To the stars through difficulties is the Kansas state motto. One star has been steadily rising in Kansas, leading her party and state through difficulties often brought on by social conservative ideologues and an agenda that distracts many politicians from doing what they were elected to do, govern. Governor Kathleen Sebelius, winning her second term in a cake-walk, is a bona fide national leader with accomplishments forged of collaboration and pragmatism. She did that without dodging or compromising her beliefs on difficult social issues in red state Kansas. As an unapologetic pro-choice Catholic, she places social issues in the larger context of issues that genuinely matter to the vast majority of people, like education, the economy and health care.  But she does not ignore them.

   

Living in a deep-red state like Kansas means that elections are usually pretty boring. This year, however, the tides are really turning against the GOP, even here. Because of this, I feel it's important that I let some of our blue-state readers get a glimpse inside the process. And if any of you have any red-state elections stories, feel free to let everyone know in the comments.