Politics | Barack Obama Obama Hopes Kansas Roots Will Yield Votes Red state's blue governor greets hopeful with endorsement By Katherine Thompson Posted Jan 30, 2008 12:04 PM CST Copied Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., campaigns during a rally in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008.(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (Associated Press) Barack Obama has been hitting the pavement in staunchly Republican Kansas, the Los Angeles Times reports, returning to the town where his maternal grandparents lived during the Great Depression. The Democratic presidential candidate also picked up an endorsement yesterday from Democratic governor Kathleen Sebelius—something that might help the Illinois senator more than his local roots. "Barack Obama has Midwestern values," Sibelius said. "He understands how to bring people together across party lines." And she knows a little about crossing party lines, twice winning the GOP-majority state by appealing to moderate Republicans and independents. At least one Republican has actually switched parties to vote for Obama in next Tuesday's caucus: his grandmother's first cousin, Margaret McCurry Wolf. Read These Next What makes a person cool? These six traits. This is the most 'American' car on the road. "Admiral Piett" of the Star Wars universe died from COVID. Shooter opens fire on Texas Border Patrol Report an error