Phil Kline, a Republican appointed to the post of Johnson County Kansas District Attorney Office is a gift to Kansas Democrats that keep on giving.
By now you may ask, what does a local county District Attorney’s race have to do with national political discussions?
Kansas is supposed to be a red State; Republicans are counting on it to stay red for John McCain. But the likes of Phil Kline is indicative of what is going on in the Republican Party today. You see; Phil was the Attorney General for the State of Kansas. However he was so radical and so single minded that even the Republicans helped throw the bum out of office. His obsession with Planned Parenthood and Wichita Abortion doctors have made him a National figure. However, his total incompetence became an embarrassment to Republicans who simply expect law enforcement to do their job.
Johnson County Republicans are torn. On one hand there remains the fundamentalist religious right. Social conservatives, abused and manipulated by Karl Rove during Bush campaigns, now feel betrayed. Ministers now realize that the GOP does not stand for "God’s Own Party". Traditional Republicans however, saw their party hijacked by inexperienced socially inept single-issue advocates. Together there is a war going on in the Republican Party. Fifteen minutes listening to Rush Limbaugh or any of the pandering radio takers should scare any Republican running for office. The idea of a social conservative base that will move in lockstep is just not there anymore.
But there are still personalities like Phil Kline that keep the wounds open. These festering abscesses on the political buttocks are a constant reminder that Republicans are in disarray. I have no doubt that Johnson County Republicans will reject Phil Kline and by doing so mobilize moderates and independents. Today the Kansas City Star Web sitehad an unscientific poll and only 9% of the 1,000 respondents thought he might win. That’s even less than GW Bush!!
As we have discussed here before, Kansas is not as red as some would have you believe. The Governor, Kathleen Sebelius is a Democrat, and Lieutenant Governor, Mark Parkinson was a Republican but won election as a Democrat. While both US Senators are Republicans, Jim Slattery will run a strong race against Pat Roberts this year and Democrats hold two of the four Congressional Districts.
Phil Kline will absolutely energize Democrats and demoralize Republicans.
Run - Phil – Run
Just don’t f**k up the Kelsey Smith case. That’s bigger than politics.