Kansas Democrats are on their way to presenting the strongest slate of candidates in years with respected businessman Tom Wiggans' announcement that he will run for Governor. Wiggans, a native Kansan, will run against career politician, and well known right-wing Republican, Sam Brownback. Check out this video...

From his bio:

Tom is committed to applying his vast business experience to Kansas state government as our next Governor. By utilizing his common sense business practices to bring people together and solve problems, Tom will work with both Democrats and Republicans to pull our state out of the economic recession, ensure we have a stable state budget, and create 21st century jobs for our future.

More about Tom and his campaign below the fold.

Last week, Rep. Dennis Moore published an editorial in newspapers across the third Congressional district announcing his support for the House health insurance reform bill. As he explained last week:

I will be voting for this bill because it addresses the issues of affordability, fiscal responsibility, quality and choice. We can no longer afford to do nothing. We must meet this challenge head-on.

This bill will not only dramatically improve the health care system for those who already have insurance they like and want to keep, it benefits those who don't have insurance...

Congressman Moore delivered on that pledge by voting for the bill Saturday.

It's times like these that we need to take a moment and let Rep. Moore know that we appreciate his hard work and dedication. So we've set up a hub on our website where folks can thank Rep. Moore by writing a personal message to him. We'll deliver your personal messages to him on Friday.

Today's focus is on the important elections happening all across the country but we wanted to take a few moments to update you on our campaign at KansasDeservesReform.com.

Last week, extremist Republicans in the Kansas legislature were quick to propose a bill opting our state out of benefits of health insurance reform, and we wasted no time responding. Over the last week we've been collecting the names of thousands of Kansans all across the state who deserve to participate in the same reforms as every other state.

I'm happy to report that in just six days nearly 8,000 Kansans signed the petition -- and that number continues to grow by the day! We just delivered the initial names to legislative leaders in the state legislature. Because of the hard working efforts of thousands, there is now no denying that here is a strong pro-reform movement in our state -- and our leaders know it.

So we're moving on to our next step: letters to your local newspaper.

We're on the verge of something historic -- both the House and the Senate are closer than ever to passing meaningful health insurance reform. Yet, this fight is far from over, and, in Kansas, special interest groups and far-right legislators are already gearing up to derail the process on a state level:

...some of our leaders in the State Legislature are already on top of it. Sen. Mary Pilcher Cook and Reps. Brenda Landwehr and Peggy Mast will hold a series of press conferences Tuesday to announce their sponsorship of bills to exempt Kansas from any federal health reform legislation.

Whoa -- hold your horses. Kansas Republicans are already ready to block "any federal health reform legislation" before we even know what the final legislation will be. So, in response, we've launched KansasDeservesReform.com -- an online petition to pledge your support for real reform in Kansas.

More below the fold...

Last week, SurveyUSA released the results of their monthly approval rating poll in Kansas showing a staggering six percent drop in approval for Senator Sam Brownback. Brownback, who is running for Governor of Kansas, now finds himself under the so-called "safe" 50% threshold for election.

Brownback's 48% approval is nearing his all time low achieved when he left Kansas to pursue his ambition of becoming President. Worst yet for him, he's bleeding moderates.  One in ten abandoned Brownback in September. Many have said this race is already over, but this is clear evidence it is only the beginning.

Kansas Democrats have an incredible opportunity to both retain the Governor's office and provide a clear, stable alternative to Senator Brownback's brand of extremism. But we can't get our message out or build the infrastructure necessary to take on Brownback next fall without your continued support.

The Netroots have been very good to Kansas Democrats recently because you recognize the opportunity in front of us. Kansas Republicans are getting ready to nominate the most conservative slate of candidates in a generation -- we can't let them win. That's why we're extending our efforts on all major fronts, both online and offline. But we need your support and donations to make it happen.

Laughing Lynn Jenkins is safely back in Washington this month after a string of nationally embarrassing stories, headlines, and videos. Safe among her real friends, Jenkins is surely hoping to forget what some Kansans have dubbed her horrible no good very bad August recess.

True to form, she's also hoping the people of Kansas will forget all about it too.

But we're not gonna let up.

To start, we're launching JenkinsFail.com, a new website from the Kansas Democratic Party with the sole intent of keeping track of Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins' repeated failures both past and present.

Wanna know more? Meet me below the fold...

Rep. Lynn Jenkins' terrible awful no good very bad August is definitely extending into September.

Yesterday, her parade of failure marched on. Elizabeth Smith, the uninsured single mother Jenkins laughed at, is now telling her story. Last night on the Ed Show, she made it clear that she was "frustrated" with her Congresswoman and that she "wasn't looking for a handout" in insurance reform.

After this week, I bet Lynn Jenkins can't wait to get back home to Washington. Video below the fold...

The tide is turning in Kansas' Second Congressional district.

In what has to be described as Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins' terrible awful no good very bad August, the Congresswoman has faced a slew of bad front page headlines, embarrassing gaffes, and three consecutive mentions on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Jenkins has admitted she failed to read legislation she's voted on, has no plans to read the health bills she opposes, and failed to show compassion by laughing at an uninsured single mother while she held her young son.

Lucky for her, August is over.

...but September is already off to a bad start. She can't wait to find shelter in Washington.

All the bad press is starting to catch up. She's rattled. Yesterday, Rep. Jenkins held another town hall forum, and, let's just say, the crowd was left unimpressed. Meet me below the fold for more.