Brownback makes sweep through Iola Saturday

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November 3, 2014 - 12:00 AM

November “smells like victory,” Gov. Sam Brownback told a small crowd gathered on the courthouse lawn Saturday afternoon.
State Treasurer Bob Estes and Sen. Pat Roberts’ daughter, Ashley, accompanied the governor as they campaigned across southeast Kansas. Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole joined the Republican camp as did Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer.
Conspicuously absent were Sen. Roberts, Secretary of State Kris Kobach and U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins.
Even though Tuesday’s race is just a mid-term election, the Republicans reserved most of their vitriol for President Obama.
Brownback promised to deliver GOP victories “to conservative Kansas, by the Reagan model rather than Obama’s way.” Brownback triumphed the Reagan way as “lower taxes and more freedom” from government.
Brownback is seeking a second four-year term. According to some recent tracking polls, he trails Democratic challenger Rep. Paul Davis.
Despite his feeble appearance, Dole, 91, remains clear of mind. With a strong voice, Dole recalled having first met Brownback when he came to Washington, D.C. on a high school Future Farmers of America mission. Dole then was in the midst of a 28-year career in the U.S. Senate.
“I’m just along for the ride,” Dole said in his typical self-deprecating way, and opined that Brownback “has been a good governor. I want him re-elected. He’s for lower taxes, less spending and less government.”
Dole also stumped for Roberts.
“It’s a big national story, who controls the Senate,” said Dole, who was its majority leader for 10 years. “The House has passed 360 bills, with 98 percent of them bipartisan and they’ve all died in the Senate.”
He blamed the senior chamber’s inaction on Democrat Harry Reid, its majority leader.
“He (Reid) won’t let the bills come to a vote,” Dole said. “It never occurred to me to do that,” when he was majority leader.
“We (Republicans) need to pick up six seats and we can’t lose one” now in the fold, meaning Roberts’ seat.
“It’s very important to vote for Roberts; you’re voting for a Republican Senate,” Dole concluded.
Brownback noted “virtually every potential 2016 (Republican) presidential candidate has been in Kansas,” encouraging his re-election. He mentioned several, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.
Also, it was reported late last week the Republican Governors Association had poured more than $4.5 million into Brownback’s re-election campaign.
Roberts’ daughter, Ashley, said her father was “proud to be a Kansas conservative and mostly of all a fighter. Polls show he’s making a comeback.”
She characterized Roberts’ opponent, Greg Orman, as a Democrat masquerading as an independent.

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