I'm sure you remember a girl from Kansas who said there's no place like home. Well, in John McCain's version, there's no place like home. And a home. And home. And home.

Millions of Americans are proud to make their homes in rural communities, where values are deeply-rooted and passed down, like the family farm, from generation to generation. Too many in Washington are willing to write off these communities as part of an America of the past. But not Barack Obama.

He'll help us revitalize rural America by harnessing our natural assets, creating "green jobs" and linking the heartland to America's future. Barack Obama knows it's time for tax breaks for America's main streets not Wall Street. But not John McCain. He believes in country-club economics. He wants more tax cuts for big corporations, while giving only a third of the middle-class tax relief that Barack Obama will deliver.

Barack Obama knows that it's time to help the people who focus more on hedge rows than on hedge funds. But not John McCain. He supports tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas. Barack Obama wants to give tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here at home.

Barack Obama knows that after a life of hard work—especially after years working the land or working in a factory—you deserve to retire in security. He'll cut taxes for all seniors who make less than $50,000 a year. He'll make it easier for every worker to save and build a nest egg. And Barack Obama will strengthen Social Security. But not John McCain. He wants to privatize Social Security, putting at risk your retirement and your future. John McCain promises more of the same. Barack Obama will deliver the change we need!

We know that the fuel for our future can be found in the grasses and crops that grow, year after year, on our fertile prairies. The energy for tomorrow is there in the clean, renewable power of the steady winds that blow across our fields. Investing in American energy will create 5 million green jobs—jobs that will revitalize many of our rural communities. Jobs that can never be outsourced to a foreign supplier.

Now, even though John McCain has spent 26 years in Washington voting over and over against investing in renewable energy, John McCain does support some "renewables." He wants to renew the failed Bush agenda for another four years. John McCain has also renewed the Bush-Rove style of politics, built on bringing down your opponent instead of lifting America up.

But as someone who works with a Republican legislature every day, I can tell you that we can't bring about positive change unless we fix our divisive politics. We need to heed the words of another president, who came out of Illinois to lead the country at a difficult time, a man who warned us that "a house divided against itself cannot stand."

With Barack Obama as our president—together, we'll turn the page on the politics and policies of the past. We will create opportunities that once again will maids and the children of presidents share a common destiny. And that's the kind of change America needs.
Thank you.

“The Republican brand is really bad in many parts of the country, with Kansas being better than many, but still not good,” said Scott Bensing, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “It’s not a top-tier race, but it’s one of those where, should Democrats come into a bunch of money, it’d be a race.”

The text of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' response to President George W. Bush's State of the Union address, as prepared for delivery:

I'm Kathleen Sebelius, governor of the state of Kansas.

And I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with you tonight.

I'm a Democrat, but tonight, it really doesn't matter whether you think of yourself as a Democrat ... or a Republican ... or an Independent. Or ... none-of-the-above.

Instead, the fact you're tuning in this evening tells me each of you is, above all ...

... an American, first.

You are mothers, and fathers. Grandparents, and grandchildren. Working people, and business-owners. Americans, all.

And the American people -- folks like you, and me -- are not nearly as divided as our rancorous politics might suggest.

In fact, right now, tonight, as political pundits discuss the President's speech -- chances are, they'll obsess over the reactions of members of Congress.

"How many times was the President interrupted by applause? Did Republicans stand? Did Democrats sit?"

And the rest of us will roll our eyes and think, "What in the world does any of that have to do with me?"

And, so, I want to take a slight detour from tradition on this State of the Union night.

In this time, normally reserved for the partisan response, I hope to offer you something more:

An American response.

A national call to action on behalf of the struggling families in the heartland, and across this great country. A wake up call to Washington, on behalf of a new American majority, that time is running out on our opportunities to meet our challenges and solve our problems.

Our struggling economy requires urgent and immediate action, and then sustained attention. Families can't pay their bills. They are losing their jobs, and now are threatened with losing their homes.

We heard last week and again tonight that Congress and the President are acting quickly, on a temporary, targeted stimulus package. That is encouraging. But you and I know that a temporary fix is only the first step toward meeting our challenges and solving our problems.

There is a chance Mr. President, in the next 357 days, to get real results, and give the American people renewed optimism that their challenges are the top priority. Working together, working hard, committing to results, we can get the job done.

In fact, over the last year, the Democratic majority in Congress has begun to move us in the right direction -- with bipartisan action to strengthen our national security, raise the minimum wage, and reduce the costs of college loans.

