www.kansascity.com
Posted on Mon, Nov. 14, 2005


TIME MAGAZINE RANKS SEBELIUS AMONG BEST GOVERNORS

The Associated Press

TOPEKA — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has been named one of the five best governors in the nation by Time magazine.

Sebelius, a Democrat, was elected in 2002 “by winning the governor’s race in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats almost two to one,” the magazine said Sunday in a news release.

“Through spending cuts, fee increases and some borrowing, Sebelius was able to balance Kansas’ budget in her first year in office without raising taxes or cutting funding for education,” the magazine said.

Also named in the magazine’s top five governors in this week’s issue were Kenny Guinn of Nevada, Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Mark Warner of Virginia.

“I’m very honored and humbled by the mention of me as one of the top five governors,” said Sebelius, who was in Kansas City Sunday night for the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee’s annual dinner at the Westin Crown Center hotel. “I am with some wonderful companions, whom I know well and have stolen a number of good ideas from.”

She said the recognition was a reflection that others were noticing great things occurring in Kansas.

The recognition came as a surprise, she said, although she was aware that the magazine was taking a look at the nation’s governors. She had been interviewed by the magazine, but only learned of the honor on Sunday.

“I was not sure what they were doing,” she said.

She said the recognition reflected not only her work but the progress overall that had been made in the past three years to position the state to be competitive in the future, including providing great education opportunities for children and jobs of the future.

“Hopefully, people will see what is going on here in a positive light,” she said.

Time’s worst governors were Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana, Bob Taft of Ohio and South Carolina’s Mark Sanford.

(I didn't find a date for this and right now cannot access the ksdp ~MC)


http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/08/gov_sebelius_in.php


GOVERNOR SEBELIUS INCREASES ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR SENIORS

From the Kansas Democratic Party:

The Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA) is one of 19 recipients of a federal grant to create a single source of information and assistance for families needing long-term care assistance. Kansas will receive $800,000 over the next three years to develop Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) specifically tailored to minimize barriers to community living for the elderly and adults with mental health disabilities.

The grant is jointly funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Administration on Aging within the Department of Health and Human Services.

"Kansas families deserve better access to health care, and we’re working hard to create a healthy state for all Kansans," said Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. "Health care, and particularly long-term care, is best when it happens in the community, near friends and family members. These new centers will help Kansans receive care in their communities."

From the Kansas City Star, November 23, 2005

www.kansascity.com
Posted on Thu, Nov. 24, 2005


KANSAS HOUSE SPEAKER DECIDES NOT TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR

ERASE ONE MORE FROM GOP'S CANDIDATE LIST

By DAVID KLEPPER

The Kansas City Star

TOPEKA — The list of prominent Republicans willing to take on Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius just keeps on shrinking.

House Speaker Doug Mays is the latest Republican leader to back away from the governor’s race. Mays, 55, of Topeka, withdrew Wednesday, saying he didn’t want a statewide campaign to distract him from duties in the Legislature, which convenes in January.

He joins a list that reads like a who’s who of Kansas Republican power players: state Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh, Attorney General Phill Kline, Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt and even Gen. Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All have flirted with the race, only to dismiss the idea.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran backed off twice.

Mays’ decision leaves Sen. Jim Barnett of Emporia, former House Speaker Robin Jennison of Healy and two lesser-known candidates to vie for the Republican nomination in the Aug. 1 primary.

That candidates with statewide name recognition have balked at entering the race, in a state dominated by Republicans, shows just how tough an opponent Sebelius is perceived to be. She was recently named one of the nation’s top governors by Time magazine and is mentioned as vice presidential material.

Besides taking on Sebelius, any Republican candidate must also bridge the Republican Party’s great divide.

Even though the GOP handily controls the Legislature, infighting between conservatives and moderates threatens to derail attempts to take back the governor’s office. Because conservatives have shown muscle in primaries, there’s a fear that moderates could defect in November and hand Sebelius her re-election.

“Kathleen Sebelius looks pretty invulnerable,” said University of Kansas political scientist Allan Cigler. “Some of these Republicans aren’t that old. They can wait for a more favorable scenario.”

Republicans insist that the election is still a long way off and that the right candidate could pick up enough moderate votes to give the governor’s office to the GOP.

“The governor’s support is a mile wide and an inch deep,” Schmidt said. “There’s an awful lot of moderate Republicans who are willing to vote for Governor Sebelius, unless they have a better alternative in their own party. But they have to see the right candidate to bring them home.”

On Wednesday, Mays announced he would not be that candidate. In a news release, he said his duties as House speaker came first. Mays said he didn’t want to be distracted by a statewide campaign when the Legislature convened in January to deal with a host of issues, including Medicaid and school finance.

