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Posted on Wed, Nov. 05, 2008

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U.S. House: Tiahrt wins easily

Donald Betts can't deny the Republican an eighth term in the House.

BY BRENT D. WISTROM

The Wichita Eagle

Congressman Todd Tiahrt handily defeated Democratic challenger state Sen. Donald Betts on Tuesday. Tiahrt claimed an eighth term in Washington and kept a Republican seat in the House on a night when Democrats made gains nationwide.

Tiahrt said he was pleased with the outcome of the race.

"It reaffirms that people in the 4th District understand the vision I have for the future and the message I've had -- that we need to keep our economy safe, that we need to strengthen our economy and that we need to make sure we have opportunities for our kids."

Betts expressed disappointment.

"I gave it 110 percent," Betts said. "I worked hard and traveled all over the district and met thousands of people. I consider this a blessing to have run for Congress at age 30. I have no bad feelings. I have done everything I could possibly do in this race. I will consider running again. It doesn't stop here at age 30."

Tiahrt, a campaign veteran and member of the House Appropriations Committee, entered the race with far better name recognition and more money.

Tiahrt's ads depicted the former South Dakota farm boy as a friend of Kansas farmers. And he said his efforts to force the Air Force to rebid a tanker refueling contract is evidence that he will fight to retain and grow Wichita's cornerstone aviation industry, an industry he used to work for directly at Boeing.

Despite his huge lead in polls, Tiahrt used his campaign coffers to rip Betts in the closing days of the campaign, labeling Kansas' youngest-ever state senator as "a San Francisco liberal" and claiming Betts voted against a bill called Jessica's Law that increased penalties for child sex offenders.

Betts, however, voted in favor of the tougher penalties.

Betts' campaign focused on political donations Tiahrt received from the banking industry to raise questions about Tiahrt's motives during an economic crisis. Tiahrt voted against the recent Wall Street bailout.

Betts also questioned the campaign money Tiahrt received from Northrop Grumman Corp., an aircraft manufacturer that nearly won a multibillion contract, which would have cost Wichita jobs.

Tiahrt received money from the company, but he advocated to have the contract investigated and re-bid.

Tiahrt raised nearly $1.3 million in the election cycle and had spent $708,000 as of Oct. 15, the latest report available from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Meanwhile, Betts raised nearly $194,000 and spent $157,000 by Oct. 15.

Contributing: Denise Neil,Associated Press

Reach Brent D. Wistrom at 316-268-6228 or bwistrom@wichitaeagle.com.