Gov. Bill Graves today ended a six-week holdout and endorsed fellow Republican Tim Shallenburger for governor, saying that party loyalty moved him to overcome his differences with Shallenburger.

“This is a time when as the head of the Republican Party, I believe I have a responsibility to work through whatever issues we have, focus on the positive things,” Graves said at a news conference with Shallenburger held in the governor’s ceremonial office.

Graves, a moderate Republican, and Shallenburger, a conservative Republican, have often been at odds.

After Shallenburger’s GOP primary win on Aug. 6, nearly all heavyweight Republicans, including moderates, lined up behind him.

But not Graves, who was prohibited by term limits from running for re-election.

The two met privately for an hour on Sept. 3, but still Graves would not give his blessing, although he indicated it was just a matter of time.

The reluctance of Graves to quickly back his fellow Republican was seen as further evidence of the split between moderates and conservatives. Some moderate Republicans have openly stated that they will work for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Sebelius’ election effort.

Sebelius, the current insurance commissioner, has stated that she has always had a good working relationship with Graves.

Today, Graves said he would vote for Shallenburger, raise funds for him, appear on his behalf and even give him a donation.

Shallenburger praised Graves’ tenure as governor and said his support will help his candidacy. “The governor is the leader of the Republican Party of the state and has a lot of goodwill out there,” he said.

But just how important is such an endorsement?

Asked Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a conservative Republican, said such endorsements are “important” and “valuable.”

But they’re only just one factor in helping people make up their minds on election day, Brownback told reporters during a telephone press conference.

“I think it’s a very valuable thing to have,” Brownback said.

“People make up their own minds. It’s not as if they look at any one person and say ‘however that person is going, that’s the way I’m going.’ People don’t operate that way. They make up their own minds,” Brownback said.

“But they do accumulate information in their decision-making process.

“And a piece of that information is where some other elected officials are. I think it’s very important to have the governor’s endorsement.”

For the latest on the endorsement, see the 6News report at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s cable Channel 6, or pick up a copy of Friday’s Journal-World.