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.