A non-Brownback campaign staffer asked the other day what my beef with Sam Brownback is.

My first real introduction to Brownback was this profile in The Economist (subscriber-only).

And it offered a portrait of a religious conservative, version 2.0 – a man concerned with human trafficking, slavery in Sudan, malaria relief in Africa, human rights and a lot of other issues not traditionally associated with the “Christian Right.” I wondered if a Brownback campaign could challenge the media’s unfair portrayal of Christians and particularly the religious right, and demonstrate that their areas of concern go way beyond abortion and gay marriage. I was intrigued – there was potential there.

But a half a year into this campaign, and after three debates – a fourth coming this weekend – and we’ve seen very little of that Sam Brownback. I realize it’s hard to stand out in a field of ten candidates, but so far, if you asked any viewer of the Republican debates what they think of Brownback, they’d probably identify him as “the Christian conservative.” That mantle has been carried by in the past by Pat Robertson and Pat Buchanan. I think that gives you forty percent of the GOP electorate in a good cycle, and maybe less today. So far, Brownback is running as Gary Bauer in a Jack Bauer era.

Then we’ve got the I-voted-for-it-before-I-voted-against it on the immigration deal vote.

Brownback isn’t a bad man, and he’s got some good people working for him. But so far, his campaign has been so underwhelming, it’s hard to justify his presence in the race (and you’ve seen the limited coverage of him on this site; I hear few clamors for more Brownback coverage). There’s a debate Sunday morning, and August 11 is the Ames straw poll. If Brownback can’t make a splash in the Ames straw poll, can he make a splash anywhere?

I’m reminded of the theme song from the last Bond movie: You Know My Name…