Editorial: Reject GOP extremists on Aug. 2

Johnson County voters will have the opportunity in the Aug. 2 primary to reject some of the Republican hard-core conservative state lawmakers who have led Kansas into a deep fiscal hole.

But first things first.

The filing deadline for Kansas House and Senate seats is a week from today, at noon on June 1.

Moderate GOP forces in the county as well as many Democrats are aghast at the wasteland being created in Kansas by Gov. Sam Brownback and his followers.

It’s encouraging that a number of highly qualified moderate Republican candidates have stepped forward to run against the extremist GOP lawmakers in the Aug. 2 primary.

The ultra-conservatives — led by a thankfully retiring House Speaker Ray Merrick of Stilwell — have approved costly income tax cuts and sales tax increases while generally mishandling state finances the last few years.

Kansas has burned through its savings account, and Brownback just last week had to make yet more cuts to state universities and social service agencies. The harm he and his conservative cohorts have done to public services for Kansans is almost beyond belief.

Supporters of moderate GOP candidates have their work cut out for them.

It’s going to take a lot of hard work and campaigning in the weeks ahead to mobilize voters and begin to take back the Statehouse from the irresponsible Republican conservatives now in charge.

Residents have until July 12 to register to vote for the 2016 elections.

The Star will be taking much closer looks at the choices Johnson County voters will have after the June 1 filing deadline.

The 2016 elections conclude with the general balloting on Nov. 8. But that’s a long way from now. The important first priority is for moderate GOP forces to knock off as many of their party’s extremists as possible in the Aug. 2 primary.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 6:33 PM with the headline "Editorial: Reject GOP extremists on Aug. 2."