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It's October, which means football metaphors mixed with a few boos as politicians give stump speeches surrounded by falling leaves and a bit too much sunlight for sweater weather.

The Kansas Republican Party kicked off a statewide bus tour spanning six days and 27 stops, starting Wednesday afternoon at Kansas Grain & Feed Association in Topeka.

With the Halloween spooky season approaching, voters watching fall football games on their TVs may see Republican attack ads raising fears of high inflation, violent crime, open borders, men playing girls sports and federal overreach from the President Joe Biden administration. All were also talking points on the bus tour.

"No matter what happens in November, we're stuck with Biden for two more years," said U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, who emceed the event.

"Boo," one of the several dozen attendees said quietly.

"We need more audience participation," Marshall said, eliciting several more boos.

It's not just participation in campaign rallies that Republican candidates are looking for. They also want to get people to the polls.

"Voters hold the power, and I can tell you every vote counts," said Rep. Steven Johnson, R-Assaria.

Johnson, who is running for state treasurer, narrowly won a primary where the margin was close enough that a limited recount was automatically triggered.

"My friends, we need your sweat. We need your work. We need your mouths telling your friends this is an important election," said gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt. "We need you to show up at the polls and vote for us, and we need you to bring 10 friends and have each of them bring 10 friends. We need the signs in your yards. We need word of mouth at the cafe. We must do better."

More:Who has endorsed Laura Kelly and Derek Schmidt? Here's why they may matter in Kansas politics

Yet Secretary of State Scott Schwab raised concerns that turnout among his fellow Republicans may be dampened by the "trying times" of conspiracy theories about election integrity.

"If we talk about election fraud, election turnout drops 12-18% amongst Republicans," Schwab said.

Schwab stood up for the integrity of Kansas elections, saying it was proven by the ill-fated $118,000 recount effort on the so-called Value Them Both amendment, paid for by Wichita anti-abortion activist Mark Gietzen's credit cards.

Schwab also urged his fellow Republicans to focus on the economy, citing polling data suggesting a lack of enthusiasm among younger unaffiliated voters who lean Republican and say the economy is their top issue.

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"I'll speak in football metaphors, because KU's 5-0," said attorney general candidate Kris Kobach, who lives outside Lawrence in Lecompton. "I'm sure it happened sometime in my lifetime. I'm just not remembering when that last happened."

Despite the shoutout to the University of Kansas Jayhawks, the bus tour will not make a stop in Lawrence, a Democratic stronghold. The tour will make a Saturday morning stop in Manhattan, where the Kansas State University Wildcats are also having a strong season.

More:Kansas football to host ESPN's 'College GameDay' for the first time

"I think Kansas needs to continue going on offense," Kobach said. "And that means suing Joe Biden when he violates the constitution, when he violates federal statute, when he tries to do something through executive order."

Noting that Democratic opponent Chris Mann implied he would not "waste" taxpayer money defending abortion restrictions after voters rejected Value Them Both, Kobach said defense is also key for the AG.

"You always play defense," Kobach said of the attorney general's office. "You defend every single statute, no matter what, that the Legislature passes. I am pledging to you I will defend every statute, even if I would not have voted for it."

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Harkening back to a gubernatorial debate just hours earlier in Johnson County, former Gov. Jeff Colyer called out when his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, seemingly forgot about his existence or implied that he was dead.

"I am fortunate to have the endorsement of every living governor in the state of Kansas, minus one that would be Sam Brownback and I am very proud of that," Kelly said.

"Guess what, I am still alive," said Colyer, who dropped out of the GOP gubernatorial primary last year after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Marshall then pretended to check the pulse of Colyer. The two politicians once attended medical school together.

"He didn't lose his skills," Colyer quipped.

The Kansas Democratic Party labeled the GOP efforts a "Back to Brownback Reunion Tour." The Democrats also took a jab at Republicans for hosting former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, "who was crowned the nation's least popular governor in 2017 a title previously held by Schmidt's ally, former Governor Sam Brownback."

"If Derek wins in November, I'll be back here in January to watch a great governor take the oath of office and get Kansas back on the right track," Christie said.

The Republican tour bus is dark blue with the names of congressional candidates plus Schmidt on the sides, as well as a call to "fire Kelly" and "fire Pelosi" on Nov. 8.

"We need to make sure after 35 years that Nancy Pelosi is done once and for all in Washington, D.C.," said U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, urging voters to flip the Kansas City area's congressional seat to Republicans.

The only woman to speak at the podium was Katie Sawyer, Schmidt's running mate. She also had the shortest stump speech, at about 35 seconds. The speeches collectively lasted about 35 minutes.

"We have to get our state back on the right track," Sawyer said.

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Republican bus tour kicks off in Topeka with praise for KU football but no stop in Lawrence - The Topeka Capital-Journal