Ernst Speaks at Kansas GOP Convention February 1, 2015

Topeka Capital Journal:
Conservative first-term U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who won election with an ad stating that growing up on a pig farm meant she would know how to “cut pork” in Washington, met several Kansans claiming similar backgrounds Saturday in Topeka.

Ernst, R-Iowa, was invited to Topeka by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to speak during halftime of the Sunflower Showdown basketball watch party at the Kansas Republican Party’s State Convention at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

Moran, who introduced Ernst before her remarks, joked about the comments he heard while standing in the receiving line with Ernst.

“I have never heard or met so many Kansans who claim to have grown up, lived in or come from Iowa,” he said. “And I did not realize or have never noticed that in the Wheat State — perhaps the Livestock State — that almost everybody in this audience, at least the ones that came through the line, claim to have raised pigs.”

Ernst credited Moran and his work as chairman of the National GOP Senatorial Committee in winning her 2014 campaign. Now, with Moran facing re-election in 2016, she returned the favor with a show of partisan support.

Although a Republican majority now controls the U.S. Senate, Ernst said, the party is seeking more Republican candidates to boost efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and create tax reform, among other goals. Even so, she said, “there is a lot we can do with a Republican majority.”

“We can make the president take a second look at the legislation we are sending in his direction, and we need to do that,” Ernst said.

On Jan. 20, Ernst delivered the Republican address following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech. Multiple media outlets hailed an anecdote from her childhood as the most memorable part of her address: Ernst spoke of how as a child she had just one pair of shoes, so when it rained, her mother covered her shoes with plastic bread bags.

The moral?

“You don’t need to come from wealth or privilege to make a difference,” Ernst said in the address. “You just need the freedom to dream big and a whole lot of hard work.”

More:http://m.cjonline.com/news/2015-01-31/iowa-sen-joni-ernst-rouses-kansans-gop-state-convention#gsc.tab=0

Conservatives Consolidate Hold at Kansas GOP Convention January 26, 2014

Wichita Eagle:

Like all political conventions, the Kansas state Republican convention Saturday was replete with stirring speeches to motivate the faithful to spend their time and money to elect the party’s candidates in the fall.

But the convention also offered a sneak preview of the strategies that will unfold in coming months as conservatives seek to hold on to the unprecedented political power that Kansas voters gave them in the past two state elections.

And while the candidates schmoozed in their hospitality rooms and in the hallways, breakout sessions offered a rare peek behind the curtain where the real work of changing hearts and minds takes place.

The party’s strategies were outlined by two of the key architects of the conservative takeover of state government: David Kensinger, who heads Gov. Sam Brownback’s political action committee, and Karl Hansen of the Singularis Group. The Overland Park-based campaign consulting firm was instrumental in the 2012 conservative takeover of the state Senate, breaking years of moderate Republican control.

If there were any moderate Republicans at the convention, they kept a low profile.

While Democrats have pressed efforts to woo Republican moderates to their side, neither Kensinger nor Hansen sees much of a threat there.

Kensinger said that, in 2012, conservative Republicans won nine of the10 general election races they faced after knocking out a moderate Republican in the party primary.

“The most recent data set we have is that did not inhibit Republican electoral success (against Democrats) in the fall,” he said.

Hansen appeared even less concerned about the moderates.

“I think you need only see that they’re no longer around,” he said. “When you’re as closed-minded as they were and were intolerant to any conservative viewpoint, they eventually made themselves irrelevant, because the electorate was clearly moving in a different direction.”

