Surprising only a few Democrats in denial, Kansas Republicans took all the statewide and congressional races Tuesday, our editorial today noted, adding their voice to the noisy national chorus calling for less government, more fiscal discipline and no more unchecked Democratic control of Washington, D.C. As political satirist P.J. O’Rourke had predicted, it was less of an election than “a restraining order.”
Nationally, Republicans regained control of the U.S. House, as expected, but didn’t do quite as well as they had hoped in the Senate, though they still made considerable gains.
In Kansas, the election was bigger for the GOP than November 1994, when Democrats at least retained the state treasurer seat and claimed the insurance commissioner’s job (the latter for Kathleen Sebelius, who’d go on to fortify her party and win two terms as governor). This time, victory was exclusive to the Republicans.
For Gov.-elect Sam Brownback and the GOP lawmakers who lead and dominate the Legislature, the afterglow will give way to the demands of governing according to their tight-fisted principles. With Sebelius and Gov. Mark Parkinson out of office and a more conservative GOP majority in the Kansas House, Republicans will have much to do and no one to blame.
The Wichita City Council deferred until December whether to require businesses in “community improvement districts” to post signs informing patrons that they charge higher sales-tax rates. City staff has advised against the signs, saying that developers oppose them because they will make it harder to attract tenant retailers and will deter sales and “defeat the purpose.” But as our 
Here is hoping that Sunday’s annual Wichita Toy Run will be another huge success and that all of the 3,000-plus motorcyclists expected to participate will be safe. There is Follow us
