In Kansas, 9 former Republicans run as Democrats

[obnoxiousdrunk]

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061102/pl_nm/usa_elections_kansas_dc

[MADem]

1. I didn't leave the Republican Party....the Republican Party left me, perhaps?

Geez...what goes around, comes around, I guess!

"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?....

[treestar]

7. People's Daily Lives

would be a good mantra for Democrats to pick up on now. Republicans are stuck on theoretical things - for most people the threat of being the victim of terra is highly theoretical, and the alleged harm of gay marriage to those who oppose it is highly theoretical.

Getting back to people's daily, real-life grind could strike a chord.

[Tellurian]

31. Yes, I think your assessment is most accurate..

And a fabulous idea for the Democratic Party.

It's all unattainable theoretical goals for the Republican Party's mantra.

No wonder they seek out Religion as their most notorious unattainable goal.

For them Religion provides the shroud of Valhalla attempting to imitate Christ,
describing themselves and their word as holier than thou. Thereby, fostering a
deeply rooted hypocrisy 'do as I say, not as I do' until they themselves trip up
and are exposed for the hypocrites they really are.

Then you see, the House of Cards go into total collapse.

[Selatius]

2. "What's the matter with Kansas?"

I would say they are believers in small government. With that in mind, they're rebelling against massive deficit spending and cuts to social programs combined with increased spending on the military.

Talking about gay marriage and abortion issues won't help you when you're filling out applications at the unemployment office or find out your VA benefits are cut after you served your country.

[Mabus]

3. If you want to help send money to Boyda - she's the reason Bush is coming

Nancy Boyda is the reason Bush is coming to Kansas this weekend. Long time incumbent (and former Olympic miler) Jim Ryun is in deep trouble in the 2CD. What's funny about this is that the GOP-controlled state legislature gerrymandered the districts to oust (D) Dennis Moore from the 3CD. Instead they've made Moore's seat a lock and made Ryun's competitive. In less than six months this race has changed from a GOP-lock to a toss-up. Go to: http://boydaforcongress.org/index.php and give what you can, if you can.

[nodehopper]

10. is she one of the switches?

I couldn't tell from her website.

Also in her "on issues" column it says nothing about her stance on abortion. Is that information available?

[Mabus]

13. She switched years ago

She grew up Republican but changed her registration about four years ago.

On abortion, from an old (2004) on-line Q&A:

John, Lawrence: You've been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and EMILY's List. Please tell us, specifically, how committed you are to their positions on partial-birth abortion and tax-payer-funded abortion?

Nancy Boyda: Hi John,

Thanks for the question. I'm happy to clarify things.

1) I have told EMILY's List I would support a ban on partial birth abortions if there were a provision for the life and health of the mother. I have lost some funding from women's groups because of my position.

2) It is my understanding that tax-payer funds are not used for abortions, again except in the life/health of the mother. I support that.

Again, thanks for your question. And, I also look forward to serving you in Congress, too!

Take care,

Nancy http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/oct/11/nancy_boyda_democratic/

and here's a comment about Nancy's stances on abortion, gay marriage and evolution as posted (it looks like by a freeper) on the Kansas Dem. Party website (I've highlighted what I believe were Nancy's answers. I also reformatted it to make it more coherent):

I stated... Are you pro life? Or pro abortion? are you in favor of protecting the sanctity of marriage?, and do you feel that creation should be addressed equally to evolution in the Kansas classroom? The response that I received was lengthy, wordy, and devoid of any affinative answer. Nancy did not have time to respond, however I received a letter from her campaign manager stating that "Nancy felt that the questions required a 'YES', or 'NO'?" answer, and that these are not 'YES or NO'" questions. She does however feel that it is appropriate to have an abortion if the mother and a doctor think that it is in the best interest of the mother. (Murder is OK if you get a doctors excuse.) Gays should have the right to marry. (Sodomy, polygamy, and marrying my own sister is OK with old Nance!) and that Darwin was right and she doesn't care what science or God has to say about it. I am obviously being extreme, but this was my interpretation of her manager's response. Please do your own investigation of her views before you cast a vote for someone who is hiding her viewpoints.

In comparision, her opponent is against all abortions. "Ryun came out especially against divorce, abortion, and euthanasia (mercy killing). His platform included tax cuts and opposition to abortion rights." from a pro-Ryun website http://www.workersforjesus.com/dfi/921.htm

[nodehopper]

20. thanks for the references!

