GOP Rolls Out Big Guns To Save Critical Kansas Senate Seat

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left, accompanied by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday Oct. 13, 2011, to discuss the introduction of a Republican alternative j... Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left, accompanied by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday Oct. 13, 2011, to discuss the introduction of a Republican alternative jobs bill. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Big-name Republicans like Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Rand Paul (R-KY) are planning to campaign for Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) this fall as he fights to keep his seat after the Kansas Senate race was blown wide open last week.

Politico reported that McCain and Paul would stump for Roberts, while other national Republicans are working to raise money for him. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be among the headliners for a Roberts fundraiser being held in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23, according to the news outlet, and others are planned

The Kansas senator faces an unexpectedly strong challenge from independent candidate Greg Orman, whose prospects were bolstered last week when Democratic nominee Chad Taylor announced that he would withdraw from the race. (A legal fight is ongoing over whether Taylor will actually be taken off the ballot, however).

The news that big names in the Republican Party were getting involved in defending Roberts comes a week after the news that the National Republican Senatorial Committee was effectively taking over the Roberts campaign and tapping top political operatives like Chris LaCivita to turn his campaign around.

In the only public polling since Taylor’s withdrawal, Orman and Roberts were running effectively even, with Orman holding a negligible one-point lead.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Big Guns? McCain will crash them, Rayn will smoke them.

  2. The thing is, if “Republican” is your problem, more Republicans aren’t going to be the solution.

  3. Avatar for sandyh sandyh says:

    Like the people who were thinking of voting for the Independent would be influenced positively by this group of GOP losers?

    The GOP Governor and legislature gave the rich huge tax cuts to create jobs and the state ended up losing huge numbers of jobs instead. Voters are pissed and are sick of the Top 1% screwing the middle class and working poor.

  4. Avatar for mames5 mames5 says:

    McCain? Then who’s going to be on the Sunday talk shows?

  5. Avatar for sandyh sandyh says:

    I can’t think of one Republican that could pacify the middle class revolt in KS. Sending in these clowns is like flashing a red cape in front of a raging bull.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

25 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for bdtex Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for mschumm Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for leftflank Avatar for mames5 Avatar for jtgeomom Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for wwss Avatar for sandyh Avatar for pdxer Avatar for mantan Avatar for grawk Avatar for lukeout Avatar for fitley Avatar for neal_anderthal Avatar for suicide_arsonist Avatar for ronbyers Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for 13bigdaddy13 Avatar for tsp Avatar for readerfromcalif

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: