14,302
That's how many Republicans in Iowa got involved and participated in last Saturday's straw poll. That's the number of Republicans who ponied up $35 to cast their vote in an early test of the Presidential waters.
The straw poll voters didn't just show Mitt Romney's financial and organizational muscle and give Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee a chance to gain the national spotlight, there is a lot to learn from those numbers. Kansas has almost the same population, about 2.7 million compared to Iowa's 2.9 million. Demographically similar in most respects, both states share the same strong Midwestern values.
Imagine what could be accomplished in Kansas with over 14,000 excited, involved Republicans working at the grassroots. What if there were 133 activists working in each Kansas county?
With the upcoming caucuses, the Kansas GOP can take a page out of the Iowa playbook by getting individual voters involved and active. Not after the fact, but early in 2008. The plan is starting to take shape, with caucuses being planned throughout Kansas.
Insider has to admit, this isn't really "inside" information. http://ksgopcaucus.org will get you all the information you need on the upcoming caucuses.
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37 comments:
Romney bought the victory in Iowa by paying his "supporters" as much as $100 to attend. Maybe if the KS GOP will fundraise enough money, they can pay all the activists $100 to participate in the KS caucus.
A presidential primary would be nice. But, if the legislature won't provide funding this is the next best thing.
Kobach/Morgan are doing a good thing here.
Someone tell Christian Morgan that paying peoples way to the straw poll is NOT the same as "each ponying up $35"
What's left of the Kansas Republican Party has become unstuck from the moorings of reality.
How is this primary business being paid for?
Is this blog nothing but state party press releases?
Is Chairman Kobach going to investigate the YR gay sex abuse scandal? I think that it's terrible what they're doing to our young Republicans. They're forcing them to do awful things.
All this Monday morning quarterbacking on the part of moderate and Wichita disgruntled malcontents is getting really old. There are maybe legitimate criticisms of certain things that the party has done and people might have different ideas on how to make the party better but look at what they have done. Contribution data isn't recorded on index cards anymore, they now have more than 1000 email addresses in their system, a presidential caucus is being held in the first time in nearly 20 years, the party actually stays on top of attacking Moore, Sebelius and Boyda, Morgan and Kangas are actually in the office on weekends and evenings and travel the state showing up at events, the RNC is in the state and actively helping the party because they actually trust the people in charge now. There is a ton more to do but in comparison with the prior circus at the office we are light years ahead.
Morgan and Kangas are okay. The problems with the GOP are far bigger than "staff" issues, mailing lists or state committee meetings. The problem with the GOP is that our President is a jackass and he's losing his war. The problem with the GOP is that in KS - and nationally - our candidates suck. We don't have an electable candidate for President. We don't have electable candidates against Moore and Boyda. The problem with the GOP is that rightwing interest groups have driven us into the abyss of wedge issue politics. The KS Republicans are so far removed from mainstream that it's not even funny. And, on top of it all, social conservatives are riddled with constant scandals showing that they're nothing but a bunch of hyprocrits and liars.
We're not "Monday morning quarterbacking." We're telling you that we're ashamed to be associated with the Republican Party. It's an embarassment. Hosting a caucus or cleaning up the state headquarters doesn't make a bit of difference. You're fiddling while Rome burns. Party leaders at all levels need to start offering some real leadership or the GOP is headed to longterm minority status.
Just so you know, that was not me.
But is does make a lot of sense, now doesn't it?
I think it is a thinking person that visits my blog and leaves comments every bit as thought out as the above.
Probably a Ron Paul person.
Well said.
The GOP is completely collapsing. And while all this is going on our leaders are arguing over loyalty oaths.
Morgan and Kangas in the office and doing great things? Now we know that they or their friends write this blog. I hear that the party office has been closed the past two weeks; the alleged cash on hand doesn't factor in debts the party owes and the presidential caucus is nice but doesn't help us in state elections one bit. Why does party like the caucus idea? Kobach and Morgan hope to be courted by presidential candidates for future employment/appointment opportunities. That's the real motivation.
The loyalty committee hasn't dealt with the moderates and malcontents yet? What's taking so long?
"Morgan and Kangas are actually in the office on weekends and evenings and travel the state showing up at events"
I hear Kangas will even be attending the Thompson fundraiser in KC.
Shouldn't the party staff stay out of primaries? They sure complained when their predecessors got involved...
