State Rep. opens exploratory committee for Moore's seat

The Hill ^ | November 23, 2009 | Aaron Blake

[Clintonfatigued]

State Rep. Kevin Yoder (R) wasted little time acting on Rep. Dennis Moore's (D-Kan.) retirement announcement, opening an exploratory committee this morning.

Yoder, an attorney, made the announcement in a press release.

He is currently in his fourth term in the state House, where he serves as chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

"As our nation faces unprecedented challenges, we must have new energy and a fresh response" Yoder said. "Wasteful overspending in Washington threatens to bankrupt our nation's future. Government must learn to live within its means and we must endeavor to reduce bureaucracy and barriers to success."

[Clintonfatigued]

I wonder who on the ‘Rat side will run? I’m cautiously optomistic on this race.

[ncfool]

I have heard a lot of good things about Yoder. There is a lunch at the JOCO GOP office the first week of December. I can’t wait to go to the meeting and see who shows up there. Its a great day to live in KS.

Bye Bye Dennis.

[fieldmarshaldj]

One thing is that they’re going to have to find someone acceptable to the Conservative and liberal factions, and that will be difficult.

[Non-Sequitur]

One thing is that they’re going to have to find someone acceptable to the Conservative and liberal factions, and that will be difficult.

The same thing is true with the Republicans with our two wings of the party.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Uh, that’s who I was talking about, the mainstream KS Conservative GOP vs. the liberal RINO faction that seems to infest Johnson County and is seemingly more comfortable voting Democrat. There is no Conservative faction in the Democrat party anymore, at least not at the federal level, and even at the statewide level, an extremely small number of irrelevent (within the party) individuals. What they may term as “Conservative” would be the equivalent of a quite liberal RINO.

[Non-Sequitur]

Pat Lightner is in the best position for the nomination. She's been running for the seat for some time now, has done fund raising and has accumulated a pretty good campaign fund. She is from the more conservative wing of the party. Yoder might have a better chance of attracting independents and those moderate Republicans who gravitated to Moore over the last few elections, but I don't think he can win the nomination.

Still, you have to favor the Republican regardless of who it is. The bench for the Democrats in the 3rd District is pretty thin. Parkinson is probably the best known district resident, but he's got his hands full as governor keeping Kansas from falling apart. And I don't see him dropping that to run for Congress. Marinovich would be a strong opponent, but it depends on if she wants to get back into politics. Other than that I can't think of a single viable Democrat who could attract more than token support.

[Non-Sequitur]

Uh, that’s who I was talking about, the mainstream KS Conservative GOP vs. the liberal RINO faction that seems to infest Johnson County and is seemingly more comfortable voting Democrat.

Well then since according to you they aren't really Republicans anyway then what do you care what the moderates do?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Because you KS liberals still participate in the GOP primary. ;-)

[Non-Sequitur]

Because you KS liberals still participate in the GOP primary. ;-)

According to you we just ruin it so again, why the hell do you care what we do?

The slate for the GOP nomination is up to about 10 now, with even Doctor Jeff Colyer tossing his battered hat into the ring once again. So to set the the program for you we could have: Pat Lightner, Dan Gilyeat, Tom Scherer, John Rysavy, Karin Brownlee, Charlotte O'Hara, Doctor Jeff, Nick Jordan, Jeff Musil, and who knows? Maybe I'll sneak in there somewhere just to piss you off. Who are the real from the RINO? In your oh so humble opinion, of course.

[Non-Sequitur]

On a more serious note, I saw a picure of Moore in The Star today and damn, he’s looking bad. I haven’t seen him for a couple of years and he’s always been a big, husky guy. But the pictures in the paper make him out to be a comparative scarecrow. He’s denied health issues being a factor in his decision but I’m wondering if that may not just be the case.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Well, I care because I want to win the seat back. I haven’t endorsed anyone, yet, because I want to see who the strongest candidates for the general prove to be. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing a woman back in the seat, provided she’s not as liberal as Jan Meyers. ;-)

[fieldmarshaldj]

This picture ? Health concerns might very well be the case, even if he's denying it. It's not exactly a low-stress job these days serving in Congress. Then again, maybe he's just tired of the job. 12 years in a pressure cooker can get to you.

[Non-Sequitur]

Nah, it was another one on page 13. Still, look at Moore through the years and you tell me how healthy he's looking now. Link

Regardless of why he's retiring, I wish him a long and happy life with all those grandkids he hauls out during every campaign season. That and that damned guitar of his. I won't miss either one.

[Non-Sequitur]

So if it’s Yoder or someone like him as the nominee do you think that Karen Brownlee ought to run on the Conservative ticket? Maybe get Sarah to endorse her? She’s about as conservative as you can get, on everything from taxes to creationism.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That picture #33 is quite jarring, if not shocking. He really looks like he's aged 25-30 years in just the past 11 years. He was 53 when he was first elected and looked like a rather young man, at least 10 years younger. That 33rd picture (taken in February, so just barely 10 years and 3 months after the first pic), he looks like he's in his 70s, 10 years older than his actual age.

1998

Feb. 2009

[fieldmarshaldj]

If you put up a RINO nominee, you already know what the outcome in November will be. Conservatives won’t turn out.