Abstract
In recent years the politics of Kansas, with its strong historic ties to the Republican Party, have taken a hard right turn. This political environment mirrors many other states in which one political party effectively dominates the policymaking process. But while political dominance may aid incumbency it can also contribute to the kinds of political excess that tend to promote electoral backlashes. In this paper, we use a survey of likely Kansas voters during the 2014 midterm elections to examine opinions and voting preferences related to two state-wide races in which incumbent overreach played a prominent role. In particular, we examine the reelection campaigns of Governor Brownback, as his remarkably austere and highly unpopular budget left him ideologically out of step with most voters, and Senator Roberts, as his lack of residence in the state after years of serving in the Senate left him out of touch with a disgruntled electorate. Although both Republicans survived reelection, their actions ensured an unusually competitive midterm in an otherwise deep red state.
About the authors
Seth C. McKee is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Texas Tech University. His primary area of research focuses on American electoral politics and especially party system change in the American South. McKee is the author of the forthcoming textbook, The Dynamics of Southern Politics: Causes and Consequences (CQ Press).
Ian Ostrander is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. He studies American institutions with a particular interest in the politics of executive-legislative interactions. Recently, his work has appeared in the American Journal of Political Science and Presidential Studies Quarterly.
M. V. (Trey) Hood III is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia where he conducts research in American politics and policy. He is also the Director of the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Survey Research Center.
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