These are encouraging first steps. But there is still more to be done.

And, so we ask you, Mr. President - will you join us? Let's get to work.

We know that we are stronger as a nation when our people have access to the highest-quality, most-affordable health care. When our businesses can compete in the global marketplace without the burden of rising health care costs here at home.

We know that caring for our children, so they have a healthy and better start in life, is what grown-ups do. Governors in both parties, and a large majority of the Congress are ready, right now, to provide health care to 10 million American children, as a first step in overhauling our health care system.

Join us, Mr. President, sign the bill and let's get to work.

Sitting with the First Lady tonight was Steve Hewitt, the city manager of Greensburg, Kansas. Many of you remember Greensburg - our town nearly destroyed by a tornado last year.

Thanks to Steve's efforts, and hundreds of others in our state, and across the country, Greensburg will recover. Folks rolled up their sleeves and got to work, and local, state and federal governments assisted in the effort.

But more than just recover -- the Kansans who live in Greensburg are building green -- rebuilding a better community for their children and grandchildren; making shared sacrifices, and investments for the next generation.

Greensburg is not alone. You and I -- stand ready -- ready to protect our environment for future generations, and stay economically competitive. Mayors have committed their cities to going green; governors have joined together, leading efforts for energy security and independence; and the majority in Congress is ready to tackle the challenge of reducing global warming and creating a new energy future for America.

So we ask you, Mr. President, will you join us? It's time to get to work.

Here in the heartland, we honor and respect military service. We appreciate the enormous sacrifices made by soldiers and their families.

As governor of Kansas, I am the commander in chief of our National Guard. Over the past five years, I have seen thousands of soldiers deployed from Kansas. I've visited our troops in Iraq, attended funerals and comforted families and seen the impact at home of the war being waged.

We stand ready in the heartland and across this country, to join forces with peace-loving nations across the globe and to fight the war against terrorists, wherever they may strike. But our capable and dedicated soldiers can't solve the political disputes where they are, and can't focus on the real enemies elsewhere.

The new Democratic majority of Congress and the vast majority of Americans are ready -- ready to chart a new course. If more Republicans in Congress stand with us this year, we won't have to wait for a new President to restore America's role in the world, and fight a more effective war on terror.

The last five years have cost us dearly -- in lives lost, in thousands of wounded warriors whose futures may never be the same, in challenges not met here at home because our resources were committed elsewhere. America's foreign policy has left us with fewer allies and more enemies.

Join us, Mr. President, and working together with Congress to make tough, smart decisions, we will regain our standing in the world and protect our people and our interests.

I know government can work to benefit the people we serve, because I see it every day, not only here in Kansas, but in states across the country. I know government can work, Mr. President, because like you, I grew up in a family committed to public service. My father and my father in law both served in Congress -- one a Republican and one a Democrat. They had far more in common than the issues that divided them - a love for their country that led them from military service to public service. A lifetime of working for the common good, making sacrifices so their children and grandchildren could have a better future.

They are called "the greatest generation." But I believe, like parents across America, that our And in the morning, let's get to work.

In an e-mail message sent to state Republicans, Kansas Republican Party Chairman Kris Kobach reviewed the party’s accomplishments this year.

In the message, he states: “To date, the Kansas GOP has identified and caged more voters in the last 11 months than the previous two years.”

Mike Gaughan, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said, “Vote caging is a pretty direct form of voter suppression.”

For more on voter suppression efforts through "caging" methods, check out the Buffalo Blog, the official blog of the Kansas Democratic Party.

State parties will publish their delegate selection rules and clearly explain how to participate in the summer of 2007.

Kansas Democratic Party
700 SW Jackson Street, Ste. 706
Topeka, KS 66603
785-234-0425
785-234-8420 (fax)

District-Level Delegates: 21
At-Large Delegates: 7
Pledged Party Leader & Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates: 4
Unpledged Delegates: 8
TOTAL Number of Delegates: 40

Alternates: 5

TOTAL DELEGATION SIZE: 45

System type: Primary

State convention page: None available.
State plan: Plan Available (PDF)
State filing form: Not available online. Please contact the state party to receive a copy.

** This information is prepared by the DNC's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection and may be subject to change. For more information, please call 202-863-8000.

General Montano notes that, as a result, the Guard is not as prepared as they should be to respond to local emergencies like the tornado that hit Greensburg, Kansas last week. He argues that we need to rebuild our National Guard and President Bush should work with Democrats to bring the war in Iraq to an end.

