Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline, whose attempted prosecution of a Planned Parenthood clinic earned him both acclaim and enmity, was soundly defeated by former Johnson County prosecutor Steve Howe Tuesday.

The defeat of Kline was part of a statewide rout of conservative candidates who faced campaigns well-financed by the state's Senate Leadership PAC, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and money from Missouri financier James Stowers.

Howe collected 33,260 votes to Kline’s 22,188, a 60-40 percent margin, in the Republican primary, according to unofficial tallies by the Johnson County Election Office.

Liberal Republicans also picked up wins elsewhere. Lynn Jenkins defeated Jim Ryun for the GOP nomination in the Second Congressional District. Ryun, like Kline, was targeted by a well-financed activist campaign headed by a group called "Kansans for a Traditional Republican Majority." The group accused both candidates of having ties to the KKK, a charge without apparent merit.

Meanwhile, Ben Hodge, who had been targeted by the state senate leadership, was defeated in his contest against former Rep. Tim Owens. Voter turnout was light in most parts of the state.

On the Democratic side, Mark Gilstrap, a three-term pro-life state senator who had been targeted by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for defeat, was trounced by Kelly Kultala, whose campaign had been heavily financed by the Democratic party.

Some conservatives were able to buck the liberal tide, however.

Kathy Martin, an incumbent school board conservative from Clay Center, defeated her opponent, Bill Pannbacker, and Mary Pilcher Cook, who was also hit by a KTRM campaign, upset Sue Gamble, winning by a wide margin in a Shawnee state senate nomination battle.

Steve Abrams, a conservative former school board chairman, defeated George Leach in a senate nomination race, and Republican incumbent Robert Hecht was defeated by Eric Rucker in the Shawnee County DA's race. Rucker will face Democratic nominee Chad Taylor in November.

Steve Morris and John Vratil, the state senate president and vice-president, both easily defeated challengers. The senate's liberal leadership's PAC had helped fund some of the KTRM's hit pieces. Morris told Kansas Liberty the senate leadership was compelled to act in order to prevent conservative gains in the senate.

Updated results are available online from the Secretary of State's website.

Howe will now square off against Democrat Rick Guinn in the November general election. Howe and Guinn both were assistant Johnson County district attorneys under former DA Paul Morrison.

The next DA will not take office until January.

It’s possible the Overland Park Planned Parenthood Clinic that faces more than 100 misdemeanor and felony charges in Johnson County District Court could stand trial on the charges before Kline leaves office, but a district court has repeatedly delayed the proceedings.

If a trial does not commence by January, Howe has indicated publicly that he would review the charges, and, if he believes it’s warranted, continue the prosecution.

The Week in Review