Trounced at Polls, Kansas GOP Is Still Plagued by Infighting

More recently, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), a social conservative thought to be considering running for president, drew notice for holding up a federal judicial nomination when he learned the nominee had attended a commitment ceremony for a lesbian couple. He said he wanted to know whether she had presided.

Kansas Democrats and moderate Republicans fought back this year. In the midterm elections, Democrat Nancy Boyda stunned five-term incumbent Ryun, while moderate Republicans Morrison and his friend Mark Parkinson, a former chairman of the Kansas GOP, changed parties and easily won statewide office.

Morrison and Parkinson, the incoming lieutenant governor, were both recruited by Sebelius and both came from Johnson County, where moderates say they are particularly fed up with Kline, 46, a gregarious former scholarship wrestler and radio announcer.

Morrison outpolled Kline 65 percent to 35 percent in the traditionally Republican county. Then came Kline's election by Republican insiders to the district attorney's office.

"It just looks like a slap in the face to the voters of Johnson County to have him put in there," said Robert H. Meneilly, a former Presbyterian pastor and a lifelong Republican who intends to change parties.

"I've stayed in the party because my wife thinks you can do more inside the party than out," Meneilly said. "That hasn't been the fact so far."

Schwab, the Johnson County GOP chairman, strongly backed Kline for attorney general and thinks he will be a good prosecutor -- as long as his government work "is not about Phill Kline's ego, but about justice."

Yet Schwab said Kline's election will cause problems for the GOP as Democrats try to extend their gains in a state President Bush twice won handily.

"My job is to elect Republicans, and he made it very difficult," Schwab said.

Kline remained undeterred by defeat, firing a final volley against Kansas abortion clinics as he prepared to leave the attorney general's office. He filed charges against George Tiller, accusing the Wichita doctor of performing illegal late-term abortions.

A Wichita judge dismissed all counts, ruling that Kline had overstepped his authority.

Kline tried to extend his investigation by naming as a special prosecutor a staunchly antiabortion Wichita lawyer. Morrison, who has criticized Kline repeatedly for injecting politics into the attorney general's office, said he will review the files but made clear that the tenure of Kline's appointee will be short.

"Kansans expect more from their attorney general," Morrison said, "than grandstanding and stunts."

Kline is not unhappy. He got the new job, a fresh platform and even a raise. The Johnson County job pays $50,000 more than he made as attorney general.