Ranson fought for his party

The Republican Party lost a fierce defender when Jack Ranson died last week at age 78, after complications from heart surgery. During six years as Kansas Republican Party chairman, 10 years on the Republican National Committee and a lifetime in the thick of high-level politics, the Wichita investment banker not only influenced the Kansas GOP’s choices of candidates and promoted their candidacies but also championed the party as he saw it — inclusive, fiscally conservative and victorious on Election Day. His “big tent” approach put him at odds with the socially conservative leadership of the Kansas GOP in recent years, but many of his warnings about divisive issues have proved prophetic.

10 Comments

  1. writerdog
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 7:58 am | Permalink

    I knew nothing of the man and whether we would agree on the party but he did sound to be a real Republican. Some did see the writing on the wall, while others just admired the pretty colors.

  2. johngalt
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 10:59 am | Permalink

    Jack wasn’t such a “big tent” Republican.

    He consistently opposed pro life Republicans or refused to support them.

  3. CapnAmerica
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 11:27 am | Permalink

    Every time a Republican dies, another gay angel gets his wings . . .

  4. Regular
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 11:37 am | Permalink

    Be at peace Jack Ranson.

  5. mrcontroversy
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 12:52 pm | Permalink

    Sorry, Capn, do not concur.
    Jack Ranson was a class act, in business and in politics, much in the mold of Huck Boyd.
    I defy any of the die-hard cons on this blog to tell me who Huck Boyd was.
    And if you don’t know that, you’re not a true Kansas Republican… just a regular idiot.

  6. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 12:54 pm | Permalink

    Heh, Mr. C, even I know who Huck Boyd was….

  7. mrcontroversy
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm | Permalink

    I may well have been the only Democrat at his funeral, KFG.

  8. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    Maybe Mr. C. Rural Kansas certainly has/had no better advocate than Huck.

  9. Monkeyhawk
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 1:14 pm | Permalink

    I knew Huck Boyd and battled Jack Ranson’s Republic Party. Both were worthy advocates and, apart from their partisanship, seemed to be reasonable enough human beings.

    I was an acolyte of Norb Dreiling during most of those years and his battles with Boyd and Ranson were epic.

  10. Nano
    Posted May 20, 2008 at 2:02 pm | Permalink

    Sympathies to the man’s family. Let’s not forget our manners here. It’s very bad mojo to wish evil on anybody regardless of their politics.