By STEVE KRASKE

The Star 

U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat who confounded the GOP by winning six consecutive elections in a heavily Republican district, will not seek re-election next year, key Democrats said Sunday.

Moore, who represented Johnson, Wyandotte and a portion of Douglas counties, will issue a statement today explaining his decision and outlining his plans. Moore, 64, is expected to finish out his term, which ends in January 2011.

He also will meet with members of his staff in his Washington office.

Moore and members of his staff could not be reached for comment Sunday night. Moore was said to be flying back to Washington in the early evening.

The news is likely to open a political gold rush of potential successors by members of both parties. The last time a 3rd District election did not feature an incumbent was in 1996, following the retirement of 12-year incumbent Republican Jan Meyers.

As of Sunday, former Kansas lawmaker Patricia Lightner and three little-known district residents, Daniel Gilyeat, Thomas Scherer and John Rysavy, were the only Republicans actively campaigning.

But in recent days, other Republicans have begun to assess their chances. Among them are Nick Jordan, who was the 2008 GOP nominee;Charlotte O’Hara, who ran unsuccessfully twice againstAnnabeth Surbaugh for a spot on the Johnson County Commission; andGreg Musil, an Overland Park lawyer who ran for the seat in 2000.

All told The Kansas City Star that they believed Moore, who won his last race 56 to 40 percent over Jordan, was in trouble because of his support for many of President Barack Obama’s initiatives, including the stimulus package and health care reform.

“He’s very vulnerable,” O’Hara said. “He’s become a voting machine for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.”

Moore, who served as Johnson County district attorney from 1977 to 1989, began his streak of upsetting Republicans by knocking off incumbent Vince Snowbarger in 1998. Moore got into the race after noticing Snowbarger’s fundraising was lackluster.

In the years to come, he defeated Republicans from both the GOP’s moderate and conservative wings, often by narrow margins. Among the vanquished were Phill Kline, Adam Taff and Kris Kobach.

But in recent years, his winning margins began to grow, leading some to conclude that Kansas’ 3rd District had become something of a safe seat for the Democrat.

BIOGRAPHY Dennis Moore was born in 1945 in Anthony, Kan., and was educated in Wichita public schools.

He attended the University of Kansas and received his undergraduate degree, and he later received his law degree from the Washburn University School of Law.

After law school, Moore served in the U.S. Army and Army reserves before starting his legal career, which included time as an assistant attorney general for the state of Kansas and in private practice in Johnson County.

In 1976, Moore was elected to his first of three terms as district attorney for Johnson County.

After his third term, Moore returned to private practice. He was twice elected to the Johnson County Community College board of trustees. He helped found Safehome, a shelter for battered women and children.

Moore was first elected to Congress in 1998, defeating Vince Snowbarger. Moore defeated Phill Kline in a close contest in 2000.

He is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 49 moderate to conservative Democrats in the House of Representatives.

In 2000, he was one of 73 Democrats to vote for a free-trade pact with China, costing him Teamsters support. He was one of just 21 Democrats who supported fast-track trade authority to expand NAFTA.

A Moore proposal led to increased death benefits for U.S. military personnel killed in active duty after Sept. 11, 2001. He also won increased travel benefits for military personnel on leave from Iraq or Afghanistan.

In 2007, he introduced the Teri Zenner Social Worker Safety Act to better protect those who work with people who might become violent. Zenner, a caseworker with the Johnson County Mental Health Center, was killed Aug. 17, 2004, while making a home visit to a client.

To reach Steve Kraske, call 816-234-4312 or send e-mail to skraske@kcstar.com. | The Star