credit is not due. She may be pro-education but not pro-small schools. That’s where I am coming from. She is a dishonest politician who takes every opportunity to take credit for things she had nothing to do with. If she conspired with Rupe and the rest of the attorney’s, that’s a different question. Its called, collusion. Steve Dryden
“An openly gay, feminist, was the President of NOW chapter in LA but she can’t bring herself to the Demcrats because she believes leftism is the wrong way to go.”
Or perhaps she simply discovered that shilling for the corporate masters paid a lot better.
You probably don’t belong to the NEA either, do you Steve?
You won’t pay your dues when it comes to organizing for power, but you’ll whine and moan when you don’t get what you think is coming to you.
Small schools have been over-funded relative to big schools for decades. That’s what the lawsuit was about.
“With the word in the beltway about Hillary not running in 08 for President”
That is what I have been saying for years. Sebelius also will not be in the Presidential race.
“Hamerr her over her cozy relationship with the water waster and she is uber beatable. If the repukes can’t whup her then they are stupid and incompetent and they deserve to lose.”
Damn Ian, I couldnt have said that better myself. Oh, and for the uninformed, the lead water waster is Steve Irsik. Ag welfare queen and water waster extraordinare.
Also governor non-leadership’s appointment to head the state’s water board.
Can you say “fox in the henhouse”?
Check out the Kansas Water Authority board or the staff of the Kansas Water Office.
Political payoff central. Can anyone say, with a straight face, that she has not made water the political capital of the realm?
And the big schools lost!!! The NEA is full of left leaning idiots like you and no, I don’t want to waste my money on the NEA.SD
I think you’re all overlooking the candidate who’s already planting the seeds for the next governor’s race. Don Riley is a seasoned veteran of rubbing elbows but not a beltway politician. He’s a gateway politician. One who knows the hotbutton issues. Who can forget “A hot pocket on every table”. Don Riley won’t even take a salary. He is a mere servant of the people, cut from the same cloth as the Jimmie Pearlbeauxbutters and the Wavy Gravy’s of this world. The future is here Kansas. It’s just a question of whether you’re with Don Riley, or against him…..