KC Buzz Blog

Morgan in, Freeman out in Kansas GOP

   New Kansas GOP chair Kris Kobach just confirmed it:

   Ron Freeman is out as state executive director. Taking his place is Christian Morgan.

   Morgan worked on Kobach's 2004 race for Congress and most recently ran Jim Barnett's losing race for governor.

   Freeman, Kobach said, has been offered a different job at the party. No word yet on whether he'll take it. (Freeman could not be reached).

   Ryan Wright of the Kansas Traditional Republican Majority, a moderate group, points out that six of eight new Kansas GOP Executive Board members are officers of the conservative Kansas Republican Assembly, a conservative GOP organization that now rivals the state GOP.

  Wright's bottom line: "The party's fund-raising base is comprised of traditional Republicans, and now that it is clear what direction the party will be heading in under Kobach, these donors are likely to go someplace else."

   Not so, Kobach said. "The staff will continue to include moderate Republicans as well as conservative Republicans, and the KTRM organization has apparently not bothered to check their facts as far as what's actually happening in the Kansas Republican Party."

Posted by Steve Kraske

Barnett: I was victim of criminal activity

   Jim Barnett, the Republican who  lost to Democrat Kathleen Sebelius in last year's race for Kansas governor, said today he was a "victim of criminal activity" during his campaign.

   Barnett, still a state senator from Emporia, would not say what the activity was, although he reported it to Emporia police.

   "I do know," he said about the type of crime, "but I can't disclose that. I do not want to compromise the integrity of the investigation."

   Barnett wouldn't comment further, and a spokesman for Emporia police could not be reached.

   "The timeline is entirely up to them," Barnett said.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Alicia, Audrey...whatever

   TOPEKA -- Outgoing GOP chairman Tim Shallenburger had one of those moments Saturday.

   In introducing national committeewoman Alicia Salibury, Shallenburger mixed her up with former state Sen. Audrey Langworthy, a Prairie Village Republican.

   In fairness to Tim, there is a passing resemblance.

   Shallenburger, a former House speaker, quickly corrected himself, but then blurted out, "Audrey Langworthy used to be a pain in my #@$."

   No word yet from Audrey, who was not in attendance.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Ryun wants to run again, could face Jenkins

   TOPEKA -- Jim Ryun wants his U.S. House seat back.

   But if he wants it, he may have to go through two-term state treasurer Lynn Jenkins to get it.

   Ryun spent part of his weekend telling Republicans he wants to get back in office. Democrat Nancy Boyda pulled off a huge upset in November when she knocked off the track legend in the state's 2nd District.

   But Ryun may not have an easy ride to the nomination because Jenkins made it clear she's being pushed hard to run herself.

   Asked about the possibility of running against Ryun, Jenkins didn't hesitate:

    "I think I will leave my options open," she said.

   Jenkins is seen as a formidable stump speaker and has a reputation of running -- this is her word -- "tenacious" campaigns.

   Oh, two-term U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts kicked off his re-election campaign on Saturday. No surprise there. He doesn't have a Democratic opponent yet, but he does have a website.

   Roberts, 70, said he was fired up, and he acted like it, too, even though he was virtually unchallenged in 2002. No doubt the GOP performance in 2006 has  something to do with it.

Posted by Steve Kraske 

Kobach pledges to go full-tilt

   TOPEKA -- Kris Kobach took the reins of the Kansas Republican Party Saturday pledging to run an aggressive, pedal-to-the-medal "lean, mean election machine."

   Kobach of Kansas City, Kan., won on the second ballot over state Sen. Tim Huelskamp of Fowler by 109-65.

   He may have won it with a highly praised stump speech shortly before the state party vote. In that speech, the UMKC law professor was blunt:

   "If there's no drastic action to overhaul this party we will be killed again in 2008," said Kobach, 40.

    He said the party office would operate like a campaign that's "always going and never stops."

    He said his own defeat for Congress in 2004 at the hands of Democrat Dennis Moore was an example of a race lost because "the Kansas Republican Party didn't show up."

