It's unlikely the national media is going to swoop into Kansas and cover the Kansas Caucus the way it does in Iowa -- the first in the nation. However, Kansans will have a say in choosing the Republican and Democratic Presidential nominees during the Kansas Caucus on March 5.
Caucuses are party functions, and I'm not a Democrat, so I can't speak to how their nomination process works. (Something, something super delegates.. huh?) However, in the Republican nomination process, there are 2,472 delegates who will select the Republican nominee for President. So, a candidate needs 1,237 delegate votes to win.
Kansas will send 40 delegates to the convention, which will be in July. There's a formula that determines the number of a state's delegates. Forty is the maximum Kansas could have -- 10 per state, 3 per Congressional district or 12 in KS, 3 national committee members and a variable number based on the number of elected state and federal Republicans. (Kansas has a BUNCH. All statewide offices are held by Republicans. We hold 32 of 40 seats in the Kansas Senate, and I believe 97 of 125 House members.) Basically, Kansas Caucus results make up 3 percent of a possible winner's share of the presidential nomination. Bottom line: In the scheme of things, we're really not all that important. California has 172 delegates.Texas has 155. Iowa only has 30, but their first, and therefore more important. Bah humbug.)
Kansas' delegates to the national convention are bound by party rules to vote proportionally for the winners of the Kansas Caucus, meaning at least in Kansas, there are no super delegates. Kansas' delegates will vote in accordance with Kansas caucus voter wishes. (This is in direct contrast to the Democratic nomination process, which apparently allows delegates to vote for Hillary no matter what primary or caucus voters desire.) A Republican candidate must receive at least 10 percent of Kansas Caucus votes to earn any Kansas delegate votes.
Caucus goers will vote via secret ballot. There are dozens of caucus sites across the state -- 9 in Johnson County alone. Johnson County Republicans can vote at any Johnson County caucus site. I believe voters in every other county will be required to caucus at specific designated county sites. Johnson County and Sedgwick County caucus goers can pre-register. You must be a registered Republican Kansas voter to participate in the Kansas Caucus.
The Dems are having a caucus, too. Their caucus is also a closed caucus, meaning participants must be registered, Kansas voters to participate. (No details on whether they'll be requiring IDs to ensure that is the case, though!)
Gidget's prediction: Ted Crus will win the Kansas Caucus, but no guesses on the margin. If it were up to Johnson County alone, I'd say Marco Rubio would win. But the Big First is clearly #TeamCruz.
I sense a berning sensation coming from my Kansas Dem friends --not that it matters.
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