The state of Kansas hasn’t sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 78 years.  Which, for the GOP, means the upcoming primary will likely determine who will be this state’s next Senator.  With that in mind, Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt, both currently Representives in the U.S. House, claim their conservative credentials outsize the others.
The distinction, political analyst Michael Barone says, is critical because, “There’s a relatively small difference between these two on most substantive roll call issues that have come before the House.”  On voting records, Barone points out that, “Jerry Moran has made something of Todd Tiahrt’s support earlier, almost a decade ago, for the so-called Dream Act proposal that would provide college tuitions for children of illegal immigrants, who are brought into the country, who’ve done well in high school.  Mr Tiahrt has said he regrets that proposal and now has taken a different view.  I think the real issue here is what kind of leadership role these people, each of these men might make in the Senate.”

The Congressmen are vying for the seat being vacated by Republican Senator Sam Brownback, who is running for Governor of his state.  Both men have received high ratings from the American Conservative Union, but Representative Tiahrt pointed out to Fox News that he still beats his opponent:  “You look at the last year,” Taihrt says,  “…you look at lifetimes, I’m significantly higher. All you have to do is go to the Almanac on American Politics, he’s described as a moderate.  I’m described as a conservative, a consistant conservative.”
Representative Moran, who is enjoying a double digit lead over Tiahrt, in most polls, says, “I don’t have to out-conservative anybody. I’m happy to stand on my voting record. I think it speaks for itself.  I’m one of the Republicans who fought Republican bad ideas….and so when the argument is that I don’t vote with Republicans, it’s I don’t vote with Republicans when they’re wrong…especially on spending and growing government.  I’m not trying to be something I’m not.”
The acrimony between the two members of Congress, of the same delegation and party has become uncomfortably nasty.  When asked if the two men are friends, Representative Moran said, “You know, for the remainder of this year, we’re going to be working together to take good care of Kansans, and I don’t know if ‘friends’ is the word, but we’re going to end up side by side trying to take care of our state.”  But Representative Tiarht says he can barely get a hello from his fellow Kansan, but that he thinks that they are friends, “I think so,” Tiarht told us, saying “Absolutely. Sure. I just wish he’d say ‘hi’ to me when I pass him in the hallway, because I always say hi to him….he usually just looks the other way.”

The television commercials have not helped warm things inside the Kansas delegation, especially with both claiming the other ’started it’.  Of the TV ads, Tiarht says of Moran, “In his ads, he’s called me slimey, despicable, that I’ve attacked his family, when in fact I have not.  That’s character assasination and that’s negative campaigning.  I’m simply talking about his record.”  For his part, Moran claims, “Before my opponent even made the announcement he was going to be candidate, I sat down with him and suggested we try to remain friends…and from my perspective, when the polls were released, and showed a 20 point plus lead, the negative advertising began.  And I cannot let the false attacks survive.  I have to set the record straight.  It is a sad thing.”
Four Democrats will also square off for their party’s nod, but little is expected by electability standards, even from the winner.  Barone says, “The real contest here is in the Republican primary.  Democratic candidates are not real well known, they’re not well financed and at a time when Democratic seats are at risk, and the Democratic incumbants are in danger in other states, it’s unlikely the national Democrats are going to put much money into Kansas.”
Kansas’ primary is scheduled for August 3rd.