Will it be Moran in 2010 in a walk?

Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, made news for his indecision about whether to run for governor earlier in the decade. But he’s leaving no doubt about his ambitions now, by filing paperwork needed to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Sam Brownback in 2010. As if his popularity and record weren’t enough to intimidate other potential candidates, the $2.4 million that Moran has amassed in his House campaign account ought to do it. Especially in the wake of Sen. Pat Roberts’ drubbing of Jim Slattery last week (60 to 36 percent), it’s hard to imagine a Kansas Democrat being competitive in a Senate race against Moran. The strongest of them all, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, has weakened her crossover appeal with her aggressive opposition to the Holcomb coal-fired plants and her highly partisan stumping for Barack Obama. And the Roberts-Slattery contest obviously didn’t reverse the curse – Kansas’ 70-year record of sending only Republicans to the U.S. Senate. But it sounded Friday as if a challenge to Moran could come from his right: “I can guarantee there will be others who will get into this race,” said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, also suggesting that Kansans would rather not have two senators from the same congressional district.

6 Comments

  1. JWink
    Posted November 9, 2008 at 6:28 am | Permalink

    In the eyes of politicians, being a U.S. Senator with all its perks and snacks, is much more preferable than being Governor of Kansas. A Governor must actually occasionally get his hands dirty in state politics and wrestle with the grimy, ferocious, howling 125 member Kansas House of Representatives and 40 members of the Kansas Senate. And live in or near Topeka.

    Case in point, Congressman Jerry Moran could probably have any political position he wants in Kansas so what does he choose to run for … U.S. Senator.

  2. Political_mama
    Posted November 9, 2008 at 9:15 am | Permalink

    I don’t know what has to happen to make Kansans give up the ghost of the republican party that serves them so poorly.

  3. KSGolfnut
    Posted November 9, 2008 at 12:29 pm | Permalink

    Jerry Moran is an excellent representative, and he would be an even better senator. His service to Western KS and his reelection gradient illustrates his popularity and the voters’ satisfaction. He’s well-spoken and has strong conservative principles.

    He would make a fine successor to Sam Brownback.

  4. Political_mama
    Posted November 9, 2008 at 8:27 pm | Permalink

    WESTERN Kansas is dying out, and the old ideals keep new fresh faces away. So if that’s what you look forward to in the rest of Kansas, be my guest.

  5. mom
    Posted November 9, 2008 at 9:55 pm | Permalink

    Isn’t Western Kansas a place where all the young people leave once they reach adulthood? But now there are alot of illegal immigrants with the meat packing plants and the dynamic is changing in all the small Kansas towns. Not much is left in the way of progressive businesses, is there?

    I just cannot imagine people living in Topeka or Johnson County liking the idea of another Western Kansas Senator. I look for someone in the cities to throw their hat in the ring or, God Forbid, a Democrat would actually win the Senate seat.

  6. JWink
    Posted November 10, 2008 at 7:33 am | Permalink

    Mom: Even though Jerry Moran is from out around Hays, his First Congressional District includes all or parts of some 85 (my estimate) of Kansas’ 105 counties. For example, Emporia is in the First Congressional District.

    When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that political districts must represent approximately equal numbers of people rather than square miles and cows, it became necessary to meander congressional boundary lines every which way to attempt to achieve population equality.

    Kansas once had a lot more Congressmen and Congressional districts, perhaps seven or eight, but as the population of Kansas became proportionally less than other states, we lost Congressmen.

    Of course, Kansas now has four Congressmen and the standard two U.S. Senators. The number of Kansas Congress men might reduce TO three Congressmen a year or so after the next ten year population census is conducted.

    About Jerry Moran, he graduated from K.U. Law School back in the 1980’s. He is knowledgable on agriculture issues. He is very popular with voters in his district generally winning by large margins.

    That’s why I say Jerry Moran can probably have any elected position in Kansas that he wants.