How will Tuesday’s election results affect Kansas?

It may be too early to say definitively, but at first glance, the election here may be as interesting as the national results. Here’s a breakdown of some important developments.

Presidential race

Barack Obama’s historic victory Tuesday could mean a cabinet position for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, and thus a new governor to complete the final two years of Sebelius’ term.

The Governor, an early and ardent supporter of the President-elect, was on the short list of running mates vetted by the Obama campaign, and now some speculate she could be in line for a Cabinet position. Politico.com, for example, speculated Wednesday that Sebelius could be a contender for the position of Commerce Secretary. Others have suggested that she would be a good fit as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

With the state's financial future clouded and the effects of some of her more controversial policies - especially those involving energy - causing economic hardship for those with rising energy costs this winter, stepping into a cabinet role may be a convenient way for her to avoid any fall-out that might develop from her decisions.

Sebelius, for her part, told reporters Tuesday that she hasn’t had any conversations with the Obama campaign about serving in any Cabinet position.

If Sebelius is asked to serve in the Obama administration, her departure would lead to the elevation of Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson to the state’s top elected position.

That would give Parkinson, a former chair of the Kansas Republican Party who switched his party affiliation to run with Sebelius two years ago, a leg up in the 2010 gubernatorial campaign.

He will be opposed by Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, who mounted his own unsuccessful campaign for the Republican presidential nod. Brownback has hinted he may be interested in running for Governor in 2010.

U.S. House/Senate races

Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Nancy Boyda of the Second District was unseated by Republican Lynn Jenkins, the state’s Republican treasurer.  That leaves Rep. Dennis Moore of District 3, who survived a challenge Tuesday from former Kansas Sen. Nick Jordan, as the lone Democratic member of the Kansas Congressional delegation.

U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts trounced Democratic challenger Jim Slattery, a former Congressman, and Republican incumbents Jerry Moran (District 1) and Todd Tiahrt (District 4) also easily outdistanced their rivals to retain their seats in Congress.

Jenkins’s victory means a new Kansas treasurer, and, because Sebelius will pick her replacement, Kansas almost certainly will see that position inherited by a Democrat, who will serve out the remaining two years of Jenkins’ term.

Kansas House of Representatives

The overwhelming majority that Republicans have enjoyed in the Kansas House got slightly less overwhelming Tuesday.

With Democrats taking three seats that had been held by Republicans, and Republicans taking two seats that had been held by Democrats, the Republican majority was reduced to 77 to 48.

Districts that swapped Republicans for Democrats were:

• District 19 in Overland Park, where Democrat Dolores Furtado defeated John Skubal for a seat formerly held by Kansas Senator elect Tim Owens.

• District 23, where Democrat Milak Talia of Merriam defeated Republican challenger Augie Bogina, Jr., son of former Sen. Augie Bogina, for a seat formerly held by Republican Judy Morrison.

• District 24 in Mission, where Democrat Mike Slattery, whose father was defeated by Sen. Pat Roberts, unseated incumbent Republican Ronnie Metsker, an appointee who hadn’t sought office before.

Districts that swapped Democrats for Republicans were the 96^th, where Republican Phil Hermanson of Wichita unseated Democrat incumbent Terry McLachlan; and the 101^st, where Joe Seiwert of Pretty Prairie defeated Democrat incumbent Mark Treaster.

“You could make the argument that Republican House victories were more impressive than the Democrats, because we unseated some incumbents while Democrats won open seats,” said Rep. Lance Kinzer, an Olathe Republican who easily defeated his Democratic challenger.

Kinzer said the ecstasy that Kansas Democrats no doubt felt at the elevation of Obama had to be tempered by their profound disappointment at their failure to significantly shake up the composition of the Kansas House and Senate.

For all the resources Democrats, special interest groups, and the Governor’s PAC spent to reconfigure the Legislature, “they had to wake up this morning feeling the effort was a dismal failure," Kinzer said.

“Tuesday was a rejection by the people of Kansas not only of the Governor’s brand of policy, but her brand of politics, which," Kinzer added, "was relentlessly negative throughout the campaign."

Tuesday’s House elections probably didn’t have a major impact on a contest for House leadership positions, Kinzer said. Rep. Mike O’Neal has been actively campaigning to unseat current House Speaker Melvin Neufeld.

