Apparently The Phill has went a bit far and he's going to be challenged in 2006.
Source
Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison announced Tuesday that he will switch parties and seek the Democratic nomination for Kansas attorney general next year.
Morrison, a Republican, hopes to challenge Republican Attorney General Phill Kline, who won the office three years ago and is expected to run again, although he has not officially announced his plans. No one else has announced plans to seek the office in 2006.
Morrison said he is running because he is "deeply concerned about the direction the attorney general's office is headed," and made it clear that he was upset with the way Kline has conducted himself in the office.
Morrison said the office has too often deviated from its core mission and has divided the people of Kansas. He made several references to professionalizing the office and not using it to promote partisan political issues.
"I pledge to you to uphold the laws of the state for everyone," he said. "I will not pursue a narrow agenda that benefits just a few."
What will this mean?
For one thing, Kline will have some serious competition here. Morrison is also from the general area that Phill is from (The Kansas side of the KC area).
Kline, for the uninformed, has done such things as trying to get lists of women who have had abortions so he could check lists for girls who are under 18.
Basically, he's one of the more conservative people in Kansas.
Morrison choosing to swerve past the bi-annual "Traditional Republican v. Fundy Right-Winger" ritual puts him in a good position. With enough votes from dissenting Republicans, a Democrat can win election in Kansas.
So, why did DA Morrison join the Democratic Party?
Morrison said he chose to run as a Democrat - despite warnings from some that it wasn't the smartest political move in a largely Republican state - because he believes the Democratic Party is better focused on public safety issues.
Mr. Morrison, Welcome to the Party! (and we have enough room for any other Republicans who are sick of their party's leadership)
EDIT (10:20AM CDT):
The KSGOP highlights Kline's odyessy to stop abuse by finding out which girls got abortions. But never mind the fact that more young girls will give birth than have abortions. Kline doesn't need to look into that, it wouldn't advance his agenda.
The office of Attorney General, in an ideal world, is supposed to be apolitical, and Paul Morrison is a heck of a choice to be an apolitical Attorney General. He's been the DA of Johnson county for over a decade.
And here's Paul Morrison's official site