GUEST COLUMN, J. Basil Dannebohm

The seven Democrats running against Roger Marshall combined have raised under a quarter of a million dollars. Political analysts estimate that whoever gets the nomination will need $32 million to even stand a chance. By the time the primary is over, having been campaigning against each other, those seven Democrats will have exhausted what little they raised. 

The race against Ron Estes will be no different. Analysts estimate that race will cost somewhere around $11 million.

Democratic candidates seem oblivious to the urgency of fundraising, convinced that grassroots alone will carry them. It won't.

According to the updated math out of Washington, in order to flip a Republican held Congressional seat in Kansas, you need every Democrat, every Libertarian, every Independent, plus around 10 to 20 percent of the Republicans to vote for the non-incumbent, Democrat candidate.

The convention should have served as the primary like the Libertarians do. In Kansas, the Democrats are so few in numbers it's the only logical way to ensure a candidate can gain momentum and stand a chance in the general. The time from August to November isn't enough for the minority party to build up a serious campaign in a ruby red state. They're at a serious disadvantage. That won't change until the state party comes to grips with the realities of competing against a GOP super majority.