Conservative Senate Victories Could Shift Policies

A majority in the Kansas Senate is all but guaranteed for conservative Republicans, turning the political right’s focus to policies it might pursue next year.

Conservative Gov. Sam Brownback wasn’t ready Wednesday to spell out what’s likely to be on his agenda. But his allies are ready to push his earlier proposals to constrain spending, cut taxes further and remake the state’s appellate courts.

Voters in Tuesday’s Republican primaries tossed out seven moderate GOP senators, and an eighth, Senate President Steve Morris of Hugoton, trailed enough in final results that he’s likely to lose as well.

If Republicans retained their current 32 seats in the 40-member Senate, conservatives would hold 27 of them.