The Nix Six Project: Contenders?

After the former Democrat Attorney General Paul Morrison's embarrassing, public affair came to light - after running on "family values" during the campaign - Queen Kathleen handpicked Stephen Six to fill out the rest of Morrison's term.

So far, Six is going unchallenged in his bid for his first elected term. Instead, some of the GOP's top candidates are deciding to run for Secretary of State after Ron Thornburgh announced he'd be stepping down. Who were the two most likely candidates to take on Six?

• Kris Kobach: Former GOP Chairman, congressional candidate, and law professor at UMKC. Kobach announced he would run for Secretary of State, setting up a primary with young, up and comer from Salina, J.R. Claeys. Kobach is known across the country as an anti-illegal immigration advocate and popular with the conservative base.
  
  
• Derek Schmidt: An attorney and having served nearly 8 years in the Kansas Senate, now as Majority Leader, Schmidt could be the likely candidate to take on and knock off Six. Schmidt's, however, has indicated he is "exploring" a bid for SOS to setup a three-way primary.
  

Six has raised some money for his bid, but nothing that can't be overcome. The reality is that Six is virtually uknown around the state and having a big fat D after his name come 2010 won't exactly be an asset. Schmidt has served well in the Kansas Senate and needs to step up to the challenge to help the GOP sweep the statewide offices in 2010. Contact Schmidt at Derek.Schmidt@senate.ks.gov and let him know we need him for Kansas' next Attorney General.

And just for the heck of it, check out Morrison's "family values" ad during his campaign. Sad.