WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE KANSAS GOP?

Abortion, that touchstone of Fundie support, is being downgraded by the state GOP, not for any principled reason but merely to get more votes. We can be certain that this will reduce the number of Fundies who vote for the GOP, at least in Kansas.

In Kansas, GOP abandons abortion focus

And party leaders suggest that conservative candidates do the same,
saying the issue could alienate voters nowadays.
By Stephanie Simon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 1, 2007

...the executive director of the Kansas Republican Party has issued a stern warning to his fellow conservatives: Abortion is not a winning issue. "This is not something that the Kansas GOP is going to go out and lead on," Christian Morgan said.

Morgan also believes that those voters are fed up with years of fruitless political and legal maneuvering aimed at driving abortion clinics out of business. They would much prefer to see an all-out focus on curbing illegal immigration or cutting taxes, he said.

In an e-mail rebuffing an antiabortion activist who asked for more GOP support, Morgan explained: "My job is to win elections. . . . Your agenda does not fit my agenda."

"Right now it's halftime at the 2008 election and what we've been doing isn't working," Morgan said. "It's time to change it up a bit."

Abortion dominated the political debate in Kansas last year, especially in the race for attorney general. The incumbent, Republican Phill Kline, was hailed as a hero by abortion foes for subpoenaing patient medical records in an attempt to build a criminal case against abortion clinics. He was soundly defeated by Democrat Paul J. Morrison, who vowed to back off the clinic prosecutions.