Comments on: GOP Husband, Democratic Wife Vie for Kansas House Seat

By: Jeff Ippel

Jeff Ippel — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 03:09:53 +0000

In last Sundayâ��s KCStar, there was an article about my campaign for the
Kansas House that contained quotes from three people who question my
candidacy; the doctor Iâ��m running against, Eric Carter whose campaign
literature is being distributed by the doctor, and their friend, the
Johnson County Republican Chairman, Doug Patterson. I am a life long,
traditional Conservative. I believe our governmentâ��s main responsibility
is to handle our tax money efficiently, and to pass legislation that
protects us without excessive limitations to our individual freedoms. I am
more fiscally conservative than most Republicans currently in the House.
The Kansas Governmentâ��s income is growing at over twice the rate of our
personal incomes. I support a constitutional amendment that will restrain
the growth of taxation and expenditures.

My decision to run was made independent of my wifeâ��s. I believe the
people in our district need the option of voting for a Republican that is a
fiscal conservative, a social moderate, and someone that has lived in the
district for years not just weeks. Without my candidacy the choice would
have been between an ultra conservative, or a leader in the KNEA that has
been too close to the teachersâ�� union for too longâ�¦

By: Steven Taylor

Steven Taylor — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 17:04:14 +0000

Christopher,

Having different political views and being married is one thing, running against one another for the same office is another.

I don't know how Matalin and Carville manage it, but the above scenario would take the whole idea of mixed political marriages to a whole new level.

I have seen married couples get into fights when competing against one another playing cards, so katy bar the door if two spouses were to run for the same office.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:14:10 +0000

James, have you ever heard of James Carville & Mary Matalin?

But I have to agree with you. I don't know how a couple can do it. I'm not even sure how they do it, and I think they have been married now for several years.

Maybe so-called moderates from opposite sides of the isle more easily can be married? Carville is certainly a liberal but would change his stripe's intensity for a moderate democrat in a minute if he got paid for it. And Mary loves the Bush's and Cheney's, who definitely in many regards could be called moderates.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:03:11 +0000

"Itâ??s not entirely clear to me, though, why Ippel would draw votes away from the conservative candidate and thus favor the moderate; the opposite strikes me as more likely."

I suspect Ippel's campaign rhetoric is the most 'conservative' of the three. Tha would make sense if this is really a family shell game.

On the other hand, if this was legitimate, it would make a great plot for a reality show.