Why 104 Kansas Republicans just endorsed a Democrat for governor

[babylonsister]

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/15/5901999/sam-brownback-moderate-republicans-endorse-paul-davis?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=ezraklein&utm_content=tuesday


Why 104 Kansas Republicans just endorsed a Democrat for governor

Updated by Andrew Prokop on July 15, 2014, 2:51 p.m.


On Tuesday, a group of 104 Kansas Republicans announced that they would endorse Democrat Paul Davis for governor, rather than incumbent Republican Sam Brownback.

The group, Republicans for Kansas Values, released a list of 10 reasons they were endorsing Davis, most of which focused on Brownback's tax and budget policies. "Brownback's reckless tax 'experiment' resulted in (1) deficit spending, (2) increased debt, and (3) reduced credit rating," the release reads. The group is mainly made up of former elected officials. It contains two former lieutenant governors, the current state insurance commissioner, and many former members of the state legislature.

""There’s a lot of anger toward the governor""

The unusual mass endorsement comes after years of acrimony between Brownback and his state's moderate Republican faction, which resisted the governor's enormous tax cuts. In early 2012, Brownback moved against several moderate state senators, supporting primary challenges against them. Outside money from groups like Americans for Prosperity poured in.

8 moderate Republican senators ended up losing their seats to conservatives. Now, 7 of them have endorsed Paul Davis. "There’s a lot of anger toward the governor, who has played real hardball politics," University of Kansas professor Burdett Loomis said in a recent interview.

It's only the latest bad news for Brownback, who has trailed Davis in several recent polls. Since Kansas passed Brownback's massive tax cut, revenues have plummeted, and the state's bond rating has been downgraded. For more about how Brownback and Kansas got in this situation, check out Vox's report here.

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/8/5868717/sam-brownback-kansas-tax-cut

[randys1]

1. Hopefully this will help, but we have to understand Brownback is not a failure, he is a success

Because his job is to bankrupt the state, destroy their ability to regulate anything.

He is well on his way to accomplishing that.

Same as bush/cheney and WMD, not finding it was the success, it wasnt there, they knew that, so they didnt fail with Iraq, they achieved the goal of spending billions of OUR money on THEIR friends...Halliburton etc

[arcane1]

2. And opening up Iraq's industries to foreign ownership, etc.

Exactly right: his job is to bankrupt the state.

[tk2kewl]

8. it's maddening

nt

[MuseRider]

3. Aww he will be OK, little Ricky Santorum

was stumping for him yesterday in a used car lot in Kansas City and a movie theater (?) in Wichita. They talked about god and nasty gay people who are loved by god but somehow don't deserve equal treatment and more stuff I can't bare to even consider in my head this afternoon.

Brownback compared himself to Reagan.

How can you trash a state totally and still win re election? Koch Industries housed in your state, he is theirs and they are his and we are screwed (with a little added Santorum).

[mstinamotorcity2]

4. More, More, More!!!

I love it when they eat their own.

[1StrongBlackMan]

5. And I want them to continue talking bad about Brownback ...

Straight through until November 2014, telling everyone to go out a vote for Davis (against Brownback) ... and on yeah, since you're already there ... there are a couple non-republicans running for other offices!

[KSstellarcat]

6. I'm a Kansan, and I just sent this list and statement to my LLC-owning father

I'm anxious to hear his thoughts about this. He actually knows a few of the 104 Republicans listed.

[fishwax]

7. no surprise this has been a disaster

I'm glad brownback is getting his just desserts, but it's a shame that the people of Kansas will have to suffer so much for his fantasy.