   Kobach said one big goal would be to make Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' life miserable following the 2008 election. The party needs to win six seats to make  GOP legislation passed in Topeka veto-proof.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Barnett campaign "victim of apparent criminal activity"

    Former Kansas gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Jim Barnett has announced he's asking Emporia police to investigate "activities in which he and his campaign were apparent victims."

   In a statement light on details, Barnett said only that "Both the campaign and I, as an individual, have been the victim of apparent criminal activity."

   The statement went on to say "To protect the integrity and security of the investigation, no additional information is available for release at this time."

   Barnett, an Emporia Republican, lost to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in November.

   We'll post more when we know more.

Posted by David Klepper

Kobach to seek top GOP job in Kansas

    Kris Kobach, a law professor and former candidate for the U.S. House, has tossed his hat in the ring again.

   He sent an e-mail Thursday to Kansas conservatives stating he was officially in the race for chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. Former House Speaker Tim Shallenburger is leaving that job after the party suffered some major losses in the November election.

   "The Kansas Republican Party needs an overhaul," Kobach's e-mail began.

   Kobach ran unsuccessfully in 2004 against Democratic U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore in the state's 3rd Congressional District. Kobach is a former Overland Park councilman.

   "I will build a sizeable war chest with my proven fundraising ability, develop a statewide voter database, reinvigorate our ground game with an extensive GOTV program and will insure that Republicans support Republicans," he said.

Posted by Jim Sullinger

Meneilly to switch parties

  The list of Kansas Republicans bailing out of the GOP and going Democratic is growing.

   Today, Dr. Bob Meneilly, pastor emeritus of Village Presbyterian Church and chairman emeritus of the moderate Mainstream Coalition, said he was joining their ranks.

   Meineilly said he had been contemplating a switch for several years. Last week's election of Phill Kline as Johnson County D.A. pushed him over the edge:

   "The way they did it was kind of a slap in the face to the community," he said.

   Meneilly said he has the application at home and planned to mail it this week. His wife is switching, too.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Lessons learned for Kansas GOP

   Ron Freeman, executive director of the Kansas GOP, recently outlined what Republicans learned from the November election.

   He did it in a post on the Kansas GOP website.

   We'll make it easy for you. Here's what he wrote:

1. Even in a good year for Democrats, the three top vote getters in Kansas were Republicans. (See Sandy Praeger, Lynn Jenkins and Ron Thornburgh).

2. Democrats have to run on Republican principles to win. (See M&E tax cut, Jessica's Law, and "balance the budget without a tax increase").

3. Thirteen million dollars (approximate amount spent by Democrats) can't buy a majority in the legislature.

4. When Republicans don't vote Republican, the state will make a left turn. (wait, you'll see.)

5. Party switchers sometimes win.

6. Sebelius wants to defeat moderate and conservative Republicans.

7. Democrats have no plan. (see Congress and War on Terror)

8. The media does not have a liberal bias. The media is the liberal bias.

9. A law enforcement official, endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the State Troopers Association and 89 Sheriffs can be called unqualified by the liberal bias.

What do you think?

Posted by Steve Kraske

Shallenburger out as Kansas GOP chair

   Kansas GOP chairman Tim Shallenburger said today he won't seek re-election in January to the post.

   "I'm finished with politics," the former state treasurer, House speaker, state lawmaker and 2002 nominee for governor said.

   And yep, it's been a frustrating two years.

   The purpose of the state party is to elect Republicans to office, he said. But too many Republicans -- read: conservatives -- want the party to stand on principle, even if that means defeat after defeat at the ballot box.

   "That is the problem," the 52-year-old Baxter Springs banker said in an interview today. "That is the absolute essence of it."

   Shallenburger joins a growing list of GOP chairmen who left the job discouraged and, in some cases, disillusioned.

   The November election was devastating for Kansas Republicans. The party saw two of its former members -- Mark Parkinson and Paul Morrison -- win statewide office. And Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius won an easy re-election.

   "To win elections, you have to grab the middle," Shallenburger said. "I don't think we did a good job of doing that this year in Kansas or nationally. And, of course, the war hurt us."

Posted by Steve Kraske