Editing Sam Brownback (section)

===Elections===
[[Sheila Frahm]] was appointed to fill the seat of U.S. senator [[Bob Dole]] when Dole resigned in 1996 to campaign for president. Brownback defeated Frahm in the 1996 Republican primary and went on to win the general election against [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Jill Docking by 112,677 votes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sam Brownback's Blind Ambition Tour|author=Max Blumenthal|work=The Nation|date=June 20, 2005|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/sam-brownbacks-blind-ambition-tour|access-date=September 27, 2014|archive-date=July 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721100215/http://www.thenation.com/article/sam-brownbacks-blind-ambition-tour|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2001, the Federal Election Commission assessed fines and penalties against Brownback's campaign committee and against his in-laws for improper 1996 campaign contributions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Before the Federal Election Commission in the Matter of Sam Brownback for US Senate Committee and Alan Goesbeck, as treasurer |work=www.fec.gov |url=https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/murs/current/93813.pdf |access-date=October 24, 2017 |archive-date=October 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025074037/https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/murs/current/93813.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> As a result of these improper contributions, the campaign was ordered to pay the government $19,000 and Brownback's in-laws, John and Ruth Stauffer, were ordered to pay a $9,000 civil penalty for improperly funneling contributions through Triad Management Services.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brownback campaign and in-laws penalized|author=Mike Hall|work=The Topeka Capital-Journal|date=December 6, 2002|url=http://cjonline.com/stories/120602/com_brownback.shtml#.We-zy1uPIdU|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025131955/http://cjonline.com/stories/120602/com_brownback.shtml#.We-zy1uPIdU|archive-date=October 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1998, Brownback was elected to a full six-year term, defeating Democrat Paul Feleciano by 244,921 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kssos.org/elections/98elec/98elm/98gen1.html |title=Official 1998 Kansas General Election Results |website=kssos.org |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409190948/https://www.kssos.org/elections/98elec/98elm/98gen1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He won reelection in the [[2004 United States Senate election in Kansas|2004 Senate election]] defeating Democratic former lobbyist Lee Jones by 470,526 votes.<ref>{{cite web|title=THE 2004 ELECTIONS; The Senate|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 4, 2004|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE3DC173CF937A35752C1A9629C8B63|access-date=September 27, 2014|archive-date=October 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018153249/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE3DC173CF937A35752C1A9629C8B63|url-status=live}}</ref>

Throughout his U.S. Senate career, his principal campaign donors were the [[Koch family|Koch brothers]] of [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]]-based [[Koch Industries]], who donated more to Brownback than to any other political candidate during this period.<ref name="koch_influence_2014_12_14_wichita_eagle">Lowry, Bryan, [http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article4487101.html "Governor: Koch Industries has no undue influence in Kansas politics,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006112046/http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article4487101.html |date=October 6, 2017 }} December 14, 2014, ''[[Wichita Eagle]]'' October 5, 2017</ref><ref name="demos_highlight_2010_09_19_mclatchydc_com">Helling, Dave, and David Klepper, [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24593650.html "Democrats highlight Brownback's ties to Koch brothers,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006062401/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24593650.html |date=October 6, 2017 }} September 19, 2010, ''[[Kansas City Star]]'' in [[McClatchy News Service]] Washington Bureau website, retrieved October 5, 2017</ref>