In Kansas, 9 former Republicans run as Democrats

[almaty 19]

MISSION, Kansas (Reuters)- Former Kansas legislator David Adkins may be a self-described "washed-up white male Republican politician," but come election night he and many others in the longtime Republican stronghold state of Kansas are placing their hopes, and votes, on Democrats.

A mini-rebellion is under way in an American Heartland state so historically unswingable that neither national party typically spends much time or energy stumping for candidates.

But this year President George W. Bush, the country's leading Republican, is making a last-minute campaign stop in Kansas, where at least nine candidates running on the November 7 ballot are Republicans-turned-Democrats. They include a veteran county prosecutor seeking to unseat the Republican attorney general and a former state Republican Party chairman running as the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

A cross-section of Democrats, moderate Republicans and independents are backing the party-switchers, saying a Republican obsession with expanded government and deficit spending, along with divisive social issues like abortion and gay marriage, has marred efforts to limit government, boost spending on education and ensure fiscal responsibility.

"The Republican Party got focused on some issues that really have nothing to do with people's daily lives ... I just could not continue to work with the conservative Republicans that were running the state party," said Mark Parkinson, candidate for lieutenant governor.

If these nascent Democrats win on election night, will Kansas become a bellwether for shifting sentiments across America and encourage more cross-over candidates and voters in 2008?

Democrats hoping to seize control of both houses of Congress have been heartened by polls showing widespread voter discontent with the direction of the country under the Bush administration and the Republican-led U.S. Congress.

"What is playing out here in Kansas is that national discussion about whether the issues of abortion and evolution ... those type of social issues, are really what voters want to define the public square right now," said Bob Beatty, professor of political science at Washburn University in Topeka.

A SHIFT?

Republican faithful discount the significance of the shifted loyalties as opportunistic political maneuvering.

They say the state remains solidly Republican as it has for decades. Since 1939, Kansas has sent only Republicans to the U.S. Senate. Dennis Moore, a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, is the lone Kansas Democrat in Congress.

"Their premise is flawed," said Kansas Republican Party Executive Director Ron Freeman.

He predicted Republicans would notch significant victories in Tuesday's midterm elections, including gaining seats in the state legislature where Republicans hold solid majorities.

To help shore up support for his party, Bush is scheduled to appear at a rally in the state capital Topeka on Sunday. The visit to Kansas, typically considered a GOP safe haven, would follow one by Vice President ####### Cheney in October.

The division in Kansas has been brewing for at least the last seven years after the state gained international attention for the state board of education's efforts to limit teaching about evolution in public schools. Conservative Christian board members who say evolution conflicts with Biblical values, held a mock trial to debate the validity of evolution last year.

Another factor driving Republicans away has been what some call "extremist" moves by the Republican Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline to subpoena medical records of women who have had abortions, force healthcare providers to report sexual activities of girls under 16, and encourage the anti-evolution actions of the board of education.

Kline is locked in a too-close-to-call race with Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison, who was recruited to switch parties by Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Morrison and Sebelius were among more than 200 Republicans, Democrats and independents who last month gathered to cheer progress in what they see as a movement toward a political middle ground.

"This is a real groundswell," said Boo Tyson, a registered Republican and executive director of a 12-year-old nonpartisan organization called Mainstream Coalition

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

theyve seen the light!

can i get an amen?

Daniel

:energetic:

[Alex+R 0]

So if this happens all over the country, the Democrats will really be Republicans, the Republicans will be the power-obsessed windbag xenophobic morons that currently make up the party, and I will vote for....who again?

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

So if this happens all over the country, the Democrats will really be Republicans, the Republicans will be the power-obsessed windbag xenophobic morons that currently make up the party, and I will vote for....who again?

by george, i think you are on to something!

excellent catch sister.

*ponders about this*

Daniel

:energetic:

[Saddle Bronc 124]

theyve seen the light!

can i get an amen?

Daniel

:energetic:

To burst your bubble, maybe they just copied desis (mostly Congress Party is notorious for splitting/switching, but other parties not immune).

Only flaw in that is that they (yanks) have less options for switching.

[Ban Hammer 13,335]

hate to disappoint all of you, but if the ones i vote for win.......it will be republican - only exception might be sebelius but i'm still kinda peeved at her for vetoing the cch law.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

hate to disappoint all of you, but if the ones i vote for win.......it will be republican - only exception might be sebelius but i'm still kinda peeved at her for vetoing the cch law.

now there is a shock.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 13,335]

hate to disappoint all of you, but if the ones i vote for win.......it will be republican - only exception might be sebelius but i'm still kinda peeved at her for vetoing the cch law.

now there is a shock.

Daniel

:energetic:

[almaty 19]

theyve seen the light!

can i get an amen?

Daniel

:energetic:

amen brother

[GaryC 7]

Thats the only way a dem can win. Pretend to be republican!!

[Marc and Olga 0]

Thats the only way a dem can win. Pretend to be republican!!

Hmmm not sure I understand you correctly, the story is about REPUBLICANS pretending to be Democrats...

All I can say is...Oh NO....I'm NOT going to say this

"I don't think I'm in Kansas any more!"

UGH...I just did!

Side note, Having lived in Kansas the first half of my life and Arizona the second half (well almost), both republican run states...there is a difference, perhaps though it is only because Tucson is SOOOOO much bigger then Manhattan!

EGADS look who was in Manhattan not too long ago ... Hyptnofrog say watch this!

Admit it Charles, you were there!

[Ban Hammer 13,335]

Thats the only way a dem can win. Pretend to be republican!!

Hmmm not sure I understand you correctly, the story is about REPUBLICANS pretending to be Democrats...

All I can say is...Oh NO....I'm NOT going to say this

"I don't think I'm in Kansas any more!"

UGH...I just did!

Side note, Having lived in Kansas the first half of my life and Arizona the second half (well almost), both republican run states...there is a difference, perhaps though it is only because Tucson is SOOOOO much bigger then Manhattan!

EGADS look who was in Manhattan not too long ago ... Hyptnofrog say watch this!

Admit it Charles, you were there!

never been to manhattan

[Marc and Olga 0]

Thats the only way a dem can win. Pretend to be republican!!

Hmmm not sure I understand you correctly, the story is about REPUBLICANS pretending to be Democrats...

All I can say is...Oh NO....I'm NOT going to say this

"I don't think I'm in Kansas any more!"

UGH...I just did!

Side note, Having lived in Kansas the first half of my life and Arizona the second half (well almost), both republican run states...there is a difference, perhaps though it is only because Tucson is SOOOOO much bigger then Manhattan!

EGADS look who was in Manhattan not too long ago ... Hyptnofrog say watch this!

Admit it Charles, you were there!

never been to manhattan

you should go, nice town, it has grown a lot since I lived there! Visit the mall...ah the memories...my prom was in the (then) new mall.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

hate to disappoint all of you, but if the ones i vote for win.......it will be republican

I would have never guessed...

[Heracles 417]

theyve seen the light!

can i get an amen?

Daniel

:energetic:

yeah, the light of the Dark side..