LEAVENWORTH - Steve Fitzgerald, candidate for 5th District Senate,
commented on Governor Sebelius Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley's
surprise endorsement of incumbent Democrat Senator Mark Gilstrap's
opponent Kelly Kultala.
"Clearly Democrat leaders are convinced that Gilstrap has no chance
against my campaign in November. The support my campaign has received
over the past 12 months in the district has been overwhelming. I am
excited to see who I will be squaring off against in the November
election."
Fitzgerald further commented about the Governor's motivations.
"The Governor's acting now and trying to accomplish two things. First,
she's hoping to pick up a much more liberal supporter in the Kansas Senate
by backing Kultala. As Sebelius has been campaigning heavily for Obama
in and out of state, I'm sure she thinks his coattails will sweep a
whole lot of other liberals into office this fall as well. If Kultala
does get into office then she'll certainly back most if not all of the
Govornor's positions.
Second, Sebelius is sending a clear warning to other Democrats to toe
the party line, even though Gilstrap backs Democrat and Sebelius's
legislative positions 92% of the time that apparently wasn't high
enough for her. Being one of the remaining pro-life Democrats in the
legislaturem Gilstrap backed a pro-life Phill Kline for attorney general
in the last election and supported the pro-life CARA bill this
session. This year, along with most legislators Republican and Democrat alike, he also crossed Sebelius by backing the coal-fired
plant and economic expansion in western Kansas, completely contrary to
her politics. Even if Kultala loses the primary the clear signal has
been sent across Kansas that if you cross the Governor you can, as a
minimum, expect to be campaigning without her help."
Fitzgerald looks forward to the General election no matter the
eventual Democrat opponent.
"If it's the governor's liberal pick,
Kultala, then I expect to beat her soundly in this traditionally
conservative district. If it's Gilstrap again, the Governor is
correct. The people of this district want effective leadership and the
incumbent senator has demonstrated for 12 years that he can't deliver.
With no major legislation to his name, let alone legislation that
helps our district, he'll be isolated in the Republican-held Senate
and clearly abandoned by his own party leadership."
Interesting things are happening in this battleground district. Look for
plenty more fun to come.
More information is available at websites: www.vote4fitzgerald.com.
