Reform and Reaction

“Kansas political history has not been tidy. It has been uncertain, tense, confusing, and contradictory. Here is the story of how reforms of the 1960s gave way to the tensions of the twenty-first century. Reform and Reaction unpacks the old saying that ‘as goes Kansas, so goes the nation.’ Sometimes, Kansas defined the issues that defined a nation. Sometimes, it was more that Kansas adopted something because the nation had already accepted it. This book drills down beyond broad trends and blanket statements to explore the human and personal interactions that shaped the story of the Sunflower State over the past fifty years and will be an invaluable resource for those who wondered ‘how did we get here?’ . . . or perhaps, more accurately, ‘what on earth happened?’”—Jay M. Price, professor of history and director of the Local and Community History Program at Wichita State University

“Kansas is a ‘Red’ state, but its politics are more varied and elections more competitive, especially in gubernatorial races, than one might expect. Applying an effective ‘reform and reaction’ framework, Smith and Flentje explain the trajectory of politics in the Sunflower State since the 1960s. Highly recommended.”—John Fliter, associate professor of political science at Kansas State University, and author of Child Labor in America: The Epic Legal Struggle to Protect Children

“Reform and Reaction documents the issues and individuals who shaped the decades between 1960 and the 2020s in the state of Kansas. Not only is it an important history for those of us who are closely following—and participating—in the changes occurring in the Heartland, but events in Kansas, like the rise of ‘movement conservatism,’ previewed what was about to occur in the rest of the country. Those early Kansas trends continued through the August 2022 vote, the first in the country following the Dobbs decision, which offered the nation a glimpse into voters’ reactions and has been repeated across America.

Many thanks to authors Michael Smith and Ed Flentje. And special thanks to Bird Loomis who inspired, contributed, and participated in both educating students and citizens, and helping leaders to understand the events of each era in the context of an ever-changing landscape of challenges and issues in Kansas.”—Kathleen Sebelius, 44th governor of Kansas and former US Secretary of Health and Human Services