Things are already heating up in Kansas for the 4th district for the House of Representative seat formerly held by Todd Tiahrt This district is not traditionally solid Republican so it may give the rest of the country an idea of how November’s election may play out. The Republicans are planning on a cake walk and that just might not happen..
Unlike years past, the fourth district elections will be an actual competition between Raj Goyle, the left of center Democrat and Mike Pompeo, the hard right conservative Republican. Pompeo ran on an anti-Barack Obama, anti-liberal, pro-life platform.
The hard right “hate Obama” message did not go over with all the voters. Pompeo’s other hard right conservative opponent Wink Hartman was beaten by a moderate Jean Kurtis Schodorf by about 800 votes. Schodorf spent way less than Hartman, brining in less than half as much as Hartman spent..
A recentpolls showed Goyle is actually ahead in the polls. Traditionally the 4th district had been a Democrat stronghold until certain church’s promoting the religious right called on their worshipers to go out and help elect Todd Tiahrt. Although Tiahrt never lost his seat until he tried for the senate, the religious right may have worn itself out as an important political force. With the closing of Dr. George Tiller’s clinic, which has left Wichita an abortion free city after almost 30 years, an important lightning rod issue of abortion was probably the main motivation to get voters to the polls. Without that issue, some voters may turn their attention elsewhere, such as jobs and the economy.
While there is a lot of time between now and November, this elections has shown that the far right –anti-Obama-anti- Nancy Pelosi message, which the conservatives have depended so much on and the “I’m a Tea Party conservative” motto may not have as much sway as conservatives have counted on.
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