Kansas is seen as a “fly-over state,” and this is especially true during national election years.

However, it might change this year.

“KWCH 12 Eyewitness News,” a news company based out of the Wichita, area, reported earlier this month that the top three Republican candidates, based on polling numbers, are Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.

Rubio will be in Wichita this Friday, and Ted Cruz will have spoke to Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas, on Wednesday.

While Trump hasn’t officially announced when or if he will come to Kansas, there are still expectations he will come.

Bernie Sanders, who is currently vying for the Democratic nomination, made a stop in Kansas City last week and will speak in Lawrence today.

Hillary Clinton, also looking for the Democratic nomination, has not announced plans to visit Kansas.

In the past, it was disheartening to think that the country seems to know how we’ll vote and most candidates wouldn’t stop in Kansas.

An attitude has formed that Kansas has a clear pattern of voting Republican, and there was no point in Democrat candidates campaigning in our state.

This has seemingly changed, as this election year, candidates are paying more attention to the Midwest, and for good reason.

There’s an issue with making the blanket statement that “Kansas is largely Republican.”

In the past two presidential elections, Republican candidates had a 20-point lead over Democratic

candidates.

But our last election for governor? Sam Brownback, Republican, won re-election over Paul Davis, a Democrat, by 3 percentage points.

A consultant for the Republican party, Frank Luntz, conducted a poll on young Americans between the ages of 18 to 26 and found they were extremely liberal and likely to support Bernie Sanders, according to The Intercept. The Intercept is a publication of First Look Media, a company “devoted to supporting independent voices.” 

I’m seeing a pattern. Across the country, people’s attitudes are leaning towards to the “left,” and Kansas is following that pattern too.

The attitude that Kansas will always vote Republican is no longer accurate. Voting in Kansas has become less about “which Republican we will vote for” and more about “which candidate we will vote for.”

If you think your vote won’t matter, it won’t. Unless you get out and vote.