The transcript of the radio address is below. To listen to the address, click here:

Text of Radio Address:

Good morning. My name is Major General Melvyn Montano, U.S. Air Force, Retired, and former adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard. I am a Vietnam veteran and served almost 46 years in the military.

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Greensburg, Kansas who are now rebuilding their community in the aftermath of the devastating tornado last week. Unfortunately, it took this tragedy to expose a costly consequence of the mismanaged war in Iraq.

For months, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has warned the Pentagon that the war in Iraq has stretched the National Guard resources to the limit. Crucial equipment used by the Guard for disaster relief is now in Iraq instead of standing ready to respond to crises here at home. Without the equipment they need, the Guard can not respond effectively to catastrophic events. They can not quickly secure communities, remove debris, and save lives.

The National Guard, our nation's first responder to hurricanes, forest fires, tornadoes and other natural disasters, is not as prepared as they should be. This week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that current equipment levels are at the lowest since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

When the tornado struck Kansas last week, the Guard had half the number of humvees and large trucks they usually would have at their disposal. As a result, the recovery process now will take longer and the people of Kansas are more vulnerable if another disaster should strike. The Guard in Ohio, California and Arkansas face similar obstacles to respond to natural disasters in the future.

It is not only a matter of equipment, but of personnel as well. Because our military has been so badly depleted by the war in Iraq, the Bush Administration has had to deploy about 80 percent of the National Guard and Reservists to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. The Guard and Reservists have been deployed for an average of 18 months per tour of duty and more than 84,000 of them have been deployed more than once.

Homeland security begins with hometown security and we have a responsibility to rebuild our National Guard and make sure they have the equipment and training they need to keep our communities safe.

It is time for President Bush to listen to the American people and finally acknowledge the facts on the ground- both in Iraq and here at home. Now that more and more Republican lawmakers are beginning to see that the stay-the-course approach in Iraq is unsustainable, it is time for the President to finally work in a bipartisan fashion to change course.

Democrats have a plan to bring this war to an end. Our plan ensures U.S. troops have the resources they need to complete their mission. But, the mission in Iraq itself must change. Our brave men and women in uniform should not continue to police a civil war.

The Iraqis have to be accountable for their own future. And, that is why Democratic lawmakers have put forward clear benchmarks that will require the Iraqis to take control of their own future.

By changing course in Iraq, our federal government can better provide the equipment our military needs and no longer strip resources from the states.

This is Major General Montano wishing you a Happy Mother's Day. Thank you for listening.

"By throwing his hat in the ring Senator Brownback will have to reconcile his compassionate rhetoric with the callous conservatism his record shows," said Democratic National Committee spokesperson Amaya Smith. "So far, Senator Brownback's record has already shown that he's willing to place his uncompromising ideology over the needs of real people. The American people want a President who will work for the interest of all Americans, not another stubborn ideologue who places his own political agenda over the needs of the American people."

Brownback claims he'll bring compassion to the job of the Presidency, "There is a real need in our country to rebuild the family and renew our culture," Brownback said. "There is a need for genuine conservatism and real compassion in the national discussion."[Topeka Capitol Journal, 12/5/06]

In Reality... Brownback Voted To Eliminate Minimum Wage Protection For Millions of Workers and Their Families. Brownback voted to exempt businesses with gross annual sales of under $1 million from the minimum wage requirement, which would eliminate minimum wage protection for millions of workers. Brownback voted to cut overtime pay, which would deny overtime for employees working more than 40 hours a week by introducing an 80-hour accounting period in which they could work 50 hours one week and 30 hours the next without extra pay. Brownback voted to prevent states from raising wages of tipped workers. [Vote #180 6/21/06, S 2766; Rejected 45-53 (R 45-9; D 0-43; I 0-1)]

Brownback Opposes Use of Stem Cells for Medical Research. Speaking in support of Bush's actions to restrict use of stem cells for medical research, Brownback said, "I'm quite confident... The president staked out clear principles that this is human life and I don't think he'll move from it." [Chattanooga Times Free Press, 7/30/05]

Senator Brownback Voted Against Increased Funding for Humvee Armor For Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Senator Brownback voted against an additional $213 million for armored Humvee production. [Roll Call #108, SA 520 4/21/05]

Senator Brownback Voted Against Improving Health Care for Veterans. Senator Brownback voted against making a portion of VA funding mandatory or automatic, like other health related programs. Brownback also repeatedly voted against efforts to increase overall funding for veterans' medical care by almost $2 billion.[#145 S 2400, 6/23/04; #89 and #90, HR 1268, 4/12/05; #40, SCR 95, 3/10/04; Washington Post 6/24/05; AP 6/28/05]

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) will become chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association next year, officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the Associated Press.

