We have received word that current Kansas State Senator Tim Huelskamp will be announcing his candidacy for governor shortly after the holiday season.
From what we heard last night, Huelskamp will tap Ken Canfield and will begin raising money and developing a grassroots network immediately.
18 comments:
It's about time.
Tim has been talking about running for statewide office for 10 years.
What about Tim Huelskamp for party chair?
No, sorry, not happening. Huelskamp's been making some noise about being party chair, but that's about it.
I know a Huelskamp for Governor race is a kooks wet dream, but come on.
Run Tim Run
Kline will be next party chair
i hope kline is not the next party chair... he's pissed enough people off... including his extreme conservative christians supporters.. bad idea if the GOP really wants unity.
Huelskamp would guarantee another Democratic victory - why not just run Wagle and surrender. Kline is toast in Kansas and he is too good a politician not to know it; he'll make a lot of money on TV/radio/lecture circuit. Republicans need to realize that the social conservatives are only interested in their narrow wedge issues, not the party. The party needs an articulate spokesman who is good with the media and works well with conservatives and moderates. None of the candidates for Speaker nor Morris in the Senate are good. Look back and realize that Doug Mays was a terrible public spokesman. Nice guy but Sebilius had him for lunch in the PR wars. Also need a money guy.
I think that Kline would make a good party chair.
Sure, he's controversial. For a guy with a badge in his pocket, that's a bad thing. This is why he's unemployed.
However, the party chair needs to be somebody who attacks Kathleen Sebelius 24-7. Kline is perfect for that job.
The party doesn't do anything to be critical of Democrats. Kline could do a great job increasing Kathleen's negatives.
The moderates would be upset with Kline as Chairman. However, party unity doesn't matter any longer. And, the party Chair really doesn't do anything to form policy, build coalitions, etc. All the party chair needs to do is attack, attack, attack.
In reality, the GOP needs somebody like Kline as Chair. If they don't chip away at Sebelius ASAP, she'll be a Senator in 2008.
Whoever was instrumental in House races this cycle should be considered for state party leadership. The D's were planning on picking up around 10 seats and instead they have ended up with only 4...possibly even only 3 if things break for the GOP on some provisional ballots. With Sebelius and Morrison garnering almost 60% and for Ryun to go down someone executed a very good game plan for the Ds to only gain a handful of seats.
Kline as party chair!?! Party unity no longer matters!?!
This is one of the reasons R's have so much trouble in Kansas. Lack of party unity is a big reason why Sebelius got elected in the first place. It's because of people like Kline, Brownback, and Steve Cloud (let alone Paul Morrison and Mark Parkinson) that there is no party unity in Kansas.
The Party as an organization has not been a factor in Kansas poltics for some time. Candidates no longer rely on it for money or people. However, the Party still is a symbol that needs to be kept functioning.
Having someone like Kline or Huelskamp as Chair would only throw us backwards to the David Miller tenure. Before Miller, R's pretended pretty well and got along. After Miller, moderates were baby killers and conservatives were kooks. Shallenburger has been trying to walk the fine line between mods and conservatives, but he now knows how perilous that can be.
As for someone "engineering" a House victory for Republicans? Legislative elections are a crap shoot. You cross your fingers and hope for the best. Believe me, no engineering takes place.
Party leadership is irrelevant; it's all about electing a governor. Dem governor with a veto pen and veto-proof legislature trumps GOP agenda. Also, any other active blogs out there. This one and FireKansasDemocrats went dead during the election and look like they are done.
Check out ksgopinsider.blogspot.com. They discussed Huelskamp for Party Chair in October.
Give up on so-called party unity. The RINOs are voting for Ds and they're never coming home. The GOP needs to rebuild its majority without them. There are enough conservative Dems and Unaffiliated voters to make up the difference for the "country club" Republicans like Parkinson that we've lost.
We need people like Huelskamp and Kline who can articulate a CONSERVATIVE message.
What world are you living in. Kline and Barnett just got 41-42% and not all mods voted Dem. Drive all mods and Dems out and your so-called majority becomes a hefty 35%. Right wingers need to leave the GOP and form their own Conservative Party like the one in New York; if they had the guts to stand up.
When people like Kline and Huelskamp articulate any message they alienate anyone who's not a conservative.
A real conservative leader would have a message that moderates and others believe could work.
A real conservative leader would have a message that wouldn't alienate half of Kansas.
A real conservative leader would have a message that is the truth.
Kline, Huelskamp, Wagle, Brownback, etc. etc. are not that type of conservative. They are elitists. You are only a conservative if you are a member of one of their little cliques. If you're not one of them you're a RINO, or something else.
Conservatism is only common sense put to public policy.
Kline lost becuase he couldn't articulate conservatism in a way that was understandable to voters.
Huelskamp is one of the least respected state senators because he can't communicate an effective conservative message.
I'm not expecting this leader to have Bill Buckley type verbal and ideological skills, but until we have leaders with a message that doesn't scare off voters we will continue to elect Sebelius's and Moore's and Boyda's.
Why did you use the old picture of Sen. Huelskamp with his mustache? He shaved that when he decided to run for governor, remember?
http://bluetiderising.blogspot.com is back!
Senator Huelskamp is who I call my Senator. I do not openly support my Kansas Senators, but Sen. Huelskamp is a great leader. I know he is going to be a great KSGOP Chairman. I will be paging him for at the end of this month and be at Kansas Days. If he would run for Governor, I think he would do good, but I think Ken Canfield will run again. I was the county chairman for Ken Canfield, Phill Kline, Ken Willard and many candidates and enjoy working in Kansas politics for life. www.republican08.blogspot.com republican08@gmail.com
Phillip Lucas has announced his candidacy for the Libertarian Party. It is extremely likely that he will get my vote. Info here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=179729526910
Post a Comment