[Mabus]

22. No problem

There are several of us DU'ers here in Kansas that have done work for Boyda. Here we are painting signs for Boyda. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=153x5264 We modified five boat trailers into mobile signs back in 2004. We donate them throughout the year to non-profits and groups we believe support for free. We believe in the power of grassroot activism out here.

fwiw, I live Moore's (D) district and his seat is safe (he's running against a RW fundie, again). We've been working to a second Democrat elected to the House this year.

[demo dutch]

4. Out of convenience or out of conviction?

[turbo_satan]

5. Might they be agents provacateur?

I don't trust 'em.

[Subdivisions]

8. !

[Beetwasher]

9. No Kidding, How Many Zell Millers Are in That Group?

:shrug:

[DaveinMD]

12. none

if you want to grow the party, you accept converts. They won't be as liberal as you like, but liberals don't win in Kansas.

[Beetwasher]

17. Heh

Yeah, I'd like to believe that, too bad it doesn't fit their MO. I'd love to believe they are all converts, I really would, but life isn't like that. In the real world you DO have your Zell Millers. They exist. Does that mean that all these candidates or any of them ARE like that? No, but you can't be sure of that.

[DaveinMD]

23. Zell Miller was not a convert to our side

he was a life long Democrat who went over to the dark side. He was the exact opposite of the Republicans who switched to become Democrats.

[Beetwasher]

24. So?

Doesn't make a difference. A mole is a mole, regardless. I'm probably wrong about these guys and they're sincere, but let's just say I won't be surprised if any of them give us some grief down the line.

[DaveinMD]

25. the so

is that converts in situations like these are more likely to be loyal than many of who've identified as Democrats for a long time. And if you want to grow your party and build a majority, you need to accept and recruit converts.

[Beetwasher]

26. Really?

"...is that converts in situations like these are more likely to be loyal.."

I'd be interested in the data that backs up that statement, seriously. That's pretty cool if true and something I didn't know.

I never said we shouldn't accept and recruit converts. By all means we should, but it's naive to not be prepared for the possibility that some of them may be moles. They exist, it's reality.

[DaveinMD]

28. Just look

at the voting patterns of the dixiecrats. They identified as Democrats, but surely voted as conservatives. Meanwhile, a bunch of Republicans turned Democrats in the northeast voted like liberals. We had many like these in NY where I grew up. Caroline McCarthy is a good example of this.

[Beetwasher]

32. I'm From NY

So I know all about that, but all that really shows is that in difference parts of the country party and ideological labels don't necessarily mean the same things. A Repub in NY is not (necessarily) like a Repub from down south. And a southern Dem is not like a Northern Dem. That's just the politics or pragmatism, but it's not the same thing as actively, prominently and continually stabbing your party in the back (like Lieberman and Miller for example). And for the record, I'll say again, I have no evidence that these Kansas R's switching to D's would do that, and I know both Zell and Joe were never Repubs so therefore not converts, but I'm not necessarily discussing converts as much as I am moles, and I would argue that Zell and Joe were moles and it's possible (and it is, let's face it) that some of these converts could be too.

[DaveinMD]

37. I think Zell

became senile. He lost his mind. He once was a good Democrat. Look at the speech he gave for Clinton at the 92 convention. It was great. I think he lost his mind.

[Odin2005]

42. But we can't do that! It might anger the purists!

Don'y you know that ALL moderates are DLC hacks? :sarcasm:

[obnoxiousdrunk]

11. Yeah right

we just need people who were born into the Democratic party.

[Mabus]

14. If they are, they aren't very good. We have a Democratic governor

who is going to be re-elected. What's happening in your state?

[olddad56]

6. The rats are leaving the sinking ship. I love it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. How much you want to bet they're opportunists.

Democrats, keep your party's integrity high. It's time to declare war on cronyism.

[Mabus]

18. Dean kicked off the 50 State Strategy here

We had the county chairs and precinct committeepeople seats solidified before they started jumping. We've got grassroots control of our party. It's been a lot of hard work but it is paying off.

[The Backlash Cometh]

29. If Dean wants to know,

if there are weeds in his grassroots, I'll be happy to take him to lunch someday, to point some out to him.

