Kris Kobachs campaign for the U.S. Senate received a significant boost Monday with the news U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wont be a contender.
Pompeo has kept his cards close to the chest as to whether he would throw his hat in the ring, knowing it was a safe bet hed win the nomination.
Perhaps hes more of an adrenaline junkie than we realized by staying tied to President Donald Trumps bandwagon.
The gubernatorial race of 2018 could be déjà vu all over again for Kansas Republicans in 2020 if Kobach stands as an island of ultra-conservativism among a sea of lesser-thans.
Kobachs advantage in the crowded field is how he so easily carries his notoriety for punitive immigration reform and voter suppression efforts.
In 2018, Kobach beat out seven contenders by standing to the right of the conservatives, giving his ultra-conservative base a plurality.
For moderates, they felt they had no option but to back Democrat Laura Kelly.
THIS TIME around, another seven Republicans have filed for the Senate race. Those that stand a chance are Dave Lindstrom, a former Kansas City Chief who went into real estate and fast-food franchises; 1st District Congressman Roger Marshall of Great Bend, and Susan Wagle, Wichita, president of the Kansas Senate.
Pretty pablum.
It wouldnt surprise us if Derek Schmidt, Kansas Attorney General, is now considering entering the race.
Trouble is, on many issues his record hews closely to that of Kobachs.
In his three terms as attorney general, Schmidt has worked to undermine the Affordable Care Act, fought against adequately funding public education, argued against voter protection measures, and challenged same-sex marriage laws.
Two cases stick out.
First is Schmidts decision in 2018 to sign Kansas onto a multi-state lawsuit arguing that the federal government cannot enforce the Affordable Care Act if no penalty exists.
If the lawsuit had succeeded, the ACA would be void, putting millions of Americans at risk of losing their health insurance.
Remember, its because of the ACA that insurance companies must now provide coverage for those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, heart and lung disease and diabetes.
Also beginning in 2018, Schmidt defended then-Secretary of State Kobachs mishandling of hundreds of Kansas voter records, contending voters have no constitutional right to their data being kept private. The lawsuit against the Crosscheck voting program was filed by the Kansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union after the voting records of 945 Kansans were transferred in an unsecured email to Florida election officials.
