A blog post by Americans for Prosperity is getting quite a bit of attention on the political blogosphere. The post proposes probable votes of Republican Senators in the recent leadership elections.

It wasn’t the attention the post gathered that I found interesting, rather it was the lack of attention from any Kansas Senate member that I found interesting. Committee assignments left little doubt of who supported liberal leadership and who didn’t.

Julia Lynn was first elected by precinct leaders to replace former Sen. Kay O’Connor two years ago. This November was her first general election to the Kansas Senate.

Lynn’s campaign was infused with thousands of dollars from the Senate Leadership PAC. This is the same PAC that infused $45,000 into KTRM to fund their KKK press releases and their mailers against Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook saying she didn’t want parents to be able to get help for their sick children.

Lynn describes herself as a conservative and has a pro-life voting record. So why Sen. Lynn has decided to associate herself with this crowd is a little confusing. Is power so greatly desired by some that they’re willing to do anything to get it?

When asked by Kansas Liberty why she cast her vote for liberals, Lynn just flat out lied.

“What I looked at was how much experience they had with the budget and their breadth of knowledge, and the current leadership obviously had a depth of operational knowledge.”

This is the same leadership team that refuses to rule out tax increases to fix the state’s budget crisis. This is the same leadership team that oversaw massive spending increases the past four years. This is the same leadership team that allowed the budget to get where it is in the first place!

Julia, just tell the truth. They bought your seat with Senate Leadership PAC money and now you have to pay them back. Politics would be so much nicer if people just told the truth.

Now, here’s the part I don’t understand.

“Contrary to popular belief, Derek Schmidt is an extremely capable, conservative Republican, and I think our current leadership team knows what we need to do.”

Huh? Schmidt a conservative? The leadership team knows what to do? They can’t rule out tax increases, but they know what to do?

Barnett was probably the biggest surprise. Conservative Susan Wagle was his running mate just two years ago but Barnett decided not to vote for her.

Unlike Lynn, Barnett has a record of leadership roles for conservative causes, most notably during the 2007 session when the now all-too-apparent-fatally-flawed gambling bill was passed.

It’s these outspoken roles and votes in the past that make his leadership vote so confusing. It doesn’t make sense why you would vote for a team that will use their power to stop legislation that you want passed. What good is a chairmanship if leadership won’t allow a floor vote?

Leadership votes will be hard to explain to conservative activists, especially if Barnett chooses to try for higher office again. This is especially true when you look at the quality of candidates conservatives have for Governor (Sam Brownback) and in the first congressional district (Tim Huelskamp.)

The most important of these positions is by far that of the Senate President. Current Senate President Steve Morris has been more than a disappointment to all Kansans. Morris’ past four years have seen an average increase in state spending of more than 5% every year. Is it any wonder Kansas government is staring at a 2010 deficit of over $1 billion?

But Morris is more than a black eye to Kansas, he is a disappointment to all Republicans. During his time we’ve seen one of our Republican leaders quoted in the New York Times as having no other difference with Democrat Kathleen Sebelius than the blocked coal power plants.

“But that’s the only major disagreement we’ve had since she took office,” Mr. Morris said. “She knew she would have to work with Republicans when she came in, and she’s done pretty well doing that.”

Republicans deserve a leader who supports Republicans and not just the next meal ticket they think will bring more power to themselves.

He and Vice President John Vratil used their Senate Leadership PAC to further their quest for power, not for the benefit of Republicans fighting Democrats for Senate seats.

In fact, when Republican Senate candidates needed non-monetary help in defeating Democrats, they were met with praise for the Democrat.

Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood, chairman of the judiciary committee, said hers (Greta Goodwin) was one of the key races that will determine the Senate leadership next year. Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, agreed.

Could the picture be more clear?

If re-elected, Morris promises more of the same. Experience seems to be the hot word of this election season, but is experience with higher taxes and more spending what Kansans really need during these tough budget times?

Of course not. What is needed is strong, conservative leadership offered by Senator Susan Wagle. Wagle has a record of being true to the taxpayers and not to those who put her in power.

Wagle was endorsed by the KRA for her re-election bid this past November and also earned our endorsement as a Lt. Governor candidate with Jim Barnett.

Susan Wagle is the clear choice for a new direction in Kansas.

I, for one, have no interest in a governor who’s nothing more than a surrogate of Obama looking for a ticket out of Kansas. And I definitely have no interest in a Republican leader who sells out his party for a ticket on the Sebelius express.

The race for Speaker of the House showcases two familiar candidates. Current Speaker Melvin Neufeld is seeking re-election but has been hounded by his inability to pass legislation authorizing the Holcomb power plants. He’s also getting significant heat for the passage of legislation in 2007 authorizing state-owned casinos in Kansas.

Rep. Mike O’Neal was endorsed by the KRA in his recent re-election bid to the House. Rep. O’Neal has a good record of being true to the taxpayer and as chairman of the Judiciary Committee has considerable experience with judicial appointments and the power of our courts. He also lead the charge against capitulation to the Supreme Court in their mandate to increase education funding.

