Kobach with Fear in His Eyes

The Kansas Republican Party has invented all sorts of reasons for Congresswoman Nancy Boyda's victory over former Congressman Jim Ryun in 2006, ranging from intervention by aliens to a vast left-wing conspiracy lead by the Clintons, Howard Dean, and some guy in a Volvo they used to see driving around the block by the KS GOP headquarters.

He may have actually been drinking a latte. And eating sushi.

We kid.

The actual reason cited over and over by the KS GOP is that Boyda only won because Republican turnout was miserable in '06...it wasn't that people liked her- no, certainly not- it was just that Republicans stayed home. Why'd they do that? Couldn't have been because they decided Jim Ryun was a horrible Member of Congress...naw, that couldn't be it...

They do have a point, of course, all joshing aside. While it can't account completely for Boyda's win, Republican turnout was indeed awful in 2006, which, without a doubt, did significant damage to Ryun.

So, given that reality, the doomsday scenario for the Kansas Republican Party- the horror of all horrors the KS GOP could face- would be a repeat of 2006, when Democratic enthusiasm was high and Republican turnout was depressingly depressed.

Welcome to 2008.

And, while we'd love to be the harbingers of that impending doom we aren't:

But if he [McCain] is going to rely on turnout within the Republican base more than on winning over independents and disaffected Democrats, there is evidence that he has not gone as far as needs to — particularly given how energized Democrats appear to be.

"He is going to need extraordinary participation of Republicans if Democrats continue to flock to the polls the way they have," said Kris Kobach, the Republican Party leader from Kansas. "It's critical that he use this period to generate enthusiasm from his base."

Kobach's basic concern is that Democrats are going to continue being really, really excited, and that John McCain won't be able to turnout those same conservative voters who stayed at home and refused to vote for Jim Ryun, which would certainly result again in a horribly and crushing defeat for the Kansas Republican Party.

No, we aren't evil liberals putting words in the beloved chairman's mouth- he said as much in the New York Times just yesterday:

“I’m still perceiving a need to reassure his base,” said Kris Kobach, the Kansas Republican chairman, one of the state party leaders interviewed Thursday. “I think he has got to reassure conservatives that he respects the core principles of the Republican Party [...]."

You're "perceiving" that, are you, Kris? Is that because you personally still aren't so convinced McCain "respects the core principles of the Republican Party? We all remember that he wasn't your first choice for your parties nominee.

So, donations, everyone, for the Kansas Republican Party: Let's help them build the Doomsday Shelter their Chairman is so very certain they're going to need!