Sunday, March 16, 2014

Democrats Can Win in Kansas?!

Given how deeply red Kansas is, I was dead certain that Republican Governor Sam Brownback would easily win re-election this November, especially with an environment favorable to his party.

Turns out that's not the case. Polls show a tight race between Brownback and Kansas House Minority Leader Paul Davis. A PPP poll taken last month shows Davis up by two points, which is really bad news for Brownback, who was elected Governor in the Republican wave of 2010 after serving 14 years in the U.S. Senate.

What's even more troubling for the Brownback Campaign is another PPP poll showing a majority of Kansans disapproving of his performance as Governor. A majority of voters in the state disapprove of his job performance, and his 33% approval rating is even lower than President Obama's in the state. In the last presidential election, Obama lost Kansas to Mitt Romney in a landslide.

Brownback's sagging poll numbers are partly contributed to his declining popularity among Republicans in the state, whom a quarter now say they will back Davis for Governor. During his last three years in office, Brownback has alienated moderate GOP voters in the state with his administration's agenda, which includes drastic cuts to education, far-right anti-aboriton legislation, and the largest tax cut in the state's history.

Brownback was elected Governor in a landslide with 63% of the vote. If he loses this November, it could potentially send a warning signal to the national GOP on how far to the right the party can go-even in a state as red as Kansas. 

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