Kobach on a roll, Taff adopts anti-gay position in advance of primary (KA-02)

Political State Report ^ | July 8, 2004 | Mike Silverman

[AuH2ORepublican]

KS: Kobach on a roll, Taff adopts anti-gay position in advance of primary

Adam Taff, a former fighter pilot, and Kris Kobach, a law professor are the two leading Republican candidates fighting it out to see who gets to advance to take on incumbent Democrat Dennis Moore in Kansas' 2nd District. Taff, who ran against Moore in 2002 and narrowly lost was expected to coast to the nomination, but has run into Kris Kobach, who is running as a "pure" conservative and emphasizing social issues. Taff, who has always positioned himself as a moderate, recently got creamed in a straw poll, which was the first public indication of how the race is going. Kobach has made the centerpiece of his campaign his strong opposition to same-sex marriage and has been attacking Taff several recent District-wide mailings for being against amending the federal Constitution on that issue.

Well, Taff has read the tea leaves and today he came out with a shiny new anti-gay position on same-sex marriage in order to try to neutralize the issue. This is a sign of desperation on the part of Taff, as he has always been proud of being a "moderate" and is unlikely to pick up any conservative voters. In addition to flipping on marriage, Taff has also been trying to soft-pedal his pro-choice views on abortion in recent weeks.

Kobach clearly has the momentum and energy in this race, and has solidly spooked the Taff campaign with the straw poll showing and the relentless marriage attacks. The primary is on August 3rd, and I expect a solid win by Kobach.

[California Patriot]

I think the "leadership" of the party has become hostage to gender thinking, racial thinking, etc.

Kobach sounds like the most qualified candidate. It is essential to have more Republicans in Congress with really strong educational backgrounds. While a liberal who went to Harvard, Yale, etc., isn't necessarily well-educated, they are likely to be very smart and articulate. A conservative with those credentials will be both of those things, and well educated, because he/she has had to digest the left's theories. Only such people are likely to effectively refute them.

[California Patriot]

President Bush being, apparently, a sad exception to my generalization about Ivy League grads.

[GarySpFc]

"Doesn't matter when she entered. If Kobach is the one with the greater likelihood of winning, Lightner is the spoiler."

I have been a Republican committeeman in the Third District for ten years, and I don't see any way Lightner can win. I am very active in party, well known, and I haven't even met her. She is not very well known. Kobach on the other hand has the smarts, personality and charisma to pull off an upset of Moore.

My 89 year old father is a yellow dog Democrat, and we cannot discuss politics without getting into a hot argument. He has never voted for a Republican in his life, and wouldn't consider it. Was I ever shocked to stop by his house one day and see a Republican sign in the front yard. It belonged to Kris Kobach, and Dad let me know what a nice man Kris was to him.

[GarySpFc]

"I know Kobach, who is a conservative across the board and has a dream résumé (native Kansan, star athlete, Harvard undergrad, Rhodes Scholar, Yale law, law prof, worked in Ashcroft's Justice Department handling national security issues) and I can GUARANTEE you he'd win the general election."

Kobach is also a graduate of Oxford.

[bot_feeder]

I haven't seen much in this thread about Kobach's leadership on immigration reform.

That is an increasingly important issue, as the American people are hit harder and harder by the negative economic and environmental effects of the current de-facto "open borders" policy.

And I happen to be a moderate Republican. I haven't looked into detail at Taff's record, but I suspect I agree more with Taff than Kobach on just about every issue except immigration.

But I am a single issue voter, and immigration is that issue. (you can probably guess, I live in California) I strongly support Kobach.

What this shows is- just because Kobach is a staunch conservative doesn't mean he won't have broader voter appeal. In fact, polls consistently show that most Democrats agree with the sort of immigration proposals that Kobach advocates, not those of Taff and his ilk.

Plus, Taff has been playing the character assassination card on immigration lately- the same old broken record about Pioneer Fund and that crap. Same thing the Sierra Club Gestapo, Wall Street Journal Jackbooted Editorialists, and Congressman Chris Cannon have been trying to play.

To me, anyone who campaigns in the gutter like that deserves to lose regardless of any other consideration.

Also, I have read articles in the media that indicate that Taff is an intellectual lightweight. That's certainly not something one could say about Kobach.

[GarySpFc]

Firstly, Kobach is VERY STRONG on the immigration issue. He was in charge of the immigration division under Ashcroft, but disagrees with the administration on the need to stop at the border and deport illegals. Taff supports tuition for illegal students.

Secondly, Kobach is against Gays marrying, Taff is not.

Thirdly, Kobach is a graduate of Princeton, Harvard, and Oxford. He is a top scholar and athlete. While it is a little early to be making this statement, I think Kobach will eventually be one of the top leaders in the Republican Party. Taff is a lightweight. The liberals know they are in big trouble.

Lightner is running a very distant third with 4%. The lady needs to pull out.

[blakeinks]

for 1..the original piece is wrong..it's the 3rd district..not the 2nd. The 2nd is Jim Ryan against Nancy Boyda.

I'm in a Congress class right now so we are studying this Kobach race. This 3rd district is one of the only districts that really can change hands. Only a handful or districts are in play normally...Incumbants normally win their seat back. Kobach is an unapologetic conservative. Moore is a liberal who has made him self look moderate for this district. I met Kobach. I know the guy, he's the best candidate.

What you have to understand about this district is ...it's not only Kansas City, Overland Park...it uncludes some of Lawrence and the a lot of the kids I goto school with at KU. Therefore giving Moore like 95% of KU and most of the Lawrence vote. It's sick. When Kobach came to our class he had to walk through garbage everywhere saying "Kobach is a nazi" "Kobach kills puppies" "Kobach wants you dead" "Kobach teaches at MU"....when Moore came...this dude could have raped someone on campus and still would get 90% of the KU vote..it's amazing. Anyway..just a little insight.