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.