The Party staff is getting involved in anything that could possibly lead to future employment... because they know their little games with the State PArty won't last long. And Corrie Kangas has got to get a better job if she wants to move out of her parent's house before she turns 35.
"We're not "Monday morning quarterbacking." We're telling you that we're ashamed to be associated with the Republican Party. It's an embarassment."
Well said.
The problem with the Republican party right now lies almost entirely in the Kansas Senate.
Senate leadership is pathetic.
Outside of gaming the mods and conservatives in the House worked together on normal Republican things like tax cuts and transparency.
The Senate bottles those things up; Senate leadership, Steve Morris, is "uncomfortable" with $40MM in tax cuts though our total state budget is in the $12 billion range.
Many of the mod Senators who follow Morris' path will lose primaries or general elections in 2008.
The fence sitters like McGinn, Apple, Pine and Bruce better watch very carefully how they vote this Spring.
The Jenkins/Ryun race doesn't help things too much either. Both are good candidates with some faults. I hope either side helps the winner. This will be a true test.
"Both are good candidates with some faults."
Lateness and churlishness are some faults.
Dismal performance in office and horrid service to the constituency are inexcusable offenses by public officials.
How come this is the GOP Insider and there has been nothing about Nick Jordan running.
there is nothing about nick jordan running, or any other relevant information because this blog is simply self-promotion by the ks gop staff.
someone tell ryan wright, wichita and/or andy wollen to loosen up. (to the last post)
This is an email from KTRM that went out today.
KTRM Flash: Conservative KS GOP snubs Brownback, again.
Well, we knew it wouldn’t take long before Christian Morgan and the Party officially stepped in it (again) but that is exactly what appears to have happened Monday night at the Overland Park fundraiser for presidential candidate Fred Thompson.
FLASH did not attend the event but numerous sources have indicated that Christian Morgan, Corrie Kangas, Jared Suhn and Kris Van Meteren attended the event and worked the registration table for Thompson. It should also be noted that the event was coordinated, in part, by Missouri activist Cathy Nugent who also runs the Missouri chapter of Americans for Prosperity.
The problem for Morgan, Kangas and Van Meteren?
Well, beside the fact that the senior senator from Kansas is running against Thompson, it has long been held that Party officials will remain **neutral** in Primary Elections. Needless to say, and rightly so, the Brownback camp is feeling a little miffed about the whole episode. It is one thing to attend an event, it is another to “work it” for a candidate. Additionally, the Thompson episode comes on the heels of a snub earlier by the Party when they refused to distribute details of the Brownback bus tour from Topeka to Iowa for the caucuses.
Needless to say, the entire situation begs the question on if we can expect the Party to truly stay neutral during this next election cycle?
Over the previous years, Brownback has been a major supporter of the Kansas Republican Party, routinely giving very large sums of money from his Restore America PAC. The Party can probably scratch Brownback off of their fundraising lists for a while…then again, he probably wasn’t to keen on giving to the Party anyway after they tried to sanction him for being too liberal on immigration.
Additionally, it will also be interesting to see if there is any fallout during the next election cycle regarding Van Meteren and Jared Suhn and their printing company The Source. Historically, The Source has been the conservative mailing house for candidates including Brownback. However, Van Meteren and Suhn have increasingly been found at the center of many of the major controversies within the Party and the split within the conservative ranks. A number of people are not too happy with that and have been taking note of their actions.
More later…
Nugent is not part of AFP Missouri any more.
Thank you, Jamie Woodworth, for sharing the KTRM Flash with the rest of us. Funny how much you talk to them in contrast with how much you talk now with your fellow conservatives.
Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, Senator Brownback's financial support of the party dried up (at the direction of his Chief of Staff, Rob Wasinger) when the state committee chose Kris Kobach over Mike Pompeo. Both Kobach and Pompeo are great guys but Wasinger got personally involved in the race in spite of the Senator's officially neutral position. Pompeo's loss left Wasinger with egg all over his face. His solution? Punish the party and those who supported Kobach. Classic Nixonian paranoia and narcissism.
Interesting how KTRM doesn't say anything about the fact that Steve Cloud was at the event. Funny how they and the "supposed" disgruntled Brownback folks give him a pass but gripe at their fellow conservative.
And why is that KTRM doesn't critize Jamie Woodworth who is a District Chair and is openly campaigning for Brownback? How does she get a pass? Maybe she is working with KTRM now....thats sure to go over big with Brownback's ultra-conservative base.