[Mabus]

30. We outed the stealth DINO in the primary here in Kansas

and we keep a close on the candidates. Forty percent of the votes cast in Kansas are in the KC to Lawrence to Topeka corridor. This area includes the two consistently Democratic-leaning counties. Another 15% came from the Wichita area, where my husband is from and where our regular house guest is county chair. Like I said, we've got it under control here but it sounds like Dems in your state need to get it together.

[The Backlash Cometh]

33. The first step to finding a solution is identify the problem.

The Problem: In this city and this state, there is no such thing as a public advocate. There is only the rights of an individual homeowner, versus the rights of corporations. Property Rights. People are confused. They think that individual rights is the same thing as public advocacy. So, that's why they make lousy representatives whether they're Dems or Republicans.

There is a very simple litmus test, in my book. If you're a Democrat, you're for a benign government and selfless public service. You're in favor of civil rights and social safety nets. And you absolutely never give government the right to eminent domain, unless you can be damn sure that no one benefits from the taking, but the public and the individual landowner.

Old Guard Dems need to be culled out of your party. If they go around abusing their community service positions, they're as bad as Foley was to the Republican party and need to be outed.

[Mabus]

35. In 2004

We ousted a number of county officials and Democratic candidates took their places. We now have a Democratic County Clerk to oversee elections. I called in with a complaint during the primary because of electioneering violations and the cops were dispatched and the offender was removed. The response was never that quick with the GOP Clerk in office.

LOL My husband, who beat out a long-term incumbent, is our new precinct committeeman. He was contacted by several people in the party, including the regional coordinator, to run for the position because they knew he'd be an active one. He was just one of many volunteers who expressed an interest in running because we wanted to fill the seats with activists rather than placeholders. fwiw, I met my husband at a public meeting organized to stop our county from exercising eminent domain. The county wanted to build an addition to the business park. We fought it on several different levels - from enviromental to tax abatements - and won.

What we have been doing in Kansas is good old grassroots politics. We go out and knock on doors. We have contact people that return calls and work with people. They've been really great around here. I have arthritis and can't walk very far. When I do canvassing they always make sure the list I get isn't overly strenuous. The personal touch around here makes it easier to ferret out DINOs.

[The Backlash Cometh]

36. Damn. Let me know if your chapter reaches my neighborhood.

This is not a subject that I feel comfortable discussing with someone who is uninitiated.

Good job in Kansas. I hope it's part of a trend.

[Mabus]

38. My chapter?

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. Just my observation,

that the Democrats are a party with a big tent. Didn't know what else to refer to the common interests.

[Odin2005]

43. I doubt it, I think a political realignment is happening

The Reagan-Gingrich coalition is crumbling, this is thier '68.

[progressoid]

16. Wow, and in Kansas no less.

[dogfacedboy]

19. Infiltration. Beware. n/t

[Fovea]

39. I heard them last night

Sebelius, Parkinson, and the rest. I tell you, Sebelius sounded more like a yellow dog dem than
Moore did, IMO.

[JoFerret]

21. What's the matter with kansas?

(about time) Keep piling on the values issues that everyone talked about after 2004. But not with dems becoming more like republicans but by reclaiming and reframing the values issues and exposing the rw republican hypocrisy.

[MGD]

27. Professional politicians going whichever way the fair wind blows.

Nothing new about that.

[Ms. Clio]

34. I'm really enjoying these threads, and find them so encouraging

see also this great thread about Nebraska's third district: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2551966

[Neecy]

40. ...and props to our governor

Sebelius is running probably the most professional, positive, and successful campaign in the country. The quality of her advertising is stunningly good - and she never mentions her opponent, a very deft touch. Seeing a Sebelius ad is refreshing after viewing the horrible, nasty, ugly advertising that's coming over from the Missouri side.

[Odin2005]

44. ...And thus the Reagan-Gingrich coalition crumbled.

People are starting to realize that the "small government" and "fiscal responsibility" rhetoric was a lie.

[Hippo_Tron]

45. It's the religious fanaticism, stupid!

The moderates in the Kansas GOP are tired of the party nominating people that don't believe in evolution.

[MODemocrat]

46. While in Lawrence Kansas yesterday, I bought a T-shirt

with this on the front: "I voted and all I got was this Lousy President."


Six years ago, you didn't see anything like that; and there are so many signs out supporting the
Democrats, it was like a totally different place. :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: