Patricia Lightner vs. ?

We've made no bones about it on this blog -- we're fans of Patricia Lightner. Several weeks ago, she came out swinging with the launch of website and a comprehensive 8 minute campaign video, which could be found on her website at http://www.patricialightner.com/.

Lightner, who clearly and articulately spelled out her belief in liberty and fundamental conservative principles such as economic freedom, limited government, and the right to life, declared in no uncertain terms where she stood on the issues -- and that was with those attending tea parties, town halls, and those in the conservative movement and just conservative-thinking people in general who want Dennis Moore out of office and to put a stop to the slippery slope of socialism the Democrats have us on at the moment.

One mistake some candidates make, when the enter a race before the rest of the pack, is that they often have a big splash, like a video, and then don't do anything, creating a bunch of dead air for other potential candidates to seize.

A mistake other candidates make is that they will wait forever to get in, talking to people in the background about whether they should get in or not, creating an enormous amount of buzz, but at the end of the day, the result is a bunch of crickets chirping.

Lightner has done neither of these things. She didn't make a big splash and then do nothing. She didn't endlessly talk to insiders or fundraisers behind the scenes, waiting for someone else's approval before running. She just started campaigning. And campaigning. And campaigning.

Below is just a sample of what she's done publicly:

• She hosted not one, not two, not three, but FIVE meet & greets throughout the district.
• She planted herself at the Olathe Republican Party booth for three straight days at Old Settlers, where she also participated in the Old Settlers parade -- the only Congressional candidate to do so.
• While most candidates ignored the voters in Spring Hill, Lightner showed up there too, putting her name, face and message in front of 2000 voters lining the streets -- perhaps some candidates who come from north of 435 don't realize a vote in Spring Hill counts just as much as a vote in Mission Hills.
• She appeared for an hour on Shanin & Parks.
• She was the only Congressional candidate in the Overland Park parade.
• She is the only candidate with radio ads playing.
• And just yesterday, she announced she was going to start walking door-to-door, 13 months from the election!

During that whole time, , there have been endless rumors about other candidates. Some, like Steve Rose, even entered the race, promptly raised $100K, and then dropped out a week later. Others, like liberal Republican Kevin Yoder, have been rumored for weeks, even by Rose himself. Others, like Steve Reintjes, have fallen out of the discussion. Still others, like Nick Jordan, still continue to be talked about in papers. And still others, like Daniel Gilyeat and John Rysavy, are in the race but aren't nearly as visible as Lightner. And now, this week, Darla Jaye is on her show talking about a potential run started by fans of hers on Facebook. There have also been a plethora of rumors about other people as well.

Let's put it this way -- in the last month, we've had rumors about a local newspaper publisher, a local radio host, a well known doctor, and upteen zillion state legislators -- all be rumored to be getting in, out , and in again. In fact, by our count, 17 candidates rumored to be running or are running and aren't very visible. SEVENTEEN. To anyone outside of the 3rd District, it's got to look like a three ring circus.

It's basically Patricia Lightner and a pack of ghosts. The way Lightner has stayed in the race despite all these ghosts in and out of the race, she should call her campaign team the Ghostbusters. As lame as a joke that is, the point is this -- it has got to getting incredibly old for Lightner, who has been doing the one thing we need to do as conservatives to win -- actually talk to voters.

Some of it is to be expected, of course -- she's been out of the Legislature for 5 years, a long time in Kansas politics. So, while people know her name, they don't know HER all that well yet --it takes time for people to know her and feel comfortable supporting her -- and that lends itself to people eyeing other candidates.

Also, historically, it is very early for candidates to be running in the 3rd Congressional District.

Put these two things together, and some people are keeping their powder dry in hopes that St. Perfect Candidate will soon be there.

The problem is though, in this cycle, it isn't early. In safe Republican seats, like the 1st and 4th Districts, candidates have been out since January, or before. The Senate race between Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran has been going on since literally the day after the November election. The thing is though, in all of those cases, the winner of the primary will most assuredly win the general.

That's not the case in the 3rd District, where we have a 12 year incumbent who won by a landslide in his last three elections. While he may be vulnerable, it will take a massive shift in voter choices in one cycle in order to defeat Dennis Moore. It can be done, but the task at hand is absolutely massive -- and will not be accomplished by endless background chatter , or in the words of Lynn Jenkins, a never-ending search for the great white hope.

It will be accomplished by doing what exactly Patricia Lightner is doing -- campaigning. Organizing people. Walking door to door. Getting on the radio. Telling people her story, her background, and her ideas. And that has to start NOW -- otherwise it will never get done.

Lightner may not be perfect. A simple Google search reveals stories from her time in the Legislature indicating she had a bit of an edge to her -- basically, she said what was on her mind, and sometimes that got her into trouble, and she made a few liberals fuss. Ala Joe Wilson.

But isn't that what we want in Washington right now? This blog supports Tim Huelskamp in the 1st District because he's a fighter, and is willing to say what he thinks and take courageous stands in the battle for liberty. This blog favors Todd Tiahrt because he's less concerned with cozying up to the cool kids table of JoCo "moderates", but about actually governing and getting things done. This blog favors Patricia Lightner for similar reasons:

• Rather than waiting for others to tell her what to do, she went ahead and campaigned.
• Rather than taking a poll, she immediately posted an 8-minute video making her case.
• Rather than listening to advice that it was too early to campaign, she walked in three parades.
• Rather than being soft on issues, she states in no uncertain terms where she stands on issues, revealing clear stances on the 2nd Amendment, the 10th Amendment, taxes, health care, life, with surely more to come later.

Not only that, she has the background and profile. She's got experience up the ying yang -- six years in the Kansas Legislature, including as a Committee Chair; several years in the private sector; several years working in the federal government as an enforcement attorney. She knows the law and knows the legislative process. She's got a family and understands the challenges working parents face. And most importantly, she's got the principles.

She's doing what conservatives have wanted for years -- be conservative, be authentic, don't be too smooth, and most importantly, work your rear off.

Yet, because of the lack of familiarity or her status as the "imperfect" candidate, what the endless speculation about other candidates does is harm not only Lightner herself, but the cause in general -- because she is the candidate out there actually talking about the cause -- conservatism, the country - to voters. She's going to parades, going to people's doorsteps, spending money on the radio -- all things that actually touch people. To undermine her with endless talk about other candidates undermines the very cause she's campaigning for.

So, at the end of the day, Republicans in general and conservatives specifically need to examine the situation before them in the 3rd District. Do they continue to search for The Perfect Candidate, or do they get behind the authentically conservative candidate who is taking the long, hard, yet necessary road to victory?

The clock is ticking.