Posted on 08/02/2006 12:18:20 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Now comes the hard part.
Jim Barnett comes off his impressive win in Tuesday’s GOP primary for Kansas governor with only one person separating him from the governor’s office — incumbent Kathleen Sebelius armed with a $2 million war chest and robust poll numbers.
Acknowledging the tough task ahead, the state senator from Emporia pledged to move aggressively to challenge Sebelius on what he called her lack of leadership. That, he said, is Sebelius’ defining fault.
With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Barnett had 36 percent to 27 percent for Ken Canfield, the Overland Park political newcomer who finished a somewhat surprising second.
Former House Speaker Robin Jennison of Healy had 22 percent. Four other candidates were far behind.
Barnett, a conservative, was the only candidate to make a significant television-ad buy, and it paid off with a strong showing in the more heavily populated eastern half of Kansas.
“Kansans need a leader who will do more than say take two aspirin and call when I’m president,” he said in Overland Park.
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
This is not just another Gubenatorial election in flyover country. This is the beginning of Kathleen Selebius for Senate, either in 2008 (if Pat Roberts retires) or 2010 (when Sam Brownback will definitely retire).
Conservatives should not risk another Byron Dorgan, Kent Conrad, or Tim Johnson in America's future. It's vitally important for Kansas conservatives to make Jim Barnett's election a top priority.
Kansas freepers need to rally to this and get Sebelius out of that seat.
At the very least, they need to hold her victory margin to far less than expected. That alone would take some wind out of her sails.
He is also very much admired by his fellow doctors around the State of KS.
He has an attractive family (wife and 4 children) and a warm, friendly human being - long way from Ms. Sebelius (carpet bagger from OH.)
That's great to know. Hopefully, you have a Jim Barnett sign in your yard and bumper magnet on your car.
Sebelius is seriously mentioned as a possible candidate for president or vice president in '08 since she is a Democrat who can win in a Bush state. Like Warner and Bayh she will be cast as a moderate by the press even if she isn't one.
Great point. Another reason for Kansas Freepers and conservatives to make Jim Barnett's campaign a priority.
Pretty sad that Kansans always send strong conservatives to Congress and vote Republican for president but prefer "moderates" for governor. Even a large number of the GOP majority in the state legislature is considered moderate, correct? I am not from there so I depend on FR and other sources for info.
I have mistrusted Sebelius since she ran as a death penalty opponent even as the trial of those slimes in the "Wichita horror" rape/killings was going on. I would have thought that alone might have gotten her defeated in '02 but no such luck.
I agree with you. Are Kansas Republicans finally united, or does the civil war drag on?
"...long way from Ms. Sebelius (carpet bagger from OH.)"
She is the daughter of the infamous John Gilligan-RATgovernor of Ohio. We have him to thank for instituting the state income tax (for the children, doncha know). She's just another RAT/lib/socialist/NAG HAG ala Hillary.
I have no real beef with Barnett, and will surely support and vote for him in the election, but I was really hoping we could get something other than a career politician for Governor.
Jim Barnett is a pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-intelligent design conservative with a mild, non-confrontational personality. And the Republican primary was mostly cordial. As a result, he was able to win the primary without angering any large portion of the GOP base. In fact, the very next day, the losing candidates rallied around his candidacy.
So while the GOP divisions remain, they don't effect Barnett's candidacy. His main problem is that he's not well-known and badly in need of campaign contributions, in contrast to Kathleen Selebius.
I agree the Guv could be very difficult to dislodge from the Senate, if she could get there.
Heads up to KS freepers, if your judicial area doesn't yet have the right for judges to actually run for office, please sign the petitions going around in those 52 areas. We are told by liberal elites that "that the appointment process is non-partisan" implying that elections, where you can actually look at a potential candidates record, then hold his/her promises against them at election time, is somehow unseeemly and demeaning.
Trust me, after looking at the appointment process, who is on those committees and how truly backroom good ole boy politics this process is, makes me ill.
In my area, Paul Morrisson, Jo Co AG is head of the appointment committee (he should NEVER be in the position of selecting judges for whom he will try cases) appoints people who donate sums of $$$ toward politicians with whom he has a relationship!
He has changed his party from RINO Republican to democRAT to challenge the current KS AG Phill Kline.
Phill needs all the help ($$$ and votes in Nov) he can muster, as Paul Morrisson is heavily funded from every trial lawyer in the country.
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