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Assessing Roberts' re-election prospects
Here are today's headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:Sen. Pat Roberts (R)![][1][(The American Spectator commentary) Earmaking Kansas:][2] Look for Sen. Pat Roberts to gain an Appropriations Committee slot in the coming Congress as he shifts off the Senate Intelligence Committee. Sources in Republican leadership say that Sen. Orrin Hatch will move over from Judiciary to Intelligence in place of Roberts. Roberts is expected to face a stiff re-election battle in Kansas, a state where the Democrat Party has been making some inroads, and where the national party apparently is emboldened to neutralize them. "An Appropriations seat helps Pat on the homefront with constituents," says the Senate leadership aide.[(National Review commentary) It's Never Too Early:][3] Herewith, an early look at the next batch of Senate races. ... Republican senator Pat Roberts intends to seek reelection. He'll win easily, unless Democratic governor Kathleen Sebelius becomes a candidate.[(KC Star) Committee hot spot:][4] Virginia GOP Sen. John Warner may pass on the top post on the Senate Environmental Committee, instead taking the ranking Intelligence slot now that Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts won't take the post. Roberts would then reclaim the ranking spot on the Agricultural panel in time for the farm bill.Rep. Dennis Moore (D)![][5][(KC Star) Congressman might have more influence as his party takes control:][6] U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Lenexa Democrat, will soon enter a new phase in his career in Congress - being a member of the majority. Since he was first elected from Kansas' 3rd Congressional District eight years ago, the former Johnson County district attorney has languished in the minority. That changed with the last election, and with it came the prospect that Moore could become more influential.Rep.-elect Nancy Boyda (D)![][7][(New York Times) Democrats Face a Tough Job, Leader Says:][8] To make his point on Saturday, Mr. Dean invited two newly elected members of the House to address the gathering of a few dozen party officials. The representatives-elect, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Nancy Boyda of Kansas, said they defeated Republican incumbents with the help of Mr. Dean's on-the-ground strategy to reorganize and rebuild the party. In an interview, Ms. Boyda said it was time to look forward. She said that she and the other Democrats who defeated Republican candidates would face a difficult burden winning re-election if the party did not follow through on pledges made in the midterm elections. "My personal concern is that the presidential campaign is going to dominate the conversation," Ms. Boyda said. "If that happens and Democrats can't get anything done, we will get kicked out of office just as fast as the Republicans." [1]: http://roberts.senate.gov/Roberts-020405-18060-080-CFFflipped.jpg [2]: http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10703 [3]: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZGZlYTIyYjVkOGQzODU4ZjhhZjFkMjcxOGJmZjc1NmI= [4]: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/16150949.htm [5]: http://gala.ntdtv.com/2006/en/vips/i/ks_dennis_moore.jpg [6]: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/16145357.htm [7]: http://www.actblue.com/images/entities/9536.gif [8]: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/washington/03dems.html?em&ex=1165294800&en=869665fd0549316e&ei=5087%0A
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4 December 2006
at 6:04 a.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
Roberts has been there way too long. It is a bit suspicious that Roberts suddenly wants to leave inteligence. Does he have dirty laundry with GW?
4 December 2006
at 7:28 a.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
Roberts completely FAILED at Congressional Oversight of Intelligence. And I don't mean only of oversight over the CIA intell, but also that of the DIA (Defense Intell Agency), who were the ones who clearly cooked intelligence in the march to illegally invade Iraq, coming from The Office of Strategic Influence, which later changed/morphed ONLY it's name, but not it's nature, to The Office of Global Communictions .
And he morphed/changed from a man of reasonable decision-making skills like that of Jerry Moran, as Roberts' honorable mentor taught him, into a Bush rubber-stamp, with little decision-making acts of his own.
I recommend Roberts resign now and become the lobbyist (sp?) that he already is.
4 December 2006
at 8:09 a.m.
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Jackalope (Anonymous) says…
Roberts wants the Appropriations committee so he can more effectively buy votes with pork barrel spending. A few more million into the old Santa Fe depot in Dodge City and he is in for his retirement tour of congress…..
4 December 2006
at 8:40 a.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
(caps for emphasis only)
Well, I do love that beautiful (!) depot. It is worth saving. No doubt about it.