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2014/01/25/v-print/3249337/moderate-point-of-view-missing.html#storylink=cpy

KC Ron Paul Campaign Stop Tops Heavy KC Political Weekend February 17, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul sweeps into Kansas City Saturday night in a bid for a two-fer.
Paul will be at a campaign rally Saturday night 7:30 pm at Union Station. An e-mail notice to local Kansas City supporters Thursday reads, “The March 17 Missouri Caucuses are fast approaching”.
It goes on to say, in part, “as the only candidate who predicted this economic mess we’re in long before it happened, I believe I’m the only one who knows what it takes to get America back on track”.
It is signed, “For Liberty, Ron Paul”.
Paul is still searching for his first state victory in the GOP nomination contest. He narrowly lost the Maine caucus this week to front-runner Mitt Romney, 39.2% to 35.7%.
News reports say the Paul campaign is challenging the results.
A Valentine’s Day “money bomb” by the Paul campaign raised more than $1.2 million dollars in the middle of the week. Several “money bombs”, web appeals for campaign cash, have kept the campaign going.
The Paul campaign stop is designed to attract attention and energize his Kansas City area base for the upcoming Missouri caucus.
The Kansas GOP caucuses, however, are also cominig up soon. The Sunflower State’s GOP caucuses are Saturday March 10. The following week, the Missouri Republican Party conducts its caucuses on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
Rick Santorum easily won the non-binding Missouri Primary earlier this month.
Both the Mitt Romney and Santorum’s campaigns indicate they will compete for the Missouri GOP delegates leading up to the’Irish Caucus’.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Romney leads the GOP delegate hunt with 123 pledged delegates. Rick Sanotrum has 72. Newt Gingrich has 32. Paul trails the field with 19 delegates won to this point.
His campaign, however, has made it clear they are determined to mine delegates in the remaining caucus states. Caucuses place a premium on campaign organization and devoted supporters.
Missouri will send 52 delegates to the Republican Convention in Tampa.
Kansas will send 40 degates.
Also this weekend, the Missouri Republican Party’s Lincoln days celebration will feature the first joint appearance by all the Republican candidates for the US Senate race. Todd Akin, John Brunner and Sarah Steelman are all scheduled for a Saturday morning ‘Town Hall’ joint appearance.
The Lincoln Days event will also feature appearances by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. Both are potential running mates for the Republican nominee.
In suburban Overland Park,Kansas, former presidential candidate Rick Perry was at a Thursday night fund-raiser for the Kansas Republican Party’s state convention.
Rick Santorum’s daughter, Elizabeth, is scheduled to pitch for her father at the Kansas Saturday luncheon. Jindal and McDonell and former presidential candidiate Steve Forbes are also scheduled to appear at the Kansas event.

Santorum Campaign Makes Bid for Kansas Caucus Voters at State Convo February 16, 2012

GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s daughter, Elizabeth will campaign for her father at the Kansas Republican Party state convention in Overland Park this weekend.
The Kansas GOP caucus to start it’s delegate process is Saturday March 10.
Thursday evening Texas Governor Rick Perry is the star at the Sunflower state fundraiser for the state party.
After Perry left the nomination race, Perry endorsed Newt Gingrich for the nomination.
Elizabeth Santorum will be at the Kansas GOP luncheon Saturday.
That takes place at the Sheraton Hotel in Overland Park from Noon to 1:30 pm.

Kansas GOP Adds Steve Forbes to State Convention Speaker’s List January 19, 2012

The Kansas Republican party’s state convention in Overland Park next month as added former presidential candidate Steve Forbes to its speakers list.
Forbes will be the star for the Sunflower GOP’s Saturday night dinner, on February 18.
The convention will be at the Sheraton Convention center, 6100 College Blvd. in Overland Park.
Kansas Republicans are sharing two other speakers with Missouri Republicans.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will be the speaker at the Kansas Friday night Feb. 17 dinner before husting to the Westin Crown Center to speak to Missouri Republicans.
Virginia Govenor Bob McDonnell will be at a Kansas luncheon Saturday Feb. 18. He’s the keynote speaker for the Missouri Republicans the same night.
Both Jindal and McDonnell are being mentioned as potential running mates for the republican Presidential nominee.
Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins will also be attending the Missouri Lincoln Days event as a speaker on Saturday, too.