Kansas Republican Steve Watkins-- That body language indicates a guy who would get up to no good-- fast... like sending out dick shotsNot counting Kansas City, KS-02 is all of eastern Kansas, from the border with Nebraska in the north to the border with Oklahoma in the south. The district's entire eastern border is Missouri. The second district includes the state capital, Topeka, and Shawnee County is the biggest of the 25 counties in the district-- and one of the two blue ones. The other blue county-- Douglas (the Kansas City suburbs) is also the second biggest in terms of voters. Last year, KS-02 elected Steve Watkins over Republican-lite Blue Dog Paul Davis. Had the Democrats run a real Democrat espousing Democratic issues they would have easily won. It was one of the closest races in the country:
• Steve Watkins (R)- 126,098 (47.6%)• Paul Davis (Blue Dog)- 123,859 (46.8%)• Kelly Standley (Libertarian)- 14,731 (5.6%)
Now something's up. Just about a month ago, Bryan Lowry, reporting for McClatchy wrote that Watkins had fired his chief of staff, Colin Brainard-- a former Lynn Jenkins staffer with more than a decade of Capitol Hill experience. "Brainard was one of several ex-Jenkins staffers to join Watkins’ team," wrote Lowry, "which helped smooth relations with GOP establishment figures who were skeptical of Watkins during the campaign. Watkins compared the hires partnering with local guides in Afghanistan and Iraq during his time in the Army. Brainard will be replaced by Jim Joice, a former executive director of the Kansas Republican Party who currently serves as Watkins’ communications director."OK, not that big a deal; it happens all the time. But this doesn't: Watkins is under intense pressure from Republicans in DC and in Topeka to resign according to Topeka Capital-Journal reporters Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter. He's been going to great lengths to avoid speaking with the media.The Topeka Capital-Journal reported he was dating women in Topeka during the campaign while engaged to be married and after he was wed, and identified a Wasilla, Alaska, resident who accused Watkins of unwanted sexual advances. Watkins called the allegations "preposterous." Everyone in Topeka is claiming he was sending out dick-pics-- presumably of his own genitals-- and that's why he's been asked to resign (which he refused to do as of yesterday afternoon). During the August 2018 primary in the 2nd District, county GOP officials and Republican rivals in the campaign shared concern about Watkins’ background and were outspoken with doubts he was a dedicated member of the Republican Party. Democrats said Watkins met with them before he filed as a member of the other party.There are already 5 Republicans lined up tp replace Watkins, including two state senators (Dennis Pyle and Caryn Tyson) and a former state House speaker, Doug Mays. The only Democrat in the race is Abbie Hodgson, who has no issues on her website, a bad sign. It does say, however, that "she loves her state."
