PRATT � The bus was a little late, but that did not deter more than 50 people, mostly supporters, from greeting the Kansas Republican Party Clean Sweep Bus.



U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, Gov. Sam Brownback, Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Attorney Gen. Derek Schmidt, State Treasurer Ron Estes and Insurance Commissioner candidate Ken Selzer were all present at the stop-off at the Pratt County Fairgrounds. The Wednesday stop-off in Pratt was part of a statewide bus tour with one goal: to encourage voters to get out and vote Republican.



�It�s a pretty big crew,� said Secretary Kobach. �Rarely do you have all the statewide officers together and rarely are they all having a good time.�



The tour began Wednesday in Topeka with stops in El Dorado, Pratt and Dodge City. Today the tour will continue with stops in Hays, Russell, Topeka and Kansas City.



This was Kobach�s first-ever visit to Pratt. So far, he said, the reception on the tour has been very warm. Kobach and his fellow candidates offered to those in attendance a message about the importance of a unified leadership.



�It�s so much easier to focus on our jobs when we know the leadership at the top is working towards the same direction,� he told the crowd.



Gov. Sam Brownback was all smiles from the moment he stepped off the bus wearing an Alex Gordon Kansas City Royals jersey. The governor, who faces a close election against Democrat Paul Davis, asked those in attendance to support his fellow Republicans, and he made several remarks of support for the Royals.



�We need you to get it done and help us out to get the surge on the line,� he said.



The others, including Sen. Roberts, expressed similar sentiments. Roberts also faces a close election against Independent candidate Greg Orman.



�The race to really get a Republican majority in the Senate is running right through Kansas,� Roberts said. �A vote for Greg Orman is a vote for Harry Reid.�



The stop, which lasted a little over 45 minutes, gave constituents a chance to meet the candidates and speak to them up-close.



�I think it�s important to meet the candidates, know who�s running and what they�re standing for,� said John Havens of Pratt. Havens, a Republican, said he had pretty much made up his mind on which candidates he will vote for but wanted to attend the campaign stop to be sure. He added that the put-downs seen in many of the ads on both sides were disquieting.



�Gov. Brownback has done what he said he was going to do,� said Jerry Stapleton, an Edwards County resident. �He�s had to make some hard decisions to make the state fiscally sound.�



Five educators from the Pratt School District were among those in attendance hoping to speak to the governor about his policies.



�We want some of these candidates to see the impact their votes have on not only teachers, but the working poor, middle class, elderly, disabled and rural schools,� said Sandy Foster, president of the local KNEA chapter. �We�re frustrated that the Legislature passed an unconstitutional (education) bill in the dark of night.�



Before leaving, the six politicians mingled with the crowd to speak with constituents. Brownback even found time to pass a football back and fourth with 11-year-old Jackson Wallace of Pratt.



�It was pretty cool that he did that,� Jackson said.



The tour will resume today from 8 to 9 a.m. The Republicans will be at the Historic Santa Fe Depot, 201 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City, and U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp will join the tour. The bus will continue to northwest Kansas for a 10:30-to-11:30 a.m. stop at Thirsty�s Brew Pub and Grill, 2704 Vine St., Hays, and then a noon-to-1:30 p.m. stop at Meridy�s Restaurant and Lounge, 1220 S. Fossil St., Russell.



Former U.S. Sen Bob Dole and U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins will join the group at 8 a.m. Friday in Topeka. During an 11:50 a.m.-to-1 p.m. stop Friday at the Kansas Speedway Administration Office in Kansas City, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder will join the group.