As Kansas Republicans and delegates from across the state prepare for Minnesota, talk of some horsetrading has already begun. Tomorrow morning, at the bone crack of dawn, two Kansas GOP buses will depart for Edina, Minnesota- one from Wichita and one from Kansas City.
Talk of the future of the Kansas GOP is already stirring, and many are curious to see who will be elected chairman in a few months.
Will Kansas Republicans stick with Kobach, despite his poor performance on the the only quanitfyable measurement of a Chairman: total money raised, or will Kansans hand Phill Kline an olive branch in the wake of his primary defeat against Steve Howe? Other sources are allegeding that Tiahrt is pushing Jim Ryun to run for the position and there has also been some buzz around Pompeo. But the race is still wide open and we're all looking forward to the campaign pitches at morning breakfasts at the Westin. We'll try to keep you posted, and you should certainly do the same.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
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48 comments:
Can we bring Bob Dole back?
I will quit the party if Phill Kline is elected chairman.
Does it really matter who the chair is?
Ironically the last decent party chair was Mark Parkinson.
People will run from the party if we nominate a loser like Ryun or Kline. They'll also run if we nominate a radical moron like Ryun or Kline.
Pompeo isn't respected amongst party activists. He hasn't proven himself to be very helpful in campaigns or fundraising. They think that he's a nice guy, but probably not experienced enough in politics to be party chair. Former Moran staffer and state senate candidate Danny Rasure works for Pompeo. Danny would probably like to be ED. He's the only one really pushing Pompeo for party chair.
Kline has legions of former staffers who now can't find jobs. They see the state party as a place to draw a paycheck for a couple of years. Kline would actually be a better (albeit more controversial) chair than Kobach. Kobach is lazy. Kline isn't. Kline would make it a full time job and he'd be aggressive about grassroots organization and fundraising. The problem, of course, is that Kline is Kline. He'd push away the last of the moderates. For many on the state committee, that's probably okay. Kline would also expect for this to be a lucrative job. He'd expect a sizable paycheck ... although he's a capable fundraiser who could probably make cash flow.
The talk about Ryun comes from the twins and DC staffers. Tiahrt and Brownback and Moran are probably all looking at statewide races in 2010. Putting Ryun in state party gives something for him to do ... so they know he won't be considered statewide primary candidate. Also, Ryun is perfectly acceptable to the conservatives and they would much rather have Ryun than somebody polarizing like Kline or Kobach. The Ryun twins like the idea of having the state party because they're furious with KTRM over of the 2nd district primary. They're interested in getting even.
Other names that have been mentioned are Doug Mays and Carlos Mayans. Both are just basically guys looking to get back in game. There's also David Kensinger and Alan Cobb ... but they'd have to give up their own PACs to go to state party. And, there's also people talking about Nick Jordan, assuming that there's no way in hell he'll make it to Congress.
The state party spot is usually a career ender. Just ask Dennis Jones or Stan Poor or Tim Shallenburger or Ron Freeman. You end up making more enemies than friends. However, the next party chair will preside over open Gov seat and open US Senate seat. The next chair (unlike the last three or four chairs) could actually be pretty influential in some key races. For the first time in more than a decade, the state party might be important.
Tiahrt's people want Matt Schlapp to run for state party chair.
you cannot dismiss idea of kline. he's the ultimate political survivor. the state committee still likes him. kline is an excellent organizer, campaigner and fundraiser. kline is good at everything that the current state party is unable to do well. of course kline would be controversial, but he'd also be combative. the state committee wants somebody who is actually going to go after sebelius, boyda and moore. kline would take off the gloves.
Kline will be the next state party chairman. The state committee knows that he's unpopular and polarizing. But, they simply don't care. Shallenburger infuriated conservatives by cozying up to mods. Kobach had a grudge with Cloud, and he was expected to do battle with the liberal Republicans. However, KTRM only became stronger. The state committee is upset that people like Jenkins slipped through primaries. They want a state party chairman who is going to govern the party for conservatives. Kline is the right guy for that job.
