Kansas guv likes Obama's odds

Says Democrat's chances good in GOP stronghold

By Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 26, 2008 at 11:30 a.m.
Updated June 27, 2008 at 1:23 a.m.

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Photo by Judy DeHaas © The Rocky

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a possible vice-presidential candidate, leans down Thursday to talk with Cole Journeau, 4, of Adams County, before appearing with Gov. Bill Ritter and DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry, right, to announce a "Convention Captains" program.

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Gov. Kathleen Sebelius hopes that, come November, Democrats won't be asking anymore, "What's the matter with Kansas?"

That's because Sebelius, a Democrat in a Republican stronghold, believes that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has a chance to do something no presidential candidate from her party has done in recent memory: win Kansas.

"I think Kansas is likely to follow its historic pattern, where a Republican is much more likely to be the choice of voters in the fall than a Democrat," Sebelius said Thursday in Denver. "Having said that, we are in what I think is a historic time, and there is evidence already in the polls that have been done that Senator Obama starts out this nomination in a stronger position than virtually any nominee in my memory.

"I don't put anything out of the realm of reason, and I do know that Kansans vote across party lines for people they like, or I wouldn't be elected."

Sebelius, mentioned in some circles as a possible Obama running mate, said she thinks Obama can take Kansas - a state John Kerry lost by 25 points in 2004 - from the GOP.

"Is it possible?" Sebelius asked. "Absolutely."

If that happens, Thomas Frank may have to rewrite his best-selling book What's the Matter With Kansas?, which looked at the success Republicans have had in states where socio-economic realities would seem to favor Democrats.

"I think there is no doubt that even if Senator Obama cannot put Kansas in the win column, that he can do substantially better than other Democratic candidates have done," Sebelius said.

Sebelius spent parts of two days in Denver, attending a fundraising meeting for Obama, speaking to an environmental group, and unveiling a program to help Democrats in all Colorado counties share in the experience of the national convention, scheduled Aug. 25-28 at the Pepsi Center.

Sebelius acknowledged that hearing her name and "vice president" in the same sentence is "very flattering and a little surreal."

"It is a lot about the work we've done in Kansas," she said. "And every once in a while I step back from it a little bit and say, 'Wow, that's me.' "

She shied away from saying whether she would consider the job if the talk got serious.

"At this point the focus really is on helping do whatever I can to make sure that Barack Obama is the next president," she said. "Whatever I can do to help, I'm ready."

Sebelius has been traveling extensively to campaign for Obama and expects to continue that work through the fall campaign.

"I'll do whatever they want me to do, balancing my responsibilities in Kansas," she said. "I'm not unique in this. There are surrogates around the country doing the very same thing."

Sebelius said she believes that supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton will back Obama and that the party will be united when it leaves Denver to embark on the fall campaign.

"I am confident that Democrats will be united around our nominee," Sebelius said. "There is no doubt this was a vigorously contested primary battle and Senator Clinton made a rousing endorsement not quite three weeks ago . . . and I think that supporters of hers who were part of that battle all the way through frankly need some time, and need an opportunity to adjust to the reality that Barack Obama is the nominee."

vaughank@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5019

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