Despite poll numbers showing him trailing his Democratic challlenger, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says his state "tried the blue-state model" — and it wreaked havoc with the economy.
"We were the second-highest taxed state in the region," under previous leadership, the Republican
told Politico Friday.
"We tried the blue-state model," noting: "Kansas had a net loss of private-sector jobs last decade. Your public sector can’t be more robust than your private sector.”
Brownback has
cut taxes in the state, recently slashed the tax rate on businesses and touts record growth in the influx of small businesses last year, Politico reports.
But it hasn't translated in the most recent
Public Policy Polling numbers.
In its survey released Friday, 42 percent of voters said they'd vote for Democratic challenger Paul David, while 40 percent said they'd vote to re-elect Brownback.
The poll also found Brownback in negative territory on job approval as well, with 33 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percent.
Brownback blamed bad press.
“Most of these changes that you put in place, you don’t see the effect for a year or two," he told Politico. "We’re down at 4.9 percent unemployment, 10th lowest in America. The media only covers the battle, they never cover the success.”
Brownback also predicted Obamacare would continue to sputter, and bashed the White House's
delay of key aspects of the law until after crucial midterm elections.
“They’re looking at it and saying, ‘We don’t want any other problems with this system prior to the midterm elections,’” he said.
And he decried the animosity among Washington lawmakers.
"You need people working those relationships,” he said, pointing to the National Governors Association in Washington as a positive example. “The fact that you get people together and you’re talking is actually a very good thing because at the end of the day, you have to have some sort of trust level built up.”
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