As expected, on the heels of delivering the Democratic Response to the last (and by default, therefore the best) GWB State of the Union, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius endorsed Barack Obama for President.
I know we all know this but I hadn't seen this diaried yet.
Sebelius Makes It Official
With all the talk of the so-called "snub," I thought that Gov. Sebelius' line in the Democratic Response was prescient:
In fact, right now, tonight, as political pundits discuss the President's speech - chances are, they'll obsess over the reactions of Members of Congress.
"How many times was the President interrupted by applause? Did Republicans stand? Did Democrats sit?"
And the rest of us will roll our eyes and think, "What in the world does any of that have to do with me?"
Sebelius is the chair-emeritus of the Democratic Governor's Association and is seen by many as a potential VP candidate. Her prominent position as a leader in the DGA and her role in giving the response to the SOTU will definitely assist Obama's efforts to gain the endorsements of other governors (approximately 23 are still outstanding).
Sebelius has dominated recent Kansas politics, winning reelection in 2006 by a margin of over 15 points. According to a recent survey, her approval rating in Kansas is through the roof - a whopping 64% - which means that not only is she one of the most popular governors in America, but that she's been able to maintain this popularity for quite some time:
Sebelius at 64 percent approval
Notably, her strategy is very similar to that of Obama:
Her announcement came hours ahead of Obama's rally in El Dorado, the hometown of his grandfather on his mother's side, and one week before the Kansas caucuses, which are part of the multistate contests Feb. 5. Sebelius said she would attend the event to "welcome him back to Kansas and join the campaign."
Democratic presidential candidates long had sought Sebelius' backing in a state that George W. Bush carried by large margins in the 2000 and 2004 elections. No Democratic nominee for the White House has won Kansas' electoral votes since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
But Sebelius, now in her second term, has shown an ability to triumph in GOP territory. She won re-election in 2006 with nearly 58 percent of the vote. In Kansas, less than 27 percent of the voters are registered Democrats.
She said her two "20-something" sons and 86-year-old father, former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, already were backing Obama, and that the Illinois senator had the ability to bridge generations for the betterment of the country.
Sebelius has taken the governor's office by wooing moderate Republicans and independent voters. Obama hopes to do the same in Kansas. Democrats will have caucuses at 50 sites on Super Tuesday to split up 32 of their 41 delegates to the Democratic National Convention this summer in Denver. Sebelius is one of the remaining nine delegates who will represent the state.
Kansas City Star - Jan. 29, 2008
For those who say that reaching out to independents and moderates necessarily means compromising progressive values, look at what Sebelius has been able to accomplish as evidence that progress can be accomplished through skillful coalition building:
Here is a quick summary of Sebelius' positions and record:
* She opposes concealed carry gun laws, making Kansas one of only four states to not have such a law
* She opposed a same sex marriage amendment (which would have made it unconstitutional). That amendment ended up passing with 70% support, despite her opposition.
* She opposes capital punishment
* A proponent of improved public education, she's presided over one of the largest K-12 education funding increases in the State.
* She's presided over a state economy that has enjoyed 22 consecutive months of economic growth, while balancing the budget.
* As Kansas' state insurance ocmmissioner, she blocked the merger of BCBS - Kansas with an Indiana company - the first time the Blues have been blocked in their acquisition strategy ever.
* She recently proposed comprehensive health care reform for children in Kansas funded by a 50-cent increase in the tobacco tax.
* She has increased funding for alternative energy and clean energy sources
Altogether, an impressive list of accomplishments and backbone for a relatively junior Governor in what is essentially a "red" state. Sebelius shows that you can have backbone and stand up for a progressive agenda without being an angry partisan. Sebeblius' endorsement of Obama will resonate throughout Kansas and is further evidence that Obama brings the kind of change this country desperately needs!