Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius has accepted Barack Obama's offer to be his Health and Human Services secretary. The two term governor is Obama's second choice for HHS, former Sen. Tom Daschle was forced to withdraw his acceptance after a tax issue became public.
A very popular Democrat in a very Republican state, Sebelius is leaving Topeka following a series of down notes.
The Sunflower State is broke, it recently suspended income tax refunds, and last month there was concern that Kansas would not be able to pay its employees on time.
Before she leaves for Washington, Sebelius vows to veto a bill that will add two coal plants to an existing facility in Holcomb. The leader of the state house says he has the votes to override that promised veto.
Sebelius was viewed as a likely candidate for Sam Brownback's US Senate seat next year--Brownback will not be running for reelection. She was leading in polls over her likely Repbulican opponents.
Christian Morgan is the executive director of the Kansas Republican Party, and he had this to say about Sebelius' departure:
When Sebelius leaves, the Democratic Party ceases to exist.
Kansas has not sent a Democratic senator to Washington since the Depression.
Related post:
Marathon Pundit's My Kansas Kronikles
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