Kansas Senate Race To Play To GOP Base

Kansas Republicans no longer wonder whether 1 of the two veteran congressmen running for the U.S. Senate will drop out of the race.

Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt are building statewide organizations, collecting endorsements and trying to raise several million dollars. That’s crucial early work for the August 2010 primary election campaign.

Democrats don’t have a strong candidate yet. Whatever soul-searching is going on within the GOP nationally, Moran and Tiahrt are expected to play to its right-leaning base.

Both Moran and Tiahrt are highly critical of President Barack Obama’s economic policies and worried about huge federal budget deficits.

Both portray themselves as conservatives, and many Kansas Republicans don’t see big differences in their views. That could make style and personalities bigger issues.