Ed Kilgore: “The term carpetbagger was originally applied to Northerners who moved South after the Civil War to launch political careers under the protection of military Reconstruction; it referred to the hastily procured bags manufactured from carpet scraps the transplants allegedly used. More recently, the term has been applied to politicians who conveniently relocate themselves into the vicinity of political opportunities…”“So in itself, the decision by conservative ex-lobbyist and businessman Zach Lahn to move from Kansas to Iowa in 2024 and then run for governor — winning the 2026 GOP primary in a big upset — isn’t so remarkable. Indeed, Lahn was born and grew up in Iowa, where his family had lived for generations, and owned property there.”“What has made his case interesting — and for supporters of his Democratic opponent, Rob Sand, hilarious — is his difficulty making a clean break with it. He seems very involved in Kansas matters.”