KS-Gov: Most Kansas Republicans will be happy to see GOP Gov. Sam Brownback depart in two years when he's termed out of office, thanks to the disastrous "real live experiment"—more like a vivisection—that Brownback conducted on the state. Brownback's mad scientist routine involved massive tax breaks that led to huge revenue shortfalls, giant cuts in education funding, and slowing income growth—all of which proved extraordinarily unpopular. In fact, Brownback became so detested that he nearly lost re-election (in 2014! in a dark-red state!), and his conservative allies in the legislature got bushwhacked by more moderate Republicans in primaries held earlier this year.
So who will pick up the pieces? There are lots of Republicans who could try—and sadly, it'll almost certainly be another Republican. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, who just won a fifth term in the House, is one of the first prominent names to publicly consider a bid, saying she's "always going to look at" "an opportunity to serve back home." Jenkins decided not to seek a third term as a member of her caucus' leadership team this week, so that would certainly help free her up for a gubernatorial run.
But Jenkins' past also makes her a card-carrying member of the GOP establishment, and she'd likely face opposition from more conservative and/or Trump-aligned candidates. The AP lists a long array of other potential Republicans, including Reps. Mike Pompeo and Kevin Yoder; Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer; state Attorney General Derek Schmidt; state Treasurer Ron Estes; state Senate President Susan Wagle; and wealthy oilman Wink Hartman, who unsuccessfully ran for congress in 2010.
The same piece also describes former state House Minority Leader Paul Davis, who lost to Brownback 50-46 two years ago, as the only Democrat who is "mentioned consistently as a potential candidate." That makes sense, given how thin Team Blue's bench is in the Sunflower State. But Davis was only able to make that race as close as he did because of the extraordinary revulsion toward Brownback that had already set in among the electorate. A less unappealing opponent would very likely put this seat out of play for Democrats.