The Crossed Pond

The third congressional district of Kansas encompasses large portions of suburban Kansas City, most notably Johnson County, which is among America’s most prosperous counties, and Wyandotte County, which is largely minority and has historically been prominent Democratic terrain. Republican registrations outnumber Democratic ones by a reasonable margin.

The district’s Congressman for the last several terms has been blue dog Democrat Dennis Moore, a pretty authentic centrist who has held his seat largely because the local Republicans insist on nominating Christianist wack-jobs. Most of the elections have been close; in 2008 Moore rode Obama’s coattails to a sixteen point blowout.

Now, with Obama facing monster resentment over multiple issues (including, sadly, the prospect of hosing Guantanamo inmates at Fort Leavenworth), Moore has elected to retire in 2010 rather than face what might have been a losing political fight. And it looks like more or less every person in the area who’s ever held an office higher than dogcatcher is jockeying for position.

This SHOULD be a safe seat for a Republican club-for-growth sort with moderate views on social issues. But that ain’t who they tend to nominate around here. I forsee one of the most interesting Congressional races in America. Watch this space for updates.