In a state as solidly Republican as Kansas, it’s not unusual to have no Democratic opposition. IN TRUTH, Kansans are not well represented by their elected officials. And perhaps those of us in rural communities know that better than our city counterparts. In small towns we have learned we must all come together to effect change and that divisiveness is our doom. We have learned to sacrifice our egos; that our word means something, and that our allegiance is to God and country, only, and not some special interest.
Once Rep. Kent Thompson secured the 9th District Republican primary nomination, it also garnered him a win in the general election precisely because he faces no further opposition.
That’s not a good thing, but until now, state officials have not mandated candidates face opposition in the general election.
But Thursday’s ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court that Democrat nominee Chad Taylor could withdraw from the U.S. Senate race, prompted Secretary of State Kris Kobach to insist the Democratic Party field another candidate in Taylor’s place.
No matter that incumbent Pat Roberts has an opponent in Greg Orman, who has filed as an independent.
It would be fabulous if more candidates from more political persuasions ran for office in Kansas. We are the land of politically bland: conservative and ultra-conservative Republicans. In the 2012, the ultra-conservatives defeated more than a dozen moderate incumbents in state House and Senate elections further tilting decisions to favor big business and the privatization of Medicaid, with Medicare now on the horizon.
Today, Republicans hold a super-majority in both the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate, both U.S. Senate seats, and all four U.S. House seats.
Only 25 percent of Kansas voters are registered Democrats, yet, perhaps tellingly in the race against Roberts, a full 30 percent of Kansans claim no party affiliation.
The Republican advantage speaks volumes in terms of fundraising.
So far, slightly more than $10.5 million has been raised this election cycle. Of that, no quite $2 million will go to the campaigns of Democrats. More than 75 percent of all campaign donations go to the campaigns of Kansas Republicans.
At this point, it’s too soon to tell how much of that money will translate at the ballot box.
In finance reports on 9th District Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins for the 2012 election, only 2 percent of her almost $2 million campaign donations came from small donations. The majority came from Political Action Groups, including those representing Koch Industries, ExxonMobile, Honeywell, and multiple accounting, banking, and insurance firms.
Jenkins, no doubt, has just as big a campaign chest this time around against Democrat Margie Wakefield, but whether that represents voter support has yet to be determined.
We are to blame for the state of Kansas politics. Fortunately, a democracy is a forgiving beast. We should let it out of the cage.
— Susan Lynn
Everyday Kansans good role model for elected officials
