Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's allies want conservative Republicans to dominate the Legislature after the election so that he'll have a free hand to remake the state.
Democrats' hopes for picking up seats in the state Senate and House in Tuesday's election rested on voters seeing legislative races as a referendum on massive income tax cuts signed into law by Brownback this year. Democrats portrayed those cuts as likely to force big spending cuts.
Conservatives hoped discontent with President Barack Obama would taint his fellow Democrats down the ballot, as it did in 2010.
Republicans went into the election with majorities of 32-8 in the Senate and 92-33 in the House. Moderates had been able to check Brownback in the Senate, but conservatives prevailed in numerous primary races.