The Democrats are coming off a successful campaign season, picking up six statehouses in last month's elections.

Sebelius and the DGA declined to comment ahead of a meeting tomorrow of the governors association, when the announcement of Sebelius's appointment is expected. She would replace New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is considering a run for president in 2008.

Next year, the Democrats will hold a majority of the country's governorships for the first time in 12 years. This year's victories came in several states that had Republican governors despite strongly Democratic leanings, such as Massachusetts and New York.

But the elections also underscored the importance of the party reaching out to more conservative states. Sebelius, who defeated her opponent with 58 percent of the vote Nov. 7, is considered a leading model for how Democrats can win in traditionally Republican territory.

The Democrats also picked up governor's seats in Ohio, Arkansas, Colorado and Maryland, and they will control 28 states in January. The Democrats' success in governor's races was mirrored in state legislatures, where they picked up nine chambers.

Sebelius's vice chairman at the DGA will be West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III, according to the AP.

Governor Sebelius has done an amazing job leading the state of Kansas and bringing the Democratic message to the heart of a "red" state. Not only is this a fabulous development for women leaders, but it's going to be a fantastic fit for the Democratic Governor's Association as we seek to build a truly national party as part of the 50-State Strategy. Governor Sebelius already knows the importance of fighting for every vote and has shown that not only is she willing to do it, but that she can do it and win:

One of the key reasons Kansas Democrats are in fighting mood is their governor, Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius's vote represents an island of Democratic blue in a sea of Republican red on the political map, and she has impressed by reaching the middle-ground voters in a startlingly successful first term. Shunning the hot-button social issues, she has focused on education, jobs and health. This has earned her approval ratings touching 68 per cent in a state that was overwhelmingly pro-Bush in 2004.

Sebelius has cracked the political holy grail: persuading heartland Republicans to vote Democrat. 'Her style works here, and then bringing over Parkinson to the Democrats has been the coup of all coups,' said Professor Bob Beatty, a political scientist at Washburn University near Topeka.

More on how Governor Sebelius has re-energized the state of Kansas with her common sense approach, here and here.

They note, "What's Right With Kansas":

It would be remiss to finish the election post-mortems without noting a major shift in the nation’s heartland. Kansas — lately considered the reddest of red states — emerged from the election as a bastion of moderation.

Just two years after President Bush carried the state by 25 percentage points, Kansas voters rebelled against continued domination of the state’s politics by the sharply conservative state Republican Party. The Democratic Party posted major gains, including some by former Republicans who switched parties.

The moderate Democratic governor, Kathleen Sebelius, received a whopping 58 percent of the vote to secure her re-election. Three moderate Republicans holding statewide jobs also won easy re-election, two of them after beating back conservative challengers in the primary. And two of the four people elected to the House of Representatives were Democrats, a result that would have seemed inconceivable not too long ago.

Victories by moderate Democrats and Republicans ended conservative control of the Kansas State Board of Education, which tried to replace evolution with creationism in public school classrooms.

And for us, one of the most satisfying results was the resounding defeat of Attorney General Phill Kline, an anti-abortion zealot who gained national notoriety by misusing his office to further his ideology. He tried to force health care workers to file reports on the sexual activity of teens, and to seize women’s confidential medical records. That gross assault on privacy and legal rights was a major issue in the campaign. The 58-to-42 landslide that elected a former Republican, Paul Morrison, was a victory for moderation and the rule of law.

Now this is not new news to us. We've been watching the Heartland transformation for some time, and applauding the job of the Kansas Democratic Party, which has worked hard to recruit, run and elect leaders that will truly reflect the values of people of the state of Kansas, bring people together and move Kansas forward.

These former Republicans are joining the Democratic Party because they recognize that Governor Sebelius and Kansas Democrats are committed to finding commonsense solutions to the issues faced by all Kansans.

Governor Sebelius and Democrats are bringing Kansans together to move our state forward while the Kansas Republican Party is dividing Kansans with the same old partisan bickering. Kansans know our candidates are dedicated to putting progress ahead of partisanship, and the best interests of the people of Kansas ahead of anything else.

