As goes Kansas, so goes the nation?
That's the hope of the Kansas Republican Party, which is seeing a purge of moderates from its ranks as Tea Party-affiliated candidates rise to prominence. In recent GOP primaries in the state, eight moderate Republicans lost their seats -- including Senate President Steve Morris -- who blamed their losses to outside conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity, which has close ties to the right-wing billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch.
Kansas Republicans said Thursday that they hoped their state's right-wing shift would serve as a template for the rest of the nation.
“We all gather up in Washington and say, 'Why not us too? Why can't we do this? Why can't we behave the way that Wisconsin is behaving, the way Gov. (Bobby) Jindal is doing in Louisiana, the way Gov. (Sam) Brownback and Lt. Gov. Colyer are trying to do here in Kansas?'” Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas) told the Associated Press.
Kansas Democrats, aligning themselves more with centrists, have portrayed the Republican shift as a radical departure from the GOP's more moderate past.
“Today the face of the Republican party is more anti-public school, more anti-worker, more anti-woman and more anti-middle class than ever before,” Rep. Paul Davis, the Kansas House Democratic leader, told the AP. “This is no longer the party of Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole, Bill Graves and Nancy Kassebaum.”
10 more election stories from beyond the presidential field:
Bill Young faces first GOP opponents in 42 years [Tampa Bay Times]
3 former McCotter congressional aides arraigned on election fraud charges [Detroit Free Press]
Congressional races heat up [Vindy]
McLeod out, Allen in District 12 runoff after recount [The Augusta Chronicle]
5 Missouri primary races appear eligible for recount [AP]
New pro-gay congressman could emerge in Md. [Washington Blade]
Davis eyes Virginia lieutenant governor run [Washington Times]
Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s Arizona Boycott may give election to formidable Latina Democratic Candidate Amanda Aguirre [Tuscon Citizen]
Florida District 19 congressional hopefuls Aubuchon, Kreegel stand on records [News Press]
Equipment test prepares for election runoff [Columbia County News Times]
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The Huffington Post | By Greg Rosalsky Posted: 08/10/2012 5:28 pm Updated: 08/10/2012 7:38 pm