Kansas Ready to Elect First Socially Conservative Governor

Yes, you read that headline right. Despite all the “What’s the Matter with Kansas” and evolution no evolution knocks Kansans have had to endure we have never, ever elected a Governor who was socially conservative. Moderates have reigned supreme (sometimes thanks to a split in the Republican party) but that party is coming to an end. With the death of Dr. George Tiller and all of his political money, coupled with a Kansas Democratic party who failed to talk the current sitting Democratic Governor into running and couldn’t recruit anyone else worth anything to run, Senator Sam Brownback is poised to take over the Governorship. And with Brownback’s election comes the harsh winds of social change that have been held at bay for the past 20 years (if not since we joined the Union on January 29, 1861).

Mark Parkinson, Kathleen Sebelius, Bill Graves, Joan “Crazy” Finney who replaced Republican Governor Mike Hayden after he raised property taxes, John Carlin…. Not a one in the bunch of previous governors comes as close to being as socially conservative as Sam Brownback and not a one would fit in with the Tea Party. Parkinson, Sebelius, Graves, Hayden, Carlin were all pro-choice. Finney, a democrat, happened to be pro-life but was not socially conservative on a number of other issues. Not that abortion is the be all end all of social issues but it is a good bellwether for predicting where someone stands on social issues.

Brownback is pro-life. Hard core. Of course, he did call a colleague prior to his first campaign for Senate and inquire “which side of the issue” he should come down on. (This is based on my own personal knowledge of the situation) When informed it was “kind of a personal choice” Brownback decided that he was vehemently pro-life and had always been. He went so far, to back up this claim, as to adopt children and convert to Catholicism.

I don’t think Kansans know what’s coming. I think they see Brownback as harmless and he is, contained in the Senate. However, at the helm of a crazy legislature that has proposed all kinds of crazy things only to be stopped by a gubernatorial veto, he is dangerous. He will sign what they put in front of him. You won’t find any moral stands from this guy protecting women, children or minorities. He’ll be in position to appoint Supreme Court judges, and all the other members of a myriad of state boards that stand between Kansans and their rights.

This state was founded by crazies, but we were, and are, a bunch of socially progressive, moderate crazies. At least most of us. Those of us who aren’t moderate, middle of the road types run for state office and make up the majority of state legislators. (See Brenda Landwehr). And now they’ve got their ringleader elected Governor. Forget “What’s the Matter with Kansas.” When Brownback gets elected it will be “Kiss Your Civil Rights Ass Goodbye, Kansas.”