Well, today, an article in the Washington Post has people taking another look at Kansas, this time with the 2006 elections around the corner. And, over at MyDD, Jonathan looks the results:

Kansas is a thoroughly Republican state, as it has been since it entered the union nearly 150 years ago. It has been more than 70 years since the state elected a Democratic Senator, something it has only done four times in its history. Yet today, the state appears on track to reelect its Democratic Governor as well as throw out its ultra-conservative Republican Attorney General; polling released Monday by SurveyUSA shows Gov. Kathleen Sebelius holding a 13-point lead over her Republican challenger and Democrat Paul Morrison maintaining a nearly identical lead over the incument Attorney General Phill Kline.

Jonathan also gives the 50-State Stragey some props:

...it is so important that the DNC under Howard Dean has invested in Kansas, as it has in other states. I do not mean to overstate the extent to which the DNC's actions have fostered this potentially changing environment; the hubris and extremeness of Republican politicians in Kansas, as well as the political deftness of Governor Sebelius, have been at the root of these movements. Nonetheless, by putting boots in the field, the DNC is enabling Democrats in Kansas to capitalize on the situation in the state and help woo voters who had not previously even considered voting the Democratic ticket. And, who knows? The investment made today in Kansas by the DNC could make Kansas slightly more purple and enable Democrats to compete in more elections in the state in the future and, more importantly, force the Republicans to play defense in what has historically been a safe state for their party.

In the Aug. 8 e-mail titled "church efforts," Kline wrote to campaign workers Bill Roche and Sylvia Chapman: "The Goal and Objective - numbers. Get the pastor to invite 5 money people, whom he knows can help. Please try to get me in front of the largest crowds as we move through the remainder of the campaign schedule. Where possible, get additional churches involved."

"Get me out. Do not schedule me for social lunches. Only working lunches were (sic) we can obtain either media, money or crucial support," he wrote. "Work with Bob to try not to leave gaps in the schedule. If there is a gap, get me to a quite (sic) place so I can make phone calls or write; feed me slimfast. Do not need a sit down meal. Takes too much time."

High energy costs, frustration over foreign oil dependence and concern over global warming are making Washington friendlier to projects like the Goodland Energy Center. That means opportunities for Kansas energy producers, as projects from wind farms to clean-coal plants seek incentives from Washington that will help them profit while saving the planet and stoking local economies.

Governments on both the state and national levels are in support of this effort. The Kansas state legislature and Governor have both signed on. When the Goodland energy complex is done, it will provide all the electric power for the town of 5,000 and a new market for area farmers. This is just one step towards bringing America towards energy independence.

In those swing states, House races could hinge on districts where Latinos make up a large percentage of the population, according to NALEO. In "purple" districts in states like Kansas, where the Latino population is still relatively small, their voting force could make a big political impact, too.

Motivated by the pro-immigration rallies held this past spring, activists are trying to keep Hispanic voters as engaged as possible. While older Hispanic voters are faithful to the Democratic Party, younger Hispanic voters, who are more issue driven, are paying great attention to the way each party supports them on issues like immigration and English as the national language.

KDP Chair Larry Gates:

I believe that allowing unaffiliated voters to join Democrats as we choose our candidates will strengthen our candidates and continue our long tradition of inclusion as a Party. I feel this decision is consistent with the long-time reputation of Democrats as the Party of inclusion, welcoming opportunities to involve potential new members in the Democratic process.

While the Republican Party becomes more polarized, Kansas Democrats continue to provide independent, commonsense candidates. As Kansans have more opportunity to choose, we believe they will look to the Democratic Party for leaders who will work to find solutions to the issues of education, health care, jobs and safe neighborhoods.

Kansas Democrats have become a real force in what most have considered a completely "red" state. Governor Sebelius is leading that charge - putting progress ahead of partisanship, and the best interests of the people of Kansas ahead of anything else.

If you are in Kansas, go vote!

Need a ride to the polls? Call the Democratic Party at 316-262-7534.

"Sebelius has successfully split the Republican Party in Kansas," said Bob Beatty, political science professor at Washburn University. "The divide between the moderates and conservatives has just become stark with the phenomenon of Kathleen Sebelius," he said.

Although the state has yet to hold primary elections, the Democratic gubernatorial and attorney general candidates are among the uncontested primary races in the state. And with the primary race scheduled for August the first, we can continue to watch Democratic fudraising dollars grow.