In Kansas, Democrats Turn To the Right to Keep Seat

Wall Street Journal ^ | June 8, 2007 | Kevin Helliker

[CutePuppy]

The Democrats' ability to maintain control of Congress may rest on freshman lawmakers in Republican-leaning districts.

June 8, 2007; Page A1 TOPEKA, Kan. -- Freshman Rep. Nancy Boyda of Kansas recently joined 95 Republican lawmakers signing a letter attacking amnesty for illegal immigrants. She remains opposed to gun control even in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings. And she touts her credentials as a decades-long Republican.

Today, the 51-year-old Ms. Boyda is a Democrat. But you often wouldn't know it as she gears up to run for re-election in November 2008. With Republicans aggressively attacking her, and two Republicans already seeking her seat, she is positioning herself as independent. She plans to keep the word "Democrat" off her yard signs and rejects assistance from the Democrats' national congressional campaign committee.

Next year's battle for Congress is well under way, even as presidential politics are getting most of the attention. Ms. Boyda's success will help determine whether the Democratic Party can keep control of Congress, and show how firmly it has planted new roots in conservative corners of the country where it made surprising gains last fall -- places like Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky and Texas.

In these places, the Democrats are often barely distinguishable from Republicans on many issues such as gun control. Ms. Boyda and other candidates won by painting the Republicans into a corner and portraying the Republican Party as the party of corporate interests and the Iraq war. They hope to win re-election the same way.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat overseeing his party's 2008 campaign strategy for the House, says it's fine with him if candidates highlight their independence. "They are making it clear that they put the interests of their constituents before the interests of the party," he says.

.....

[CutePuppy]

That's what GOP needed to do in 2006, fight for these seats instead of spending millions and trying to hold onto few RINO seats in NE. It was not "Iraq". We have too many "Blue Dog" "conservative" Democrats in "red states" or "red districts" to throw entire Congress to "Mad Dogs" like Nancy and Harry and Ted and Chuck.

Wake up, GOP election committees! Use the same strategy. Run national elections, like in 1994. Take what you own first, then fight for scraps (RINOs in "blue states" and "blue districts") where you can get them. Can have a permanent majority in Congress and Governorships, which will translate into better judiciary as well.

[CutePuppy]

Mr. Ryun, 60, is fighting hard to recapture his seat and believes he has a good shot in a district where only 28% of registered voters are Democrats. In April he disclosed a campaign war chest that was 65% larger than Rep. Boyda's. "People are stopping me on the street and saying, 'Congressman, what can I do to help you?' " says Mr. Ryun.

The state Republican Party has vowed to defeat Rep. Boyda and distributed thousands of fliers portraying her as a tax-and-spend liberal.

Instead of doing that - nationalize it by putting Pelosi's face on your opponent to show who people would really be voting for (control of Congress).

While Democrats are busy painting themselves as conservatives in conservative districts to get elected, national GOP is going out of their way trying to appeal to liberals... Unbelievable!

[wai-ming]

...fight for these seats instead of spending millions and trying to hold onto few RINO seats in NE.

How many RINO seats are there in Nebraska? I always thought it was a pretty conservative state.

[goldstategop]

Get rid of liberal scumbag RINOs and then purge the Dems of hardcore leftists.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[CutePuppy]

Sorry, NE was my shorthand for North-East, or New England.

Nebraska does stick in my craw for another reason - Senate should be 2 conservative Republicans, instead we have RINO Hagel and Blue Dog Nelson.

[goldstategop]

I'll take Nelson over the RINO Hagel.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Son House]

Democrats Turn To the Right

No one can be dumb enough to believe that after the last election, it’s clear,
Democrats want to raise taxes to
run the Government as a
‘cover all’ charity.

[goldstategop]

That's true. But let's ask ourselves why we lost last year: we ran as the champion of Big Government, entitlements and putting politicians' Number One. Has the Republican Party learned anything since then? Nope - we still have the people in power who led us back into the minority. And until we clean house, we're not going to convince Reagan Democrats and small government conservatives our Party means business.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[CutePuppy]

Of course, but that’s one of the (D) seats that make Harry Reid a majority leader. That’s the gist of the article.

NE GOP long time ago could either make Nelson an offer to switch parties that he couldn’t refuse, or field a good conservative opponent that would get a seat for GOP.

[napscoordinator]

Senate should be 2 conservative Republicans, instead we have RINO Hagel and Blue Dog Nelson.

Yes and Blue Dog Nelson is literally more conservative. That is pretty crazy.

[goldstategop]

The Kansas GOP can't seem to recruit good conservative candidates. So conservatives end up voting for a Blue Dog because they can't stomach another liberal Republican representing them and then trashing all the beliefs they hold dear. If the GOP doesn't respect the base, the base will desert it as it did last year.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[CutePuppy]

No one can be dumb enough to believe that after the last election, it’s clear

Nationally, yes, that's why Democrats are using "all politics are local" "vote good ole boy conservative Democrat" strategy, to minimize that impact. Why Republicans are playing this game, beats me.

1994 was the year when Republicans nationalized the Congressional elections, as if it were Presidential, and put Democrat leadership faces on local opponents - with overwhelming success.

In 2006, exactly the opposite - run from Bush/Iraq, run on local issues and hope to hold on - with large number of failures on the margins (less than 1% or 2% in many cases), otherwise we would keep the House and Senate. With all the problems of GOP corruption and negative mood, 180 degrees on message and strategy would still lose seats, yet would help keep Congress.

[CutePuppy]

If the GOP doesn't respect the base, the base will desert it as it did last year.

Well said, and I don't blame the voters, I blame the states' and national GOP. Voters in these places are mostly on conservative Republicans' side, if only GOP was on theirs.

[freekitty]

It makes you wonder why the GOP actively got rid of Rick Santorian? Maybe the voters should re-elect him.

[BenLurkin]

She plans to keep the word "Democrat" off her yard signs ..

So typical.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Hillary turned to the right too. In 2004 her conservative voting index was 0. By the end of 2006 she had “turned to the right.” Her Conservative Voting Index in 2006 was 9.

[JCEccles]

The first reelection run is the toughest. Once these “conservative” Democrats are safely into their second terms they will start swinging left.

[MinnesotaLibertarian]

Well, seeing as there’s only one Republican Congressman in New England, that shouldn’t be too difficult...

[moose2004]

“Instead of doing that - nationalize it by putting Pelosi’s face on your opponent to show who people would really be voting for (control of Congress).”

Agreed. LOL!

[George W. Bush]

How many RINO seats are there in Nebraska? I always thought it was a pretty conservative state.

Hagel. We tricked Osborne into running for governor and defeated that pinko too.

Hagel's got a hungry young articulate and attractive primary opponent.

Yesterday, I finally began to believe we can defeat Hagel, no matter what the state Machine does to re-elect him. He can be beat now.