Kansas Republican wins a bitter pill for progressives to swallow

From Wichita Peace and Freedom Party Examiner:

Here in Kansas progressives believed they had a good chance of change—in three different elections. In all thee, Tea Party representatives of the "angry white men" who have viciously attacked many of our people, destroying public education and threatening all programs that protect the poor, disabled and elderly in the state of Kansas. In the end, all the hard work for Democrats and one independent gained us nothing.
Republicans Sam Brownback (opposed by Democrat Paul Davis, Pat Roberts (opposed by independent Greg Orman) and Kris Kobach (opposed by Democrat Jean Schodorf) were in a tight races Where polls had them behind in. Although all our progressives started out good, all quickly lost.
At the top of the list was Sam Brownback, a Tea Party governor who had damaged the education system in a big way. He also fought Obamacare (Affordable Care Act or ACA) by returning $millions of taxpayers money that had gone to set up the ACA in the state, but Brownback decided to send the money back to prove he was whole heartedly against that act. Kansans pay for the ACA but now get no benefits from it. A Davis win might have changed that. Now we will never know, except we know Kansans will continue to be left out of the ACA. 
Pat Roberts started out at the beginning of the election season bragging about how conservative he was and how he was among the most conservative leaders in the Senate. However, he soon found that not all Kansas wanted “the most conservative person in the senate.” Orman, the independent candidate ran way ahead in the polls. He was ahead in the polls and stayed ahead all the way until election day. Roberts had to struggle to keep his job and that included making ridiculous accusations accusing him of being a Barack Obama supporter and a liberal (a label worse than communist in Kansas politics). Roberts won but had to earn his win that night.
The chance to oust Kobach was a long shot from the beginning. But as election day came upon us, the race tightened and for a while we thought he might actually lose. Kobach is famous for his anti-voter laws. Although he claims he was trying to prevent fraud, he ended up keeping almost 20,000 voters from voting in the last few elections. For a while there was a back lash against his efforts to keep Democrat Chad Taylor from pulling his name off the ballot, since he didn't want to run. Most people realized he was using technicalities to win the election, but in the end, his ultra-conservative base pulled him through.
All hopes for change last night are over. Many of us really believed we could break the strangle hold the Republicans have held on Kansas, especially the Tea Party influence, that has absolutely destroyed the education institutions and safety nets for the sick, old and poor, here in Kansas.
One thing Kansans can count on is the conservative dullards who live in the fist Kansas district. They are ridiculously conservative and always ripe for the far-far-far right policies of the Tea Party Republicans and other far-right schemes. Many of progressive politicians and candidates have bombed out due to the electoral dolts of western Kansas.
Yes—it is a difficult pill to swallow, but Kansans are not alone. Conservatives all across the country held on to political offices, including Scott Walker, of Wisconsin. The Democrats must realize they have let down their constituents. Voters must look past Democrats in favor of independents and others who can provide an alternative to the lack-luster Democratic Party.