The KC Star reports that Democratic Kansas Representative Sue Storm has filed for the 2nd district state school board seat currently held by Sue Gamble, who is now running for the state senate in the open 10th district.

Mary Ralstin has filed as a Republican for the state school board seat, but we fully expect her to endorse Storm and drop out.

We've been told that it's likely that a mainstream Republican challenger will file against Storm.  If this candidate files, the person is one who will listen to all sides but, unlike Storm, will place the needs of students and parents as a top priority.

Storm will have a tough race if a solid Republican files against her -- the district voted 60% for Bush in 2004.

With each passing year, the Kansas Republican party's ranks become more, well, Republican; the resulting elections are better for both Republicans and for the voters.  When liberals and conservatives do their election battles in the general elections, the idealogical differences are much clearer to the voters, and there are strong Republican coattails in most parts of Kansas.

While Rep. Storm is well-liked by both Democrats and Republicans and has meant well when voting, her long tenure in the state legislature has produced a record that is in lock-step with the NEA and consistently against the interests of students, parents, and taxpayers -- and sometimes against even the interests of teachers. 

During the 2008 session in Topeka, Storm voted against legislation that would have encouraged teacher merit pay in government schools.  Teachers unions regularly oppose efforts toward improving accountability within government schools, including pay-by-performance salary structures.