There’s something interesting going on in Kansas (WaPo):
WICHITA — Paul Morrison, a career prosecutor who specializes in putting killers behind bars, has the bulletproof résumé and the rugged looks of a law-and-order Republican, which is what he was until last year. That was when he announced he would run for attorney general — as a Democrat.
He is now running neck-and-neck with Republican Phill Kline, an iconic social conservative who made headlines by seeking the names of abortion-clinic patients and vowing to defend science-teaching standards that challenge Darwinian evolution.
[snip]
Nor is Morrison alone. In a state that voted nearly 2 to 1 for President Bush in 2004, nine former Republicans will be on the November ballot as Democrats.
Apparently they feel as if some lines have shifted around while they were standing still. (I understand the feeling…)
Polimom suspects that if there was a Moderate Party, these nine folks would not have gone Democratic; that’s a heck of a leap for a Republican in a state like Kansas. Nor would I have picked Kansas for a moderate bellwether — but I can’t imagine a better highlight for this (WSJ):
A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll illustrates the political toll Republicans are paying for rising discontent over the Iraq war, as well as a spate of scandals including the disclosure that Republican House leaders knew of inappropriate emails to House pages from Florida Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned late last month. Voters’ approval of Congress has fallen to 16% from 20% since early September, while their disapproval has risen to 75% from 65%.
16%. Goodness.
That explains a lot.