The state committe is interested in ideological warfare. They could care less about party unity. About six or eight years ago, when Scott Poor ran state party, the mods completely ignored party rules and state law and tried to purge prolife people by trying to open primaries. Since then the conservatives stopped believing in party unity. For them, it's all or nothing. They want nothing less than to drive every moderate out of the Republican Party.
To the state committee, the most important thing that a party chairman can do is get rid of pro-choice Republicans. For that job, Kline is absolutely the right man.
Kline can't be state party chairman unless it becomes a paid position. Other states have chairman/ED positions combined so they pay as full time job. Kline would ask for a big salary.
Matt Schlapp lives in Virgina.
Kinda tough to run for State party chair from Mt. Vernon.
I agree though, that someone like Schlapp would be good.
I think being State GOP Chair is a losing proposition until we have a Republican Governor.
This notion that Kline would raise tons of money if he was party chair has got to be the kool aid talking. And Ryun as chair!?!?!?
I didn't think the KRA folks smoked weed, but after these posts....JEEEESHHHH!!!!
Yeah, the dumbest series of posts ever. Kline as party chair? First, he can't afford it, second he's now been rejected overwhelmingly by voters and finally pro-life groups that have money have no interest in the party. Ryun? Another loser. Smart and ambitious pols run away from losers quickly. New chairman isn't selected until January so none of this matters. If McCain wins, his people run things and that means Brownback and Cloud as the odd couple. State party will defer to their wishes or national goes around them and gives them no money. Kobach's only hope was Romney as VP so he's looking elsewhere like Kline.
Kline won't go away. He'll absolutely run for state party chairman. Even if McCain wins, the state committee could care less about what the RNC wants. Kline still has the grassroots. They'd look at this as a way to stick it to the moderates and KTRM.
Well, RNC still controls money and plum assignments and Kobach's selection sure stuck it to the mods. Kline needs a job; this is all just silly posting from his groupies.
Kline is the best communicator in the Kansas Republican Party. He's also strong at organizing and fundraising. He'll do an excellent job as party chairman.
You gotta love the remains of the Kline-crazies posting here. Kline could care less about the party; he will soon be gone elsewhere for a paid gig. Brownback wants to run for gov; last thing he wants is Kline around anywhere. He's trying to build some bridges with mods. If the Kline wing of the KRA wants to continue their party purge they will do it all alone. Brownback, Tihart and others want someone as party chair who can deal with mods and conservatives, like Pompeo. Remember our convention delegates are Huckabee poeple; they are already irrelevant there and here.
Kobach/Kinzer for Gov/Lt Gv and Kline for Party Chair. We will call it the KKK. The three can control the Loyalty Committee, it will be great. The only thing missing now is the white sheets and some role for Huelskamp and Hodge to play in all the festivities.
The only way to make sure Kline runs (and likely wins) is to state 'There's absolutely no way Phill Kline will run for State Party Chairman!'
In his favor, he already has a house in Topeka.
Not in his favor, there are only 3 or 4 bridges left in Kansas he hasn't burned.
Which past Executive Directors would support him? Shallenburger might have been the only one until someone reminded Tim about BioCore in the mid-1990s.
There are many KRA folks who would oppose Kline.
After all, many KRA folks supported Howe in the DA primary.
The KRA controls state party. The people who would oppose Kline as state party chair are now part of KTRM. They cannot vote against Kline because they don't belong to state committee. Sure, Brownback and Tiahrt would oppose the idea but they don't really matter. They wanted Pompeo for chairman last time. I'd say that the chairmanship belongs to Kline if he wants it. Of course, he might not want it. He'd probably rather take a high paying job with a law firm. However, all these liberal Republicans posting here saying that there's no way Kline can do it only fan the flames. Kline's people run the state committee and they'll pick him if they want. To the victor belong the spoils.
