By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

As Barack Obama and Democrats take firmer control in Washington, Kansans now sit saddled with the weakest Republican congressional representation they've had in years. Check it out.

Except for a relatively weak Democrat, U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore from the 3rd District, the Kansas congressional delegation is going to be frozen out of important decisions for years to come.

The GOP lineup:

-- U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts was just re-elected, thanks to his homestyle humor and... well, that's about it. The President Bush backer hasn't mattered politically in Washington for years, and now will be on the outs with the next administration.

By the way, The Star wasn't the only newspaper to heartily endorse Roberts' opponent, Jim Slattery. Several others did, including a western Kansas paper, The Garden City Telegram. It blasted Roberts’ role in "reckless Republican spending and borrowing" and said, "the mess we’re in proves it’s time for change." Well said.

-- U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback ran for president, got a few votes, dropped out and is now free to practice his right-wing fringe politics from the sidelines, marginalized for two more years as well.

-- Newly elected U.S. House member Lynn Jenkins was a pleasant enough state treasurer, and I had high hopes she might be ready to be a highly competent congresswoman in the nearby 2nd District.

She's not, at least yet. Her Editorial Board appearance was a disaster. She didn't know what programs she wanted to cut, but continued to insist she naively would vote against any U.S. budget that wasn't balanced. Let's hope she gets some common sense when she gets to D.C.

-- U.S. House members Jerry Moran has been in Congress for 12 years and Todd Tiahrt for 14. If you're saying "Who are these guys?", you're not alone. Despite their seniority, neither member has achieved much in Congress.

Tiahrt, in particular, is known for his arch-conservative views. Moran has a more moderate streak, if that's not an oxymoron for a Republican from Kansas.