Washington — With the 2008 election season over, Rep. Jerry Moran wasted little time taking the next step in his likely bid for higher office.
The western Kansas Republican filed paperwork Friday that allows him to accept contributions for a U.S. Senate campaign.
Moran, of Hays, has been telling constituents for months that he plans to seek the seat being vacated in 2010 by Republican Sam Brownback. His statement of candidacy filed with the Federal Election Commission and the secretary of the U.S. Senate formalizes that process.
"Jerry was on the ballot for the U.S. House for the last time," Moran spokesman Travis Murphy said Friday. "He's made his intentions known for some time that this was his plan."
Murphy said the filings are part of the process of making Moran's intentions clear "and allowing him to follow the rules."
Moran already has amassed about $2.4 million in his House campaign coffers that could be transferred to a Senate bid.
Moran was re-elected to a seventh House term on Tuesday with 82 percent of the vote, the highest percentage of any Republican in the nation running for Congress. But he has been working in recent months to increase his name recognition in eastern Kansas.
Moran may not be the only prominent Republican laying the groundwork for a Senate bid. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, of the Wichita area, has not ruled out such a campaign and has been traveling the state recently to raise his profile outside his south-central Kansas district.
"An open Senate seat will draw a lot of interest, and my feeling is Kansas will not have two senators from the same congressional district," Tiahrt said Friday, a reference to Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, who also represented western Kansas before ascending to the Senate. "I can guarantee there will be others who will get into this race."
But Tiahrt also said it was too early to talk about the next election cycle.
"Like other Kansans, talk of another political campaign makes me groan right now," Tiahrt said.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is a possible Democratic contender, but she is widely expected to take a position in Barack Obama's administration should an offer be extended.
Comments
Richard Heckler 8 years, 7 months ago
Well have we had not enough of these 24/7 campaigns? The country now has 10 million out of work,the home loan fiasco and 50 million without medical insurance yet Tihart and Moran have time to campaign for a 2010 race? Have we not had enough special interest funding of campaigns?Do we elect people to spend so much time running campaigns? Replacing Brownback with Tihart or Moran will not necessarily provide new thinking? If Moran and Tihart go against big government think how much it will cost taxpayers for their retirement and their medical insurance for the rest of their lives.It did seem to me that this past presidential race had wayyyy too many people on the campaign trail for wayyyy too long. From both sides of the aisle.
Tom McCune 8 years, 7 months ago
George Orwell was only half right. He was right about the perpetual war, but he missed the perpetual political campaign.There needs to be a constitutional amendment. I propose the following as the 28th amendment:1. All forms of political campaigning are unlawful more than 6 months prior to election day.2. For purposes of this amendment, political campaigning shall include soliciting money, accepting money, hiring staff, buying advertisements, filing for office, opening campaign offices, making public statements about running for office, or any other activity that might be reasonably construed as political campaigning.3. Financial contributions to political candidates shall be limited to $100 per donor per year for all candidates in the aggregate. Only natural persons registered to vote are allowed as donors. All campaign contributions must be anonymous and must go through a blind trust. Neither donors nor trusts may ever reveal the identities of donors to political candidates or office holders. Political candidates or office holders may never inquire as to the identity of donors.4. Fundraising or expenditures for political campaigning shall be limited to the following, in total, per political campaign:President of the United States:- $10 million for primary elections- $20 million for the general electionSenate of the United States:- $1 million for primary elections- $2 million for general electionsUnited States House of Representatives:- $0.5 million for primary elections- $1 million for general elections5. The financial limits in section 5 shall increase each year in accordance with the Cost of Living Index published by {whoever publishes it} .6. Political campaigns for referenda shall be subject to restrictions similar to those herein for political candidates.7. Any unused campaign funds must be surrendered to the Treasury of the United States within 30 days after the end of any political campaign.8. Violation of this amendment shall constitute treason against the United States.
Steve Jacob 8 years, 7 months ago
From what little I know, Moran is a lot better then Tihart. Also guessing if Sebelius does not run, Dennis Moore will be begged to run, and he will have to spend many hours in western Kansas. Plus you know the republicans will make gains in 2010 in Congress. But I said before, I might have to bite the bullet and register as a Rep. in 2010 primary to vote for Sec. of State Thornburgh for governor over Brownback. So I guess I get to pick Moran or Tihart too!
dweezil222 8 years, 7 months ago
If it's going to be one of the two, I'd much rather it be Moran than Tiahrt. Moran is just a conservative; Tiahrt is a right-wing nutjob. Dennis Moore is a tool. Surely somewhere there is a good, level-headed candidate who can be induced to run. Maybe the stink with Paul Morrison will have blown over by then and he can run.
roger_o_thornhill 8 years, 7 months ago
How much does it cost to put your name into a U.S. Senate race? (filing fee?, etc...) I think maybe 2010 may be MY year.
Steve Jacob 8 years, 7 months ago
Courts say you can spend as much of your own money you want to run for office. Mayor Bloomberg might spend a BILLION if he ever runs.Obama has opened up Pandora's box as far as money for campaigns that we can't close, and he even knows that.
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