Upset in Kansas House District 16.

[SheilaT]

Jim Yonally, the moderate two-term incumbent was defeated yesterday by John Dennis Kriegshauser, whose campaign got a huge boost from the Kansas Club for Growth, a right-wing group that opposes most taxes and isn't crazy about adequate funding for schools.

As a consequence, the Democratic challenger, Gene Rardin, is very well positioned to win his race, since in reality the majority of Republicans in this district are moderate and support good schools. Here's a link to his website: http://www.rardinforkansas.com/ What he needs now more than anything is money, so if you can send a check -- make it out to Rardin for Kansas -- to the address on the website it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you can volunteer to go door to door for him, please do so.

I am going to be very active in Gene's campaign, and we can't have too many people helping out.

Kriegshauser if far to the right of most Kansans, and we can't allow him to win.

[atommom]

1. I was alarmed to see that Kriegshauser had won.

But in my neighborhood, there really was a preponderance of Kriegshauser signs. I did a post-mortem this morning (looking for Yonally voters who might be swayed to vote for Gene instead), and it was not pretty. Gene Rardin could definitely use our support.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Good info Sheila!

I heard about this last night at the Moore watch party.

Kansas Club for Growth of what? Ignorance??

[SheilaT]

3. Kansas Club for Grown

(and I think there are a number of Clubs for Growth out there) assumes that the lower the taxes the better. Growth is a direct result of low or no taxes and low or no government "interference" or oversight of any kind.

In 2000 the Republican incumbent in District 16 retired, and the person he hand-picked to replace him was Karen DiVita, who turned out to be so awful that the Republican party went to Jim Yonally and begged him to come out of retirement and run against her. Which he did, and beat her handily in the primary in 2002. In fact, it was the people in her own precinct who came out in droves to vote against her.

I will find out more about Kriegshauser.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. It's TABOR by a new name

Ask anyone in Colorado what they think of TABOR. They tried to get a foothold in MO too but were beaten back (this time).

[SheilaT]

5. Thanks for mentioning TABOR.

I'll pass that on to the Democrat running for that office to help him in his campaign.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Dontcha love the way the repukes change the vocabulary on us?

This is about the 4th term they have used to describe TABOR.

[SheilaT]

7. Well, Kansas Club for Growth

isn't so much a new term as an organization out there. Clubs for Growth have been around at least several years now, and while they have the same aims as TABOR, are not identical. Nonetheless, it's a useful connection.

[beyurslf]

8. Club for Growth is not TABOR. They push TABOR and call it that.

The club is Koch Industries basically and they want to eliminate every tax possible starting with the ones that hit businesses and the wealthy first.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. aha

Well it sounds like their agenda is simmilar to TABOR.

[Mabus]

10. Link to Kriegshauser's latest financial contributions report

Warning, it is a PDF file. http://www.kansas.gov/ethics/CFAScanned/ElecCycle2006/200607/H016JK_200607.pdf

Here's a link we all need to bookmark and check: http://www.kansas.gov/ethics/FiledRptsFrmsHm.htm It is the Kansas Ethics' website. It contains pdf files of Kansas state candidates (federal candidates file with the FEC).

[SheilaT]

14. Having gotten the Kriegshauser mailings

I know a whole lot more money was spent on his direct mail than that report indicates. A lot more.

The moderate who lost said in today's Sun that this was the "dirtiest, nastiest campaign I have ever been involved in." What this all means is that the door is wide open for Gene Rardin, the Democrat who is running against Kriegshauser. And Gene needs your help. As soon as the weather cools he will probably start the door-to-door stuff, so anyone here who can volunteer to help out, either contact Gene through his website or PM me.

[Mabus]

15. You'll notice that most wingnuts are working with "The Source" in Topeka

I think they're getting discounts or something. Just keep an eye on the financial statements.

[Mabus]

9. don't you remember their "latte drinking" ads against Dean in 2004?

Announcer off-screen: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HOWARD DEAN’S PLANS TO RAISE TAXES ON FAMILIES BY NINETEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR?

Husband: WHAT DO I THINK?
WELL, I THINK HOWARD DEAN SHOULD TAKE HIS TAX HIKING, GOVERNMENT-EXPANDING, LATTE-DRINKING, SUSHI-EATING, VOLVO-DRIVING, NEW YORK TIMES-READING . . .

Wife: . . . BODY PIERCING, HOLLYWOOD-LOVING, LEFT-WING FREAK SHOW BACK TO VERMONT, WHERE IT BELONGS.

Husband: GOT IT?

Announcer: CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THIS ADVERTISING. http://www.clubforgrowth.org/video/iowa-dean-script.php

iirc, the KCfG supported Kobach in 2004.

[Mabus]

11. Listing and links to Kansas PAC contributors

http://www.kansas.gov/ethics/CFAScanned/PAC%20Links.htm
The files are pdf.

[MuseRider]

12. Add one to that

we have a new PAC, I have not filed yet. Hopefully today I will have all the paperwork and if I get my truck back I can go to the SOS office and file for the Kansas Equality Coalition PAC.