The Eagle editorial board wasn’t alone in making the difficult decision to endorse Jim Slattery’s long-shot bid to unseat Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. The Kansas City Star and even two key newspapers in western Kansas, always Roberts country, also went with the Democrat this time. The Star’s editorial board said it was “time for some Kansas accountability,” criticizing Roberts for “tying himself too closely to the now-discredited Bush administration as it went astray on the Iraq war, deficit spending, health care, civil liberties and other key issues.”
The Garden City Telegram similarly blasted Roberts’ role in “reckless Republican spending and borrowing” and said, “the mess we’re in proves it’s time for change.” The Hays Daily News thanked Roberts “for a distinguished, honorable and productive career in public service,” but urged voters “to demand change in the U.S. Senate” by electing Slattery.
Roberts did receive the nods of the Johnson County Sun, Pittsburg Morning Sun, the Hutchinson News and Lawrence Journal-World, which said “his commitment to safeguarding this country and his work on behalf of the best interests of his fellow Kansans is a matter of record.” The Salina Journal’s endorsement concluded: “The GOP needs a strong presence to keep Democrats in check, and Roberts is key to those efforts.” The Hutchinson News endorsed Roberts but with some hesitation: “For all of Roberts’ failures on national issues, the senator has done much for Kansas.”
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11 Comments
If I had any faith that Roberts could become a leader of the upcoming minority, the argument that he could be “a check on the Democratic majority” might make sense.
But Patsy Roberts has had what? Nearly 20 years in the Senate and he’s a non-entity at best, a water-carrier for Shrub in reality.
Kansans have traditionally sent a moderate Republic Party senator to Washington. James Pearson countered young Bob Dole’s CONservative bomb-thrower. Nancy Landon Kassebaum impressed the world with her thoughtful moderation. We’ve consistently, maybe unintentionally but graphically have elected a United States Senator from western Kansas and another — more moderate — Senator from eastern Kansas.
In that tradition, Patsy Roberts holds his western Kansas base. I suspect most Kansans will stick with that model in hopes Sebelius replaces Brownback (if he keeps his promise to retire in 2010) in the next election.
I still have doubts Brownback might go for re-election in two years… but that depends on the candidate who emerges as a gubernatorial prospect in the next two years; I’m not sure who that person might me.
Here’s a strategy that might develop some Democrat via the Kansas Legislature:
With a new United States Census coming up in 2010, there should be a movement for Kansas to adopt an Iowa-model procedure for drawing congressional districts. Instead of the obvious gerrymandering that slices Lawrence in half to diminish the progressive impact in in the 3rd Congressional district; instead of creative drawing-of-the-lines to expand Moran’s district into Democratic strongholds to neutralize them, the true nature of Kansas’ political geography
might become actually representative of the people who live here.
As a matter of practical politics — which involves pork, tanker contracts, agriculture policy, etc. — Kansans would be better off in the upcoming Congress with more members in the majority party.
The fact about how Congress works is: the most experienced member of of the minority has less clout than the least experienced member of the majority.
Hold all the repubs accountable for their actions, and inactions.
Brown-nose Pat will get re-elected; and immediately marginalized.
Well… well… well what you think about that? Oh why ask you will tell everyone anyway!
Phantom
Posted November 2, 2008 at 9:04 am | Permalink
Hold all the repubs accountable for their actions, and inactions.
—————————————————-
Lets go all the way and hold them ALL accountable,no matter the party.
Maybe that’s the best place for our congresspeople, insignificant influence committee.
I’ve noticed Roberts threads don’t inspire many comments, hope that translates into a general lack of interest in his being re-elected.
He still has that little “R” behind his name, and this is Kansas. Voting against their best interests seems to be an inbred (lack of) quality in Kansas Republicans.
Roberts lost my vote when he supported Bush on the Iraq war and then covered up for Bush when he (Roberts) was chairman of the Senate Inteeligence Committee.
I think Roberts lost a few votes when he removed Buy America laws from contracts and then pretends to be angry when the french get it.
Roberts says he has such great faith in the private sector, and yet here he is, stuck in guvment. We need to liberate this poor man from such a horrid situation and restore him to his beloved private sector! Tomorrow! Free Pat Roberts! Free Pat Roberts!