Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Dave Helling

Deep Background: Steve Watkins and Kansas Republicans’ definitive right turn

On today’s Deep Background podcast, McClatchy Washington, D.C., correspondent Bryan Lowry talks about Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins, who was charged with three felonies for allegedly voting illegally. Also, why are there almost no Kansas Republican politicians sticking to the moderate, middle-of-the-road positions that have been a hallmark in the state for decades?

This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 5:00 AM.

Dave Helling
Opinion Contributor,
The Kansas City Star
Dave Helling has covered politics in Kansas and Missouri for four decades. He has worked in television news, and is a regular contributor to local broadcast programs. Helling writes editorials and columns for the Star, and is the co-host of the weekly “4Star Politics” show. He was awarded the 2018 ASNE Burl Osborne award for editorial leadership.
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