What’s the Matter With Moderation?
One simple rule shapes Kansas politics: Republicans win statewide. In U.S. Senate races, the GOP has prevailed without interruption for more than 90 years. But the rule has a corollary, which accounts for the occasional Democratic governor. A Republican thought to be too extreme, too ideological, or too big for their britches can be beaten by a centrist Democrat when the wind blows just right.