Ryan anytime you would like to double check your facts that would be great. Suhn kept the anti-Brownback immigration resolution from coming to a vote at the state committee meeting. Everyone knew he was working to ensure rules were written that allowed the resolutions committee to deep six an anti-Brownback resolution in the event that one was proposed....even Brownback's staff knew what the plan was. From what I hear though don't expect that to happen again anytime soon.
Since they are the ones charged with running the caucuses, the party chair and staff should stay out of the presidential primary.
Can anyone tell me how this blog has ever helped the Republican Party or any of its candidates. When is the GOPInsider going to see that we just air the dirty laundry here.
What does Fred Thompson have to do with getting Republican State Legislators elected in 2008?
I think if the party staff would focus their attention on the goal of electing Kansas Republicans they would get a lot less criticism from both wings of the party.
Hello to those of you on this site who apparently have too much time on your hands... :-)
I usually don't waste my time perusing sites like this but someone told me my name was being thrown around and I should check it out.
I appreciate the heartfelt concern for the success of my business voiced in this forum. I had no idea so many people are apparently losing so much sleep over my financial future but I appreciate their interest. FYI, business has never been better. Last year was a record year and next year promises to be even better.
Now, for the record:
Yes, I'm supporting Senator Fred Thompson for President. Yes, I was at the reception for him on Monday. Yes, I helped raise money for the event. Yes, I'm going to keep working to make sure he's the next President of the United States.
My support of Senator Thompson for President in no way means that I don't support our senior United States Senator. I've considered it an honor to work for and with Senator Brownback for years and look forward to continuing to do so. But at this moment it doesn't appear that he is gaining the traction it is going to take to win the nomination. If current trends hold and Senator Brownback fails to capture the nomination, he will undoubtedly continue playing a leadership role in Kansas politics. I stand by ready to help him in that capacity in every way I can.
Over the past few months, I looked long and hard at each of the candidates to decide which one, among the several who represent my values, can beat the Democratic nominee. Hands down, that person is Senator Fred Thompson.
I'm pleased to support him, expect him to win the nomination, and am working to make sure he wins Kansas' 39 votes at the Republican National Convention.
As always, if anyone has any questions or concerns about my position in this campaign, I'm easy to find and will be glad to visit with them about it.
Now, time to get back to work.
With Warm Regards,
Kris Van Meteren
"I hear Kangas will even be attending the Thompson fundraiser in KC.
Shouldn't the party staff stay out of primaries? They sure complained when their predecessors got involved..."
No, the party staff should not pick sides in the primary, but they certainly should show up at events! People only complained when the predecessors were obviously picking sides.
Besides, Kangas (the only party staff there) was there as part of the Eisenhower women who were comped to staff the event, not as party staff.
Wait just a minute Jamie. Corrie showed up at an event for Brownback, Christian attended an event for Rudy but now it is all of a sudden an issue that they registered a couple of people at a Thompson event? How is it that you didn't have a problem with Ron and Chad helping you run Pompeo's state chair campaign but you have a problem with this? Oooops.......sorry, I forgot.....sort of let that cat out of the bag. You didn't want anyone to know that Ron was right in the middle of the Pompeo campaign while you went around and lobbied everyone to support Pompeo by saying that he was going to fire poor Ron, Chad and Margie. Not to much of a double standard.
That's it? Wild personal attacks? What ever happened to personal responsibility for your actions, Christian?
Lies and false accusations aside- the fact remains- State Party staff is supposed to be putting together a "fair" Presidential Caucus.
Lies? Try delusions...
Someone's ignorance is showing. Actually the caucus rules give the authority to the National Convention Steering Committee and say that the District Chairs are supposed to coordinate it with the State Party. So......the district chairs (three of whom are on record supporting a particular candidate) have just as much responsiblity in ensuring a "fair" event.
just for the record... I happen to know that Christian Morgan was in Linn County speaking at the time of the Thompson event... wonder how many other "facts" KTRM got wrong?
rumors and griping are so helpful...
how about KTRM and Wichita spend less time complaining and spreading rumors and lies and more time actually working to help Republicans win?
there are a number of Democrat House & Senate members who need to be targeted in 2008. anyone hear anything factual about who might take some of them on?
How many seats have you targeted to date, Christian? Better yet, how much money have you raised to support the candidates who show up to take on these targeted seats?
Oh wait, that would mean actual work.
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