Slattery getting awfully late start

slatteryKansas is overdue to have a competitive U.S. Senate race, so a possible challenge by former Rep. Jim Slattery to Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., would be a welcome change. But Slattery’s indecision does not get him off to a good start. After spending three months last year deciding not to run, Slattery reportedly is ready. The late date isn’t the only obstacle: so are Roberts’ $2 million-plus campaign war chest, the memory of Slattery’s most recent campaign (his 28-percentage point loss to Bill Graves in the 1994 gubernatorial election), and how long it’s been since a Kansas Democrat won a Senate seat (since the 1930s).

12 Comments

  1. Regular
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 12:00 pm | Permalink

    So, who did Slattery lobby for in D.C.?

  2. Hank Price
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 12:44 pm | Permalink

    Slattery? Does he still live in Kansas?

    LOL!

    That’s the best the Dems can come with?

  3. Ben
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 12:50 pm | Permalink

    I tend to agree Hank – but will still support him against Brown-nose Pat.

  4. mrcontroversy
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 12:54 pm | Permalink

    He lobbies on communications issues–he’s been a real resource for me whenever I’ve had issues in D.C.
    I really wish he hadn’t done this.
    Now I’m stuck with TWO races where I have a Republican I consider a friend running against a Democrat I have intense personal loyalty to.
    I hate when that happens.

  5. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 12:59 pm | Permalink

    “That’s the best the Dems can come with?”

    Of course I’d vote for a yeller dawg instead of patsy, but…

    I agree Hank. All this hot air about sebelius building the democratic party, the resurgence of the ks democrats, the “coattails” of sebelius, etc.?

    just smoke up the butt. She cares about no one but herself. And that INCLUDES the KDP. She doesnt give a DAMN about party building.

    Except for building the party of sebelius.

    Maybe if she’d spent more time recruiting a good senate candidate instead of shilling for obama?

    But no. That wouldnt be building the sebelius party, and ya know, we cant have THAT.

  6. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 1:01 pm | Permalink

    Cant wait to see the quality of down ballot candidates the democrats offer this year.

    I wonder how much time and political capital governor leadership has spent recruiting state legislature candidates to get the mossbacks out of the state house?

    (crickets chirping)

    We’ll see who runs unopposed or with token opposition.

  7. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 1:02 pm | Permalink

    Hee hee hee. I wonder if Tim Peterson will STILL be trying to beat Ralph Ostmeyer or if timmy will try to get a REAL candidate to run? Or if Virginia Beamer will run unopposed again while timmy tilts windmills for his own dreams of glory?

    hehehehehhe. Who wants to bet with me?

  8. Bob
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 1:24 pm | Permalink

    And they wonder why I think you should get a barf bag with your ballot???

  9. CapnAmerica
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 4:19 pm | Permalink

    Wow, Ksgrrl.

    If you substituted the name Hillary Clinton every time you wrote Kathleen Sebelius, you’d be even more right.

  10. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 12, 2008 at 6:38 pm | Permalink

    So somehow it’s Hillary’s fault the KDP cant field a candidate with a chance against ol’ rubber stamp?

    Your Hillary hatred is not very attractive.

  11. Stuart
    Posted March 13, 2008 at 4:23 am | Permalink

    Slattery really has no hope against Roberts. I think the Democrats who really have a chance to win (and there are some) are waiting for Brownback to retire and go for a possibly winnable open seat. On the other hand, Slattery on the ballot is better than the no-names Democrats often offer in Senate races.

  12. Over the Rainbow
    Posted March 16, 2008 at 9:43 am | Permalink

    He’s going to have to spend all his time catering to Johnson County moderates, so don’t expect to see much of him in these parts.
    If he’s banking on ‘coattails’, he just lost one over the weekend. The shine is almost off Obama, to whom Sibileus has hitched her star (thanks for nothing in Ohio, by the way). And don’t be surprised if the governor has promised Slattey most of the state party’s funds, which means even shorter rations for people like Don Betts.