Phill Kline promised that he wouldn't seek a full term as Johnson County district attorney. The Republican Party took Kline at his word and moved on, throwing its weight behind Steve Howe, a former assistant district attorney under longtime JoCo DA Paul Morrison. Without the prospect of a divisive primary, endorsements for Howe rolled in from a broad base of Republicans: conservatives, moderates, current and past party officials. City, county, state and national leaders, including Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, rallied behind Howe. But then, people began hearing rumors that Kline might run after all. Anti-abortion groups urged him to get into the race and railed against Brownback for not endorsing him. Finally Kline rebuked his own party, ignoring its calls for unity by announcing his candidacy. Even his closest allies were shocked. "No!" state Sen. Karin Brownlee told The Kansas City Star's Mike Hendricks. "He didn't! I waited to endorse Steve until after Phill announced he was not running." Kline didn't care about his party. "I cannot unite ... with those who desire to ignore the law and not act upon the law," he declared. "My campaign is not about 'unity,' except ... the unity of truth." Howe creamed him in the primary, but it was fun while it lasted.
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