Topeka ? Democrats began this year looking downtrodden, even for the party traditionally out of power in Kansas politics.

While Republican circles buzzed with word of potential candidates for statewide office, Democratic ones were relatively quiet. Democrats seemed to be struggling to find good candidates.

Yet, when the filing deadline had passed, Democrats found themselves with a strong ticket for the top executive offices in Kansas government. All five general election races look competitive, and Democrats stand a reasonable chance of winning three or four.

“The Democrats did a good job of recruiting a slate of statewide candidates,” said state Republican Chairman Mark Parkinson. “We have a horse race in every single slot.”

For months, the presumed Democratic nominee for governor has been Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius. Her lieutenant-governor running mate is John Moore, executive vice president at Cessna Aircraft Co. in Wichita.

The other Democratic candidates are Geary County Atty. Chris Biggs, Junction City, for attorney general; House Minority Leader Jim Garner, Coffeyville, for insurance commissioner; public health lobbyist and advocate Sally Finney, Olathe, for state treasurer; and Sen. David Haley, Kansas City, for secretary of state.

The one downer for Democrats was their inability to recruit a candidate for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Pat Roberts. The one candidate who could have been truly competitive former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman decided against it after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

But in the five other statewide races, Democrats have credible candidates who can win the races they’ve entered under the right circumstances, despite Kansas having almost 286,000 more registered Republican voters than registered Democratic ones.

“I feel very good about this slate,” said state Democratic Chairman Tom Sawyer. “If things go right, we could sweep all five.”

The most difficult contest belongs to Haley, who is taking on two-term incumbent Republican Ron Thornburgh in a race that typically gets little attention.

The crushing weight of history is on Thornburgh’s side. Republicans have held the office for 98 of the past 100 years, and legend has it that the last Democrat, Larry Ryan, elected in 1948, won only because voters confused him with Republican incumbent Frank J. Ryan.

But the race is worth watching for several reasons.

Haley is the nephew of “Roots” author Alex Haley. His father, George, was the first black state senator, elected as a Republican in 1964, and later served in five presidents’ administrations, including as ambassador to Gambia under President Clinton.

If he were elected, he would be the first black candidate to win a statewide executive branch office since Edward P. McCabe was re-elected state auditor in 1884.

Those facts are likely to gain his campaign attention and prevent it withering from a relative lack of interest.

Sally Finney’s name also creates visibility for her race. She is the eldest daughter of the late Gov. Joan Finney, who was treasurer in 1975-90.

The former governor’s death last year from liver cancer resulted in an outpouring of fondness from many Kansans, and their recollections of her ability to connect with people appeared to wash away memories of the controversies from her one term as governor.

Again, the race is likely to receive more attention than it otherwise would have.

In the insurance commissioner’s race, Garner is a relatively prominent figure who is running on Sebelius’ record, banking on her reputation as a consumer advocate.

He also has declared he won’t take contributions from the insurance industry, which is likely to set him apart from any Republican nominee.

The GOP also must reckon with its past 96-year hold on the office. Sebelius toppled the dynasty in 1994 by portraying it as inefficient, corrupt and beholden to the insurance industry it regulated.

Biggs’ main asset in the attorney general’s race is his 13 years as an elected prosecutor, something that helps candidates for that office, even though they do more administrative than courtroom work.

Two of the Republican hopefuls, Sen. David Adkins, Leawood, and former Rep. Phill Kline, Shawnee, have never been elected as a county or district attorney. The third, Charles McAtee, a Topeka attorney, has years of experience with the FBI and as an assistant U.S. attorney but plans to run a low-budget, low-key campaign.

Finally, there is Sebelius, the gubernatorial nominee. She’s won two statewide elections and, without a primary opponent, can focus on raising money for a general election campaign.

To win, all of them will have to raise enough money to get their messages to voters, something that is usually a tougher task for Democrats than Republicans. The Democratic candidates also will need GOP dissension and must attract support from unaffiliated voters.

But Democrats are at least off to a good start, and all five races will be worth watching.