Kline is the ultimate political survivor. He keeps coming back because he represents something in Kansas. He's a real conservative who isn't willing to be pushed around. Kline isn't afraid to challenge the establishment. Kansas conservatives like his courage. As party chair, the conservatives will finally get somebody who isn't ashamed to be a Christian. They get somebody who is going to start fighting back.
That's the problem. It's a political party not a religion. Who actually cares about Phill Kline anymore. He's yesterday's news no matter what he does. Politicians run from losers; all he has left are a small band of true believers and they've been marginilized except in their own minds or in the case of some posters here.
who cares that he is a Christian? Screw him and his religion. The party shouldn't pander to Phill Kline because he is reverent towards Jesus. I'm Jewish and a Republican. Does that mean I shouldn't be in the party? Should Phill not represent me because we don't share the same religious beliefs? Do you see how effing stupid you are?
We need a party chairman who will purge the ideologues from the party. No more radical righties and no more crazy liberal mods. We are Republicans and need to vote Republican. Enough with the polarizing nonsense.
Kline can't get a high paying job at a law firm, who would hire a four-time political loser (2nd District Congressional seat, 3rd District Congressional seat, AG, and DA) with absolutely no courtroom experience. He can take his martyr complex and go sweep floors at Liberty University.
And for the person that reminded us all of BioCore, I say, awesome. I thought that was all just a distant memory.
David Miller isn't a committed Christian? Steve Abrams isn't a committed Christian? I'm sure they would like to know that.
They are Christians who should be committed.
why do we have to be the religious party? We can't just be the better governance party?
I don't know. Have to check with God first. Only Phill and his band of loonies talk directly to God. They'll let us know what she wants.
Ahem, it is Anne Ryun who talks directly to God, not Phil, he still talks to God through messenger pigeons.
Kobach is planning to run again. And given the fact that pretty much the same group of people will be on the state committee....initially you would think it would be a cakewalk for him. However the base of people he relied on two years ago won't be there....in fact they are out looking for someone new. Unless Kobach and his staff really pull out a surprise and get in the game in the next two months they will drop them like a hot potato. People should look to what KRA did with Van Etten....they finally picked someone of their own....if they go with someone besides Kobach it will be one of their own. KRA's leadership has given up on the party being a vehicle to raise money with and all they are concerned about now is the party being a kick-butt grassroots machine....they will likely put up someone they believe can deliver on that first and foremost. There is no way in you know where that KRA's leadership will go with Ryun and Kline....even they aren't that crazy.
How about Anne Ryun for State Party Chair? Admittedly, she made a lousy congresswoman, but who knows, maybe she will do better with the State Party.
As long as the Koch's keep bankrolling the KRA and AFP and CFG the Party will never be unified. Maybe once that disfuctional family is dead and buried some sort of peace or truce will return to Kansas Republicans.
I've always thought it odd that these rich people would support these groups made up of people they would never talk to, eat with, or let their children play with.
Someone once said "The rich are truly different from the rest of us." I guess it's really true.
I don't think Koch has ever contributed to CFG or KRA.
Obviously, CFG's contributions are publicly available.
I don't get some of the anti-Koch venom.
They are the largest privately held company in the world. Why wouldn't policy makers want to listen to them? Obviously many do, but what's so bad about what CFG and AFP push? Lowering taxes and restrained spending are great things and are kinda standard Republican stuff.
Cleary the poster above doesn't know the Koch's or Wichita very well.
People in Wichita see Charles and Liz out all of the time and the same resteraunts everyone else goes to. It isn't unusualy to see him at a Wichita State basketball game either.
When Charles passes, the baton will be passed to his son Chase who likes to hang out with all kinds of people, not just the rich.
The above is an interesting comment in light of all of the money folks in JoCo that fund the splinter-group KTRM, Dennis Moore and Kathleen Sebelius.
I think the poster was referring to the Koch's support of the Cato Institute, where CFG was spun off. I would imagine there's some residual Koch runoff from that association. As for the KRA, since those records are not public we can only imagine.