With over 50% of the state budget going to K-12 education, it’s virtually impossible to cut state spending by $1 billion without a tax increase or education spending cuts. It’s not yet clear that the Supreme Court would intervene again, but with its past history, another mandate is likely. A strong Speaker is needed, and Rep. O’Neal fits the bill.

And the Democrat races? Well, not that we really care, but the Senate Minority Leader race is interesting for a couple of reasons.

First, we’re told all the time about the split in the Republican Party, but not much is said about the split within the Democrat Party. It was highlighted this past election season with the recruitment of Kelley Kultala against incumbent Democrat Mark Gilstrap. The media likes to talk about the recruitment of conservative candidates against ‘moderate’ Republicans, but for some reason didn’t see much interest in the recruitment of a liberal against a true moderate Democrat.

The race between current Minority Leader Hensley and Sen. Chris Steineger is also interesting because of Hensley’s relationship with Gov. Sebelius. Together, they decided to take out one of their own and spend thousands of party dollars to do it, while loosing a Senate seat. It will be interesting to see if other Democrat Senators agree with their strategy.

Related:

Kansas Liberty: O’Neal confident of unseating Neufeld
Kansas Liberty: How careful with your money are candidates for House, Senate leadership positions?
Kansas Liberty: Legislative leadership contests are ‘intimate and intense’
Kansas Liberty: Battle develops for top Democratic leadership post in Kansas Senate
Kansas Liberty: School spending cuts could set collision course with the Supreme Court
Wichita Liberty: Susan Wagle for Kansas Senate President
Topeka Capital Journal: Lawmakers to vote on key House, Senate jobs
Salina Journal: Who will be state’s leaders?

Calling Goodwin the ’21st Senator’, the Courier cites Morris and Vratil as saying the Senate seat will be pivotal in deciding Senate leadership positions in January.

Goodwin said she was sometimes called the “21st senator” among the moderate Republicans who control the Senate leadership. Those senators want to see her back. Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood, chairman of the judiciary committee, said hers was one of the key races that will determine the Senate leadership next year. Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, agreed.

The Winfield article comes on the heals of an AP story where Anthony Hensley, Senate Minority Leader, wouldn’t rule out using a little known rule to block conservative leadership.

The Senate majority leader and minority leader are chosen only by fellow party members. But all senators vote on the president and vice president after the majority party designates its choices. By custom, the minority party defers to the majority party’s choices. But if a conservative is designated as the next president, Hensley said, Democrats could use their votes to prevent that person from taking the top job. Hensley acknowledged doing so would be unconventional and probably unprecedented. Still, Hensley said: “It’s not outside the realm of possibility.”

Even after the heated primary where Senate leadership fed $45,000 into KTRM hit pieces against conservative challengers, including calling a former Congressman a racist, the Courier article comes as a surprise just under two weeks out from the election.

While conservatives and moderates have always had their differences, the party has a history of coming together for the general election and focusing on the work at hand of defeating Democrats and electing Republicans.

To be fair, Vratil and Morris didn’t come out and say they endorse Goodwin and the paper was curiously unable to produce any quotes from the pair. And the statement that the Goodwin/Abrams race will play a role in Senate leadership elections is a factual statement.

However, the way the article is presented, it seems as though the pair hope Goodwin will win so that they can keep their power.

In the same token, it would be folly for one to assume that the appearance presented in the paper is accurate without some verification. It shouldn’t escape anyone’s notice that the article hardly mentions Abrams at all and even goes so far as to say, “Polls show Goodwin with a slight lead over her opponent, Steve Abrams, of Arkansas City, according to sources within the Democratic Party.” Because we all know how reliable those Democratic polls are, right Jim Slattery?

For the sake of party unity, it would seem prudent for the two to clarify their remarks publicly and either validate or clarify their remarks to the Winfield Courier. If however, the appearance of the article is correct and Vratil and Morris have publicly supported a Democrat in order to keep their leadership positions, one has to seriously wonder how they’ll be able to effectively lead after having demonstrated that power is more important than party or any kind of value system they may have held.

In the end, what Republicans need to take to heart is that this race will be critical. Will it again play a pivotal role in deciding critical pieces of legislation like CARA, coal plants and more? Now is not the time to forget the folly of two years ago when Gene Rardin was handed a House seat by Republican leadership only to turn around and be the deciding vote on important coal plant legislation.

And lest you think all hinges on this one race, think again. Conservatives have many candidates across the state that need your help now! Any one of them could be the vote that changes the course of our state the next four years.

Steve Fitzgerald for Senate District 5 – Donate Online!
Mary Pilcher-Cook for Senate District 10 – Donate Online!
Jim Zeller for Senate District 18 – Donate Online!
Steve Abrams for Senate District 32 – Send a check now!