"Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Democratic Party? Or a friend of a Democrat? Or a neighbor of one?"

Those are the sort of questions moderate Republicans can now expect to be asked after the Kansas Republican Party this weekend created a "Loyalty Committee"* to ferret out "impure" Republicans.

Hawver's Capitol Report (subscription only) has news that the KRP intends to strip Kansas Republicans of their voting privileges and party positions if there is evidence that they support anyone but Republicans. Anyone who "donates, contributes, [or] endorses a candidate other than the Republican nominee" is under the gun. No word yet whether just showing up at a Democratic event, as some well-known Republican officials have been known to do, counts as blasphemy.

Chairman Kris Kobach will lead the inquisitors in their hunt under powers granted by a change in the party constitution passed at the KRP's mid-year convention Saturday. This action accompanied a vote of "no confidence" in moderate National Committeeman Steve Cloud, which is the first step toward removing him from his post.

Kansans who are tired of having their political beliefs questioned can join a party that welcomes them by filling out this form.

* Yes, that's its actual name. Apparently the "Un-Republican Activities Committee" brought back too many memories.