As for the rich in JOCO and SGCO having political playthings, well that's par for the course. I think there's some angst about the Koch's because of people like Wagle using them. If say, a more "stable" conserative like Watkins were to curry Koch favor, I don't think there would be as much bitching.
maybe the people in JoCo fund Moore and Sebelius in an effort to wake up the party. Since statistics indicate that we're more likely to have a secondary education, maybe the rest of the state should listen to those of us who are educated. We're real Republicans and you should just learn to deal with it.
What I was referring to was KRA/AFP/CFG purporting to be ordinary folk, and while the rank and file are just that, it's the Koch's who bankroll the groups. The contributions by the rank and file can no way fund these groups. Not to pick on him, but Alan Cobb's rather larger salary (and David Kensinger's fees)could not be paid for by the dues/fees/contributions of it's members alone.
And then there is the all but secret notion that KRA/AFP/CFG, in Kansas anyway, seem to have the same mailing list, and the ordinary folks who show up to testify on AFP day in Topeka usually seem to be a KRA member, too.
I love lower taxes and less government. But when the Huelskamps and Pyles of this world glom on to worthy causes and drag them down, I get a little frustrated.
If I picked on the Koch's too much, my apologies. Kochs, Halls, JOCO, SGCO...meh. It's rich people meddling in politics like they dabble in yachting or horses, and letting loose the law of unintended consequences.
What a crock.
I've been to many an AFP event and I would say less than 50% are KRA or regular party activists types.
They've done a good job of bringing other people into the fold.
Regarding whose funding what, who really cares? And I would guess that most AFP folks could care less who is paying for the freight.
I've rec'd four or five fundraising pieces from AFP, so I would say they are raising money from more than the Kochs.
I guess we know who's paying for Ryan Wright's salary; the teacher's union, road contractors and other groups living on the government tit.
Can someone provide some proof that CFG is an offshoot of Cato?
And all of this begs the question again. Who cares?
Well, we don't really know who funds Alan Cobb, AFP, CFG,etc. because they have fought campaign finance disclosure tooth and nail and hide behind issue advocacy. At least KTRM files as a PAC. The others really don't want us to know where their money comes from. Koch Industries is a great company but the Kochs are pretty dysfunctional and very right wing.
Why do people want to know so badly who funds AFP?
Gee, I don't know. Don't you think it's good to know what the funders agenda might be. Open government, informed electorate, etc. The better question might be why AFP and Cobb fight so hard to keep their donor list so secret. Perhaps they protest too much? What exactly are they afraid of and why? Johnson Countians will never know who really funded Kline's campaign because the out of state PACs only ran "issue ads." Even the ones that savaged Howe. Better government would come from full disclosure but interestingly, in Kansas, it's conservative Republicans who oppose it.
Why not divulge all of the donors to your church? To the Red Cross? To Planned Parenthood?
My church and the Red Cross publish a list of donors annually. What rock do you live under?
Give me the name of your church and I will call and ask them to send me a list of their contributors.
Get real.
Quit changing the subject. The question is why AFP and Cobb fight so hard to hide their donors and why?
Maybe the support the Sup Ct and the first amendment.
Maybe they respect the financial confidentiality of their donors.
Why do you want to know so bad? Is it an obsession?
Right, that's why conservatives support all those efforts to find out which donors to Muslim charities might have terrorist ties. Listen, this is all bs; AFP and Cobb don't want anyone to know how they are funded because they know that such a list would be a potential negative. A ton of out of state money from extreme right wing groups, some of which are pretty unsavory. So save all your court and constitutional arguements. The bottom line is that they are cowards afraid to openly let people know who is funding them. The same people who spend hours searching out Tiller contributions are twisting themselves into knots to hide AFP contributors. Hypocrites and cowards.
Out of state right wing groups?
I thought it was all Koch?
Which is it?
By the way, some of the networks were on break when Kansas came up during last night's roll call. Did anyone see it and, if so, who gave our totals and what were they? Did the Huckabites stick with him?
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