For now, at least, a cease fire in local GOP civil war
Divisive social issues take backseat as 3rd District candidates focus on economy
John Rysavy speaks at a meeting of the Political Chips at the Lenexa Masonic Temple on Saturday, December 12. Rysavy is one of five Republicans who have officially entered the race for Kansas' 3rd District congressional seat. Dennis Moore, the six term incumbent who has held the position since 1999, announced last month that he would retire and was not seeking reelection.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Kansas Congressman Dennis Moore’s announcement last month that he would not seek reelection to the 3rd District seat he’s held since 1999 marked the beginning of an open season for local Republicans with national political ambitions. In the days that followed, the number of people who formally announced their candidacy or who said they were seriously considering a run ballooned to nearly 10, creating a crowded field with entrants from all factions of the famously fractured party.
But ask the candidates currently on the stump what issues are most important to them and you’ll find near unanimous consensus: it’s the economy, stupid.
"Everybody is concerned about where we are headed with the deficit and the debt — and the policies that would add more to that deficit and debt," said Nick Jordan, who was the Republican candidate for the seat in 2008 and is running again. "I think what’s happening with the economy is bringing everybody together. That is becoming the rallying point for Republicans, so the question is who can best go to Washington D.C. and address that.”
More from the Republicans
Nick Jordan, candidate: "I think everybody will address social issues, and I think there are a lot of people who are very interested in social issues, but the economy has overwhelmed a lot of people’s thinking.”
John Rysavy, candidate: "Right now, it’s all about the wallet. I have a couple of volunteers on my staff who are pro-choice and I’m pro-life, but they say, ‘The times are so grave right now, John, that we will support you.’”
Patricia Lightner, candidate: "I think that some of the strife will still be there. That’s part of the system. But there will be a determination this time to make sure that it is a Republican seat.”
Amanda Adkins, Republican party state chair: "The candidates full well understand that in a recession, for families in this state, the message that is coming from the Republicans is one of prosperity and of family. And it is one that is candidly resonating, so there is significant alignment right now in terms of the messaging."
At this very early point in the campaign, the recession, along with opposition to government-run health care, have provided focal points for the Republicans that have drawn attention away from controversial social issues like abortion and gay rights that have created intra-party strife in the past.
“It’s all about jobs, it’s all about getting the economy restarted. I think you’ll see a lot of the social issues fade into the background,” said Andy Wollen of the Kansas Traditional Republican Majority, a group formed to represent the interests of the more moderate side of the state party. “I see a lot of consistency, which is fairly unusual for this time. I do think that the unique circumstances of this year make it less likely that there will be discussion of issues that really divide the two sides.”
Keith Esau, the Republican Party Chair for the 3rd District, said the candidates’ unity of message is the by-product of a perception among local party members that the country is heading away from the core party principle of fiscal responsibility.
“The party is consolidating a lot around the issue of fiscal responsibility because that’s something we’ve agreed about for a long time,” said Esau. “It’s something that the grassroots are concerned about and it’s popular in the media right now.”
But don’t count on the Republican candidates’ message consistency to last long, said Kansas Democratic Party Communications Director Tyler Longpine.
“Right now they are all on the same message, because the message is ‘no,’” said Longpine. “They are planting their flag in the soil and opposing everything the administration is trying to do. But with [that many] candidates in there, it’s going to be all over the Republican aisle.”
So far, no Democrats have formally entered the race, but Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Joe Reardon has announced that he is seriously considering a run. Longpine said the party didn’t have any deadline for getting a candidate into the race outside of the official June 10 filing date. “But the sooner the better, obviously,” he said.
Regardless of who enters on the Democrats’ side, Longpine said Dennis Moore’s six terms in office had seen the 3rd District move from bedrock Republican to legitimate battleground. Longpine points out that even though President Bush carried the district by a comfortable margin of 11 points in 2000 and 2004, President Obama won there in 2008.
“This is a district that is becoming less and less partisan and increasingly competitive,” said Longpine. “We [the Democrats] are going to win Wyandotte County and Douglas County. If we can stay competitive in Johnson County, we’ve got a good chance to keep the seat.”
State Representative Kevin Yoder (District 20), who formed an exploratory committee after Moore’s announcement and said he expected to formally announce his intentions about entering the race in the next couple of days, agreed that the 3rd District is much more competitive than it would have been in previous years — and that the candidates in the field recognize as much.
“Having lost the 3rd District race multiple times, I think the party and candidates are all very aware, if we get into a Republican party civil war, we give Democrats an opportunity to hold onto the seat,” Yoder said. “Social issues are very important to a lot of voters, but I don’t know if they’ll play the same extent of a role that they played in the past. Republicans here want to win, and they want a candidate who can pick up votes from Independents and even some Democrats. It’s not win at all cost, but I think people can bend a little bit more and they don’t need a candidate who is 100 percent with them on every issue.”
Wollen said that while the primary process is likely see the candidates engage in significant disagreements as they try to differentiate themselves from the rest of the field, the social issue struggles that have plagued the party in the past aren’t as likely to play out.
“Will it be a peaceful primary? A primary is never peaceful,” Wollen said. “But I think this race will be run more on competency and ability to actually make some changes in Washington rather than ideology. I don’t think there will be a whole lot of difference between the candidates in terms of what people want to hear about now.”
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