“I don’t think the outcomes had a dramatic impact with respect to the leadership race,” Kinzer said. “I think before Tuesday, Mike had a great chance, and I think he still has a great chance today.”

Kansas Senate

Republicans increased their majority in the Kansas Senate by one seat, to 31-9, with conservatives racking up several impressive victories.

In the Third Senate District, Democrat Tom Holland of Baldwin City took out Republican incumbent Roger Pine, a moderate who had been heavily backed by the Senate Leadership PAC.

But, Republicans picked up the 13^th District seat when Bob Marshall defeated Democrat Patty Horgan of Pittsburg. The seat had been held by Jim Barone, a Democrat who did not seek re-election.

Republicans also took over the 32^nd District Senate seat when conservative Steve Abrams, a member of the State Board of Education, unseated Democrat incumbent Greta Goodwin of Winfield.

Conservatives won several open Senate seats in Johnson County.

Former State Representative Mary Pilcher Cook of Shawnee, who was a primary target of the Sebelius political machine, defeated Democrat Pete Roman in District 10, despite the efforts of Sebelius’ Bluestem PAC.

Conservative Jeff Colyer, a physician who formerly served in the House, also easily defeated his Democratic opponent in the 37^th District for a seat formerly held by Republican Dennis Wilson, who did not seek re-election.

Another conservative, Julia Lynn, also won a victory over her Democratic opponent, a former superintendent of the Olathe School District, in the 9^th District. The seat was held by Lynn, who was appointed to complete the term of former Sen. Kay O’Connor.

O’Connor initially endorsed, then un-endorsed Lynn after she accepted a large contribution from a Kansas Senate leadership PAC.

Another open Senate seat in Johnson County in District 8 was picked up by moderate Republican Tim Owens, a former House member and Overland Park City Councilman. The seat was formerly held by left-leaning Barbara Allen, who did not seek re-election.

Conservative victories in the Senate might mean a change in the current moderate Senate leadership, a topic that will be explored in depth later by Kansas Liberty.

Miscellaneous

Rep. Arlen Siegfried, an Olathe incumbent, managed to get by a Democrat who created a mini-sensation, and a fundraising machine with a series of on-line cartoons. Despite raising more than $100,000, mostly from out-of-state, Democrat Sean Tevis lost by a margin of 52-48 percent.

Taxpayer advocate Karl Peterjohn, executive director of the Kansas Taxpayer Network, won an easy victory for a seat on the Sedgwick County Commission. Peterjohn defeated the incumbent commissioner in the primary and then defeated the Mayor of Goddard to take the seat. Since commissioners approved a property tax increase in 2006, three incumbents have been ousted, and property taxes were at the center of the political debate in Peterjohn’s race.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston, a Democrat, prevailed in a campaign that was watched with anticipation by the right-to-life community. Foulston has been accused by pro-life groups of being protective of Dr. George Tiller, whose Wichita abortion clinic has made that city the world capital of late-term abortions.

According to a report by the Kansas Meadowlark, "one of the law firms representing Dr. George Tiller, Monnat & Spurrier, gave to Nola Foulston, and both Dan Monnat and Stanley Spurrier also individually contributed to Foulston."

Eric Rucker, a Republican who sought to defeat Democrat Chad Taylor in the race for Douglas County’s District Attorney, lost handily. Rucker was a former assistant to Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline.

Two high-profile ballot questions in Johnson County met mixed results Tuesday. A campaign that would have allowed voters to choose district court judges was soundly defeated.

But voters approved a permanent one-eight cent sales tax that will provide about $5 million a year each to the University of Kansas Edwards Campus, the Kansas University Cancer Center and the Kansas State University Innovation Campus in Olathe. The campaign was co-chaired by Sen. Karin Brownlee, an Olathe Republican who typically opposes tax increases.

Corrections:

• An earlier version of this story reported Sen. Brownback had announced his intention to seek the governorship. He has not made such an announcement.

• In the Douglas County District Attorney race, Chad (not Mike) Taylor was making his first bid for the office. Kansas Liberty previously reported Taylor was the incumbent. In fact Bob Hecht was the incumbent DA. Rucker defeated him in the August primary.

Kansas Liberty regrets the errors.

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