Moderate GOP members seeking office in Kansas have switched parties and are in close races with socially conservative Republicans in the state.
Switchers say they are more in tune with the moderate stances of the people of the state.
The Democratic governor leads the call to switch in a search for "the political center". A former head of the Kansas GOP is among those who've changed color saying (according to a Washinton Post account -- linked below in green or red-orange print):
"I'd reached a breaking point," Parkinson said, preparing for a rally in Wichita alongside Sebelius. "I want to work on relevant issues and not on a lot of things that don't matter."
The WP also reports:
As elsewhere, Democrats and moderate Republicans say they are frustrated with policies and practices they trace to Republican leadership, including the Iraq war, ballooning government spending, ethics violations and the influence of social conservatives.
and
"So what in the world has happened?" publisher Steve Rose asked in a recent column. "The Republican Party has changed, and it has changed monumentally. You almost cannot be a victorious traditional Republican candidate with mainstream values in Johnson County or in Kansas anymore."
also:
"Most Kansas Republicans are fairly moderate," Morrison said. "They're like most Kansas Democrats."
I guess a lot of people besides myself have noticed that the Democrats form the party of the middle of the road most of the time. Whether you like that or hate it, it's true.
For too long many centrists believed the lies about 'socialist' Democrats told by Rush Limbaugh and the other hate radio hosts that are supported by overpriced advertising in big business' efforts to keep leaders in power that will do what they want. If people would check out the positions and the speeches of most Democrats they would see that the candidates with the D behind their names are not raving liberals. This has been the hottest topicfor years among true liberals.
From what I see though they would be a good deal better than the Bush administration enablers in Congress now.