In parts 1 and 2 of our series, we explored how just a few votes spread throughout our great state allowed SB 66 to pass both the House and Senate by just a few votes. And I’d be overjoyed if that was the only piece of legislation that slid through in the past few years by just one or two votes, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. Just as SB 66 slid through by the skin of its teeth, the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act, or C.A.R.A. (SB 389) went down to defeat because of just two votes in the Senate.
How 103 voters gave Tiller the green light
C.A.R.A. was the brain child of Republican Rep. Lance Kinzer of Olathe. Like many legislators, he was tired of the state’s inability to hold George Tiller responsible for the deaths of viable babies he aborted everyday in Wichita. In fact, one the stumbling blocks was that Tiller continued to write extremely vague descriptions of why a late term abortion was being performed. As this YouTube video shows, some reasons were even as trivial as wanting to go to a concert. Enough was enough.
A simple majority was not going to cut it with this bill though. Two-thirds of all legislators, 84 in the House and 27 in the Senate, would be needed to override the inevitable veto from Gov. Sebelius. The task seemed tough but doable.
SB 389 cleared the House on final action 84-40, just enough votes needed for a veto override.
But when SB 389 was sent to the Senate for its concurrence with the House changes, the vote came down 25-13 with 1 Present and Not Voting and another Senator absent. C.A.R.A. was two votes short for a veto override.
Not all seemed lost though. Sen. Peggy Palmer was the absentee that day and was a strong pro-life Senator. It seemed possible another Senator might switch or be picked up.
Once vetoed, an override attempt was made on April 30, 2008. But even with the help of Sen. Palmer, the measure still was defeated by two votes 25-14.
Now, what if the 2004 election had went differently? What if just a few key ‘no’ votes weren’t allowed to go to Topeka back in 2004?
What if our old ‘friend’ Sen. Laura Kelly wasn’t allowed to represent northern Shawnee and Wabaunsee Counties?
As we outlined in Part 2, Kelly was elected in the 2004 General Election by just 98 votes. If only 50 people in District 18 had changed their votes, not only would the vote on SB 66 perhaps been different, but the vote for C.A.R.A. would have also been much closer.
With a slight rewriting of election history and the change of 50 votes, our C.A.R.A. vote would have been 26-13, just one shy of an override.
Like Kelly, Sen. Greta Goodwin won her General Election in 2004 by just a few votes. And while Sen. Goodwin did vote against C.A.R.A. and could have provided the additional extra vote needed for an override, the Primary election in 2004 in Senate District 20 could have changed a ‘no’ to a ‘yes’ as well.
Sen. Vicki Schmidt, a Republican, also voted against C.A.R.A. There was a three way race for the Republican nomination for District 20 in 2004 featuring Schmidt, current Rep. Joe Patton and Ron Stryker. The three way heat was extremely close, with Schmidt winning by just 105 votes over Stryker.
So as we’ve done before, let’s assume 53 voters in Dist. 20 changed their votes. Let’s assume Schmidt looses and instead a pro-life Republican is sent to the capital. Another vote changes and C.A.R.A. passes without the governor’s signature. Restrictions tighten and life gets a little more difficult for George Tiller. All because of 50 votes in Dist. 18 and 53 in Dist. 20. Or, as noted above, we could have even done it with just 111 changed votes in Senate Dist. 32.
Your vote matters. Your effort to support pro-life candidates across the state matters. Votes by anti-life candidates affect us all and we all need to ensure their defeat this November.
It’s just a few citizens calling the shots and if we’re to move Kansas forward, we need your help to defeat Democrats like Kelly, Goodwin and Sebelius’ hand-picked Gilstrap replacement, Kelly Kultala.
Contribute to Republican Jim Zeller in Sen. Dist. 18
Zeller for State Senate
3507 NW Cambridge Av
Topeka, KS 66618
Contribute to Republican Steve Abrams in Sen. Dist. 32
Abrams for State Senate
PO Box 942
Arkansas City, KS 67005
Contribute to Republican Steve Fitzgerald in Sen. Dist. 5
Fitzgerald for State Senate
PO Box 390
Leavenworth, KS 66048
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on Aug 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
We’ve focused on the problem and some key votes and districts and that’s good. And looks like we’ve identified some key current races. Steve Fitzgerald for sure will definitely be key to reestablishing conservative control/leadership in the KS Senate.
I’m working with the Fitzgerald campaign in district 5, so I have a front row seat as to this battle. You are definitely right about Steve needing to take this district and beat the Governor’s pick: Kelly Kultala.
I’m just back from campaigning with Steve and things are looking pretty good. We hit the parade for Tiblow days in Bonner Springs this morning with very good feedback even from some Democrats in Bonner. Tonight we attended a fundraiser dinner for catholic schools in Leavenworth with equally good results. We’re getting good contacts but as always we need more. We are definitely winning the “ground war” of door to door campaigning of those we talk to.
We are also hearing about the campaign the dems are launching. They have plenty of money and their key tactic (and it’s pretty good) is to hire young people to go door to door to sign up people to vote. They aren’t campaigning for the person or issues so much… they carry some Moore/Kultala names on shirts etc. but they are signing folks (democrats) up that aren’t on the roles I guess with the theory that when they vote they will vote straight Dem.
This makes it ALL the more important to GET OUT OUR VOTERS. Conservatives and pro-lifers MUST get out to vote AND we need to get our OWN friends registered AND we must get ACTIVE in these campaigns. We can’t just talk about it; we have to share email contacts, share information, get people registered, display yard signs, and yes even contribute to these conservative campigns.
I’m sure Fitzgerald’s campaign is representative as it has been in the past. He is getting help mainly from personal friends and families. That’s good but he is very limited in what he can do and advertise. So please help– spreaqd the word, share the contacts and if you can contribute.