I think that Kansas doesn't spend enough money in W. Kansas, considering the vast amount of property taxes they pay on all that farmland. All the money seems to go to E. Kansas to be spent. Doesn't make sense and isn't fair. And I am not happy with it.
W. Kansas is way too underrepresented within the state. And then, of course, they elect fruitcake yahoo's like Heulscamp (sp?), who is consistantly (!) the joke of Topeka even among the GOP. He has a narrow-visioned Religious Rite agenda, which doesn't bode well for W. Kansas representation (Misspell intentional. There is nothing “right” about the Religious Rite.)
Good thing that there is a great guy like Jerry Moran to represent them in Congress. What a good man!
4 December 2006
at 9:36 a.m.
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rhd99 (Anonymous) says…
dump roberts! That is what Kansas needs. He did only one good thing these past few years, saved Fort Riley & got the Big Red One back to the Sunflower state, expanded Fort Leavenworth's mission & the mission of McConnell AFB. As far as intelligence goes, he was a puppet for Bush. Enough said on the intelligence factor.
4 December 2006
at 10:15 a.m.
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BigDog (Anonymous) says…
Robert's may be vulnerable, but who has the name recognition across the state to run against him?
4 December 2006
at 10:24 a.m.
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WilburM (Anonymous) says…
What's fascinating is that there is a real discussion about running against a senator who would have been considered invulnerable a few years ago. On the name recognition front, I don't think it's a huge problem IF someone can raise the $6-10 Million needed to run a truly professional, high visibility campaign in a state where communications costs (even with KC) are just not that high. The Sebelius political operation has generated, I'd assume, first rate data on the Kansas electorate. An attractive, energetic candidate from the state legislature (like Montana's John Tester) might prove a great alternative to the DC insider that Roberts has always been.
Still, with Appropriations and Ag, he'll be in positions to throw a lot of $$ around.
4 December 2006
at 11:23 a.m.
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KsTwister (Anonymous) says…
America is cleaning house, this will take a while but its clearing the dead weight and do nothings. Bye Pat.
4 December 2006
at 1:54 p.m.
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Jamesaust (Anonymous) says…
Part of the problem with Democrats in Kansas is that they don't have a decent farm-team to draw upon. Sebelius could run if she really wanted but her odds are much better by waiting for Brownback's term to end two years after Roberts (the end of her own second term). Who else is the Democrat sacrificial lamb? Can the Democrats pull another 'Morrison' and steal away some dissatisfied moderate Republican?
Too bad. 2008 should be a very difficult year for GOP Senators - 21 of them have to run but only 12 Democrat Senators are up. That's a lot of races for the Republicans to have to cover with cash.
Still, Kansas hasn't had a Democrat Senator since George McGill in the 1930s - the ONLY state to go so long without electing a Democrat.
4 December 2006
at 2:28 p.m.
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senegal66025 (Anonymous) says…
Loopy Democrats dreaming during the Christmas Season. Roberts has the job as long as he wants it.
4 December 2006
at 9:18 p.m.
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nugget (Anonymous) says…
That's what they said about Jim Ryun.
4 December 2006
at 11:21 p.m.
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johngalt (Anonymous) says…
The country is safer, partly because of Roberts' leadership.
When elections weren't around the corner, Rockefeller and the rest of the Dems widely praised Roberts leadership on the Intel Committee.
After some of the 9/11 intelligence failures, he lead the very difficult effort to reform the intelligence organization.
Looks like it worked.
5 December 2006
at 8:19 a.m.
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Pug (Anonymous) says…
Johngalt — you my friend are a blind fool. Pat didn't lead anything. He took his cues from the WH, namely Cheney. He has conducted no oversight of the Committee. Pat was only chairman b/c the WH knew he'd be a loyal foot soldier — and that he was. I also like that when the going gets tough, Pat leaves the committee. Or do you think he was booted by the Republicans themselves? Either way, he is inept at anything other than agriculture issues.
6 December 2006
at 4:03 p.m.
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KUBecks (Anonymous) says…
Way too long?! We are lucky to have a man of his integrity representing us. Also, next time you want to insult someone you should probably run your comments through spell check. Last time I checked intelligence had two L's.