Kansas House seat's runner-up tries again in suburban district (KS-3)

The Hill ^ | 5/28/03 | Peter Savodnik

[LdSentinal]

Everyone agrees that Adam Taff is a contender. The Kansas Republican has $150,000-plus in the bank, name recognition and a firm grip.

The big question facing the 6-foot-3 college-football star turned Navy fighter pilot is whether Republicans in Washington will help him defeat Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore, who narrowly beat Taff last year to hold onto his 3rd District seat in the Kansas City suburbs.

Last time, as Taff and his political consultant, Joseph Gaylord, see it, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) dropped the ball by not responding to Democratic television ads. "They were solidly in the mindset that we're going to protect incumbents at any cost," Gaylord said of the NRCC. "We got drowned from the first of October to the 15th." In the end, Taff lost by about 7,200 votes out of 220,000 cast.

Rep. Tom Reynolds of New York, the new NRCC chairman, isn't making any promises for the 2004 contest, which could come down to a rematch if Taff can hold off any primary challenges.

"Adam Taff is a great candidate and did a fine job," Reynolds said in an interview. Recalling the last election cycle, he added: "We had four dozen seats in play, and the committee invested as they saw it. Is Kansas-3 on our radar signal? Yes it is."

Reynolds added that Taff has work to do if he wants to knock off Moore, a former prosecutor who opposed last week's $350 billion tax cut but supported the 2001 cut.

"You can't just be a veteran," Reynolds said of Taff, who flew F/A-18s and other jets over southern Iraq, Bosnia and Somalia before retiring in 1999 and taking a job with United Airlines.

Reynolds also left open the possibility that he might get involved in the GOP primary. "Never say never," he said. Reynolds' predecessor, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), endorsed Jeff Colyer, a plastic surgeon whom Taff ultimately beat.

Taff, whom Gaylord described as "a little more moderate on the pro-life issue," could face a more conservative primary opponent. State Rep. Patricia Lightner, for one, said she is "checking things out." She said she has consistently opposed abortion while in the state House, representing the 29th District.

Taff sounds unconcerned about a primary challenge -- or, for that matter, about Moore. "I started in January [2002] with two nickels to rub together," said Taff, who attended last week's GOP fundraiser at the Washington Convention Center.

Now, Taff said, "we have a much more solid foundation."

He added, "Dennis Moore is an anomaly in that district as a Democrat." Moore is the only Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation.

The congressman, 57, portrayed the 38-year-old Taff as a neophyte and an opportunist. And he dismissed Taff's contention that a Democrat can't represent the 3rd District. Moore said that when he first ran in 1998 he told voters, "Take me for a two-year test drive, and if you don’t like me, terminate the lease."

[Dan from Michigan]

Moore's a gun grabbing POS.

[fieldmarshaldj]

If Taff could only become anti-abortion... It will be interesting to see if he gets the nomination again without a challenge. Taff was the candidate of the "moderates" (sic) last time. I love the jaw-dropping comment by Moore about Taff being a neophyte and an opportunist. Gee, Denny, what were YOU in 1998 ? Talk about projection.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"If Taff could only become anti-abortion... "

---

I wouldn't hold my breath. Taff thinks being pro-choice is a "winning issue" and I don't think he'll change his public position even if he has a religious conversion.

I like the idea of running a pro-life woman at Moore. It's about the only thing we haven't tried. And the suburban swing back to the GOP because of national security, especially with Bush on the ballot, would help any Republican candidate. This could be the year we finally get rid of Moore. We would have gotten rid of him in 2002, but the Republicans in the state legislature didn't have the gonads when approving redistricting (Bush got around 53.5% of the vote in the 3rd CD under both the old and the new maps---had they drawn a district where Bush got 55%, Moore would be gone).

[Theodore R.]

Being "pro-choice" is part of a secular religious creed for most boosters of abortion. And, yes, this includes the Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Some had hoped her recent adoption of two infants might have changed her mind, but alas. Kay though is emphatic about a "woman's right to choose." Some think that she may retire in January 2007.

[Coop]

Gee, Denny, what were YOU in 1998 ?

He was an old neophyte. At least Taff has youth on his side. :-)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Well, if we end up having another divisive primary, which looks inevitable, even a pro-life woman may not upend Moore. Personally, I can't really support Taff. Of course, as for redistricting, always remember that the state legislature consists of 3 parties, not 2 (Conservative Republicans; RINO 'Moderate'; 'Rat), and we know how well the first two work together. It's too bad we can't have a shaking-out and send the RINOs to the 'Rats for once and for all, that way we know what we're up against.