Iola Register Endorses Lynn Jenkins in Primary

In the very first media endorsement of the 2008 Republican Primary, Lynn Jenkins has received the endorsement of the Iola Register.

Kansas Treasurer Lynn Jenkins and Jim Ryun oppose each other for the Second District Republican nomination for Congress in the Aug. 5 primary election. Jenkins deserves the nod.

A certified public accountant, Jenkins has served in the Kansas Legislature and is now state treasurer. She is energetic, considers herself a moderate and would be a strong advocate for reducing the federal deficit.

Ryun represented the Second District for 10 years and was listed among the most conservative members of Congress on social, economic and political issues. He was not noted for any particular legislative accomplishments and was a dependable supporter of the Bush administration and congressional Republican leaders.

He is one of the reasons that the reputation of the U.S. Congress fell to such depths over the past decade.

It will be disappointing to moderate Republicans in the district to learn that both Ryun and Jenkins want to repeal the estate tax and make President Bush’s tax cuts for the rich permanent. Those positions, if they prevail, will make balancing the federal budget much more difficult, if not impossible, and will widen the gap between the rich and the middle class in America.

Nevertheless, Republicans eager to see America’s challenges addressed should choose Jenkins over Ryun. Experience tells them that Ryun is no force for change. With Jenkins there would be hope.

— Emerson Lynn, jr.

This is potentially one of the most negative endorsements any of us have ever read- very much "vote for her because the other guy is just terrible." And kudos to Mr. Lynn for backhanding Jenkins for supporting the rich or regular Americans.

In the end, Jenkins should be an obvious choice for Republican primary voters, really, and this endorsement says as much with "experience tells them that Ryun is no force for change" and that "with Jenkins, there would be hope."

That hope for someone better than someone as miserable as Jim Ryun should propel her through the primary, it should have made her a shoe-in. But...it hasn't. Right now, she's far, far behind in polling, she's still not on television, and still acting like her heart really just isn't in it. And that should scare her supporters (and her staff) half to death.

29 days to pull it out. Just 29 days.