Obama’s Second Cousin To Challenge Sen. Pat Roberts

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., leaves the Senate after assisting Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, with his overnight fight on the floor against the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as "Obamacare," at the Capitol in Washington,... Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., leaves the Senate after assisting Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, with his overnight fight on the floor against the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as "Obamacare," at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013. Cruz and other conservative Republicans were trying to delay a must-pass spending bill. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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A second cousin of President Barack Obama will challenge Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) in the Republican Primary.

The cousin, Milton Wolf, will make his announcement Tuesday evening, Wolf’s campaign confirmed to TPM.

Wolf is a radiologist by training and has been hinting at plans to challenge Roberts for some time now. His candidacy is considered a long shot — and Roberts himself has acknowledged that.

“I’m not vulnerable,” Roberts told Politico in September. “I’m in a very strong position. But I’m not taking anything lightly. Marines don’t do that. They take the hill.”

In the lead up to his announcement Tuesday evening, Wolf has repeatedly attacked Roberts on budget- and health care-related issues. He’s criticized Roberts for voting to raise the debt ceiling and supporting the Wall Street bailout.

Wolf is related to the president through Wolf’s great-grandfather, Thomas Creemore McCurry, who is also Obama’s great-great-grandfather. Wolf’s mother and Obama’s mother were friends in Wichita, Kansas while she was growing up, according to National Review.

Wolf plans to announce his candidacy at a campaign event at Overland Park, Kansas at 7:30 CST. 

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