“The legislative session ahead will likely be difficult at best,” he said. “It would be unfortunate if gubernatorial politics were to stand in the way of sound policy. That, I fear, would be the case if I were to continue as a candidate.”

Mays’ withdrawal means it’s possible — even likely — that another candidate will step in.

Barnett, 51, is a physician who was elected to the state Senate in 2000. He picked state Sen. Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and a leading conservative, as his candidate for lieutenant governor. Barnett is seen as a candidate who can appeal to moderates, and with Wagle, he’s expected to pull in conservatives as well.

Jennison, 51, is a rancher who has worked as a Topeka lobbyist since leaving office, most notably for pro-gambling groups. He was elected to the House in 1990 and was its speaker in 1999 and 2000.

Also running for the GOP nomination are Dennis Hawver, an Ozawkie lawyer who was a Libertarian candidate three years ago, and retiree Richard Rodewald of Lawrence, a perennial candidate for state and federal office

None of them has statewide name recognition or a clear advantage in fund-raising ability.“A candidate could come in and catch up with these guys pretty quick,” said Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup. “I imagine there are people out there seriously thinking about throwing their hat into the ring.”

Barnett said Mays’ supporters could help push one of the remaining candidates to the forefront. He said it was important that a candidate with broad appeal won the primary to have a chance of unseating Sebelius.

“This significantly changes the landscape,” Barnett said of Mays’ decision. “We need a candidate that has a viable opportunity, not only to win in August but in the November general election. We’ve got to find common ground.”

Jennison said that he was surprised by Mays’ decision but that as a former House speaker he understood.

“There would have been some real challenges to him doing his job and running a campaign,” he said.

Sebelius is visiting Kansas troops in the Middle East and was unavailable for comment Wednesday. A spokeswoman, Megan Ingmire, said the governor remained focused on the job at hand and would have little to say about Mays’ announcement.

In his announcement, Mays said his decision was personal.

“This decision was made in consultation with my wife, Lena, and several close friends and associates. It was not made as a result of activity or actions by any candidate or elected official in either party. I have simply chosen to set aside my personal ambition and do what I believe is best for Kansas.”

He also said he would not seek re-election to the House next year, leaving the top spot in the House open.

Mays’ decision not to seek another term is in keeping with a Kansas political tradition that House speakers leave the office after four years.

“There’s no law. There’s no rule,” said Rep. Kenny Wilk, a Lansing Republican who is considered a front-runner for the speaker’s chair. “It’s simply the tradition of the House. You serve four years, and you move on.”

Other Republicans mentioned as possible successors to Mays include House Majority Leader Clay Aurand of Courtland, Rep. Melvin Neufeld of Ingalls and Rep. Mike O’Neal of Hutchinson.
First glance

■ Kansas House Speaker Doug Mays is out of the race for governor, leaving a field of Republicans with little statewide name recognition to fight it out for the party’s nomination in August.

■ The winner most likely will take on Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who is seen as having the advantage, even though Kansas is predominantly Republican.

To reach David Klepper, Topeka correspondent, call 1-(785) 354-1388 or send e-mail to dklepper@kcstar .

http://www.ksdp.org/?q=node/view/1645

SEBELIUS CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING WITH KANSAS' MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM
Submitted on November 24, 2005 - 2:07pm.

GOVERNOR VISITS SOLDIERS IN KUWAIT DURING MIDDLE EAST TRIP

KUWAIT – The desert of Kuwait may be 7,200 miles from the plains of Kansas, but the distance didn’t prevent Governor Kathleen Sebelius from celebrating Thanksgiving with Kansas’ men and women in uniform.

Governor Sebelius sat down for two traditional Thanksgiving dinners in Kuwait with Kansas military personnel, after joining her fellow governors in helping to serve the troops. She’s in the Middle East to visit our soldiers stationed there, thank them for their service to the United States, and deliver Thanksgiving wishes on behalf of grateful Kansans back home.

“Nearly two thousand Kansans are serving us bravely and proudly in the Middle East this Thanksgiving. Since they can’t be home for the holiday, the least we can do is come to them and let them know they are always in our thoughts and prayers,” Sebelius said.

Sebelius dined with soldiers from the 891st Engineering Unit at the first meal, and with Kansans from several other active units at the second.

“While Kuwait isn’t Kansas, as long as we’ve got turkey, trimmings, and one another, we’ll have a great Thanksgiving,” she continued. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s no better way to spend Thanksgiving than with these proud and selfless Americans.”

Sebelius’ visit to Kuwait also included meetings with the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister.

Governor Sebelius is being joined on the trip by Governor Haley Barbour (MS), Governor Jennifer Granholm (MI), and Governor Sonny Perdue (GA). The Governors traveled to Kuwait at the invitation of the Departments of State and Defense.