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Something’s Going On in Kansas: Senator Pat Roberts Finds Himself in a Tight Race
nytimes.com ^ | 8/13/14 | Nate Cohn

Posted on 08/13/2014 5:15:21 AM PDT by cotton1706

In a decent year for Republicans, like this one, a longtime Republican senator should be having a pretty easy time in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, or a Democratic senator since 1938.

And yet over the last few weeks, two surveys have shown Pat Roberts, a Republican senator from Kansas, ahead by just five points or less over his Democratic challenger, Chad Taylor.

Is it real? It’s hard to imagine Mr. Roberts actually losing, but something is brewing in Kansas — and if it’s possible for a Republican incumbent senator in Kansas to end up in a fairly tight race without a scandal or outrageous gaffe, then this is about the way it would happen.

Senator Pat Roberts was cheered on by supporters while waiting for the results of the Republican primary vote in Overland Park, Kan. on Tuesday night.

Start with Mr. Roberts himself, who is an extremely weak incumbent. His weakness was on display this month, when he won the Republican nomination with only 48 percent of the vote. He probably would have lost against a more serious challenger, but instead squeaked by against Milton Wolf, a radiologist who was chastised for posting gruesome images of wounded patients to Facebook accompanied by distasteful commentary. Mr. Roberts was plagued by residency issues — he pays a family $300 a month to occasionally stay overnight in their home on a golf course — and those issues could persist if the general election ends up being competitive.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections
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1 posted on 08/13/2014 5:15:21 AM PDT by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

Where is Roberts on amnesty?


2 posted on 08/13/2014 5:28:28 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (If America falls, darkness will cover the earth for a thousand years.)
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To: cotton1706

NY Times looking for any ray of sunshine in the storm about to hit the Democrat Party.

I suspect this is kind of a reverse “bounce” for his Democratic opponent. Because of the nastiness and severity of the primary, Roberts suffered a bit in the polls. Some feelings are still raw there. The Rasmussen poll the Times cites for their conclusion has an undecided/third party opinion of 14%. Again, this is a lot of raw feeling that will probably evaporate towards Roberts come early October.

The other poll the Times cited is actually from before the primary was over. So it’s disingenuous (or sloppy, or outright devious) of them to cite that poll to support their claim for Robert’s vulnerability. If anything, that poll proves my case above even more.

But never let a good spin go to waste, Ol’ Gray Lady, keep up the “good” work.


3 posted on 08/13/2014 5:28:57 AM PDT by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Balding_Eagle

“Where is Roberts on amnesty?”

As far as I know he’s against it. But in his final term, he may be talked into giving a vote for cloture.

This is the game that’s played, especially with these old hack types.


4 posted on 08/13/2014 5:30:06 AM PDT by cotton1706 (ThisRepublic.net)
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To: cotton1706

If the idiot party (the GOP) is not on the watch for MASSIVE fraud this november we are screwed.

The libtards know they will lose all the gains they have made if they are out of power, and they are going all out


5 posted on 08/13/2014 5:32:18 AM PDT by Mr. K (Palin/Cruz 2016)
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To: cotton1706

If that’s the case, the country may be better off if the Dem won in KS.

Amnesty is going to be left to the Republicans to pass.


6 posted on 08/13/2014 5:34:08 AM PDT by Balding_Eagle (If America falls, darkness will cover the earth for a thousand years.)
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To: cotton1706
“Where is Roberts on amnesty?

He'll be where ever he needs to be to win in November. After that, he'll be where ever the Republican leadership needs him to be since he will not longer need to pay any attention to the voters.

His opponent will be completely loyal to Mr. Reid's agenda and will follow orders as all Democrats must do.

7 posted on 08/13/2014 5:42:16 AM PDT by centurion316
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To: Mr. K

Vote fraud has gotten much tougher in Kansas. You must present an ID to vote and if it’s a Kansas DL or CCW, it is scanned and linked to the electronic poll book that you sign at the polling place. The same applies to early voting, id required and checked. I haven’t voted absentee in some time, so don’t know what the new procedures are in that case.


8 posted on 08/13/2014 5:45:51 AM PDT by centurion316
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To: Mr. K
If the idiot party (the GOP) is not on the watch for MASSIVE fraud this november we are screwed.

At least in Kansas you have to show ID to vote. Thank you Kris Kobach.
9 posted on 08/13/2014 5:45:55 AM PDT by Old Yeller (Obama: The turd that won't flush.)
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To: Balding_Eagle

No, the country would not be better off if a Democrat won. That’s crazy talk. If Taylor wins, he’ll be there forever and he will do exactly what Harry Reid tells him to do. Wishing to increase the numbers of Democrats in the Senate is like hoping that your house burns down because you need to upgrade the kitchen.


10 posted on 08/13/2014 5:49:19 AM PDT by centurion316
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To: cotton1706
In the NY Times, 5 points is a commanding lead for a Democrat and a razor thin advantage for a Republican.

The anti-incumbent trend is strong, but come closer to election day, the talk will shift to issues. The voters will come to realize that the vast majority of programs and failures that are pissing them off are coming from the Democrats and will shift accordingly.

The NY Times will accurately predict the Democrat bloodbath three of four days after the election is held. Then their focus will shift to shaming Republicans into not doing what they were elected to do.

11 posted on 08/13/2014 5:51:18 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: centurion316
McConnell and the republican leadership are already doing a good job of enabling Reid's agenda. Their cloture votes have ensured his agenda moves forward.

Not any better off with republicans in charge.

/johnny

12 posted on 08/13/2014 6:05:38 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Balding_Eagle

America? Better off if the Dem won in KS?

Really?

Would America be “better off” if Obama’s next “pick” for Supreme Court Justice, Eric Holder, is CONFIRMED??


13 posted on 08/13/2014 6:17:21 AM PDT by pfony1 (Add just 6 GOP Senators and we "bury" Harry)
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To: Mr. K
If the idiot party (the GOP) is not on the watch for MASSIVE fraud this november we are screwed.

If the idiot party is not on the watch for massive fraud they deserve to lose. They're too incompetent to be elected.

14 posted on 08/13/2014 6:22:47 AM PDT by ladyjane
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To: ladyjane

Roberts should be defeated.

He campaigns as a Republican, but votes as a Democrat.

If America is to survive, we must get rid of the RINO’s.


15 posted on 08/13/2014 6:29:56 AM PDT by Oak Grove (H)
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To: Balding_Eagle
Where is Roberts on amnesty?

The Chamber of Cronyism and Karl Rove backed Roberts.

That should tell you all you need to know.

Amnesty is the top legislative priority of that group of traitors.
16 posted on 08/13/2014 6:30:14 AM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: cotton1706

There’s an independent candidate siphoning off votes from both candidates. That’s why it’s as close as it is.


17 posted on 08/13/2014 6:37:35 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: cotton1706

Vote the ins out, and the outs in.


18 posted on 08/13/2014 6:38:00 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: cotton1706

I am often amazed how these guys announce “this is my last term!” If you don’t want to do it, stop running. What he IS saying is watch the governors friends closely—because that is who is going to finish the term. This seems true here,a and it certainly true in MS.


19 posted on 08/13/2014 6:40:13 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
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To: JRandomFreeper

The Democrat Party has expelled every single elected conservative in their ranks and they will never let another one in. The Republican Party has many conservative elected members and that number grows with every election, especially at the state and local level. Yet because we have a pack of old dinosaurs who are not yet gone because they have the power and the influence to keep their seats, you think that a Democrat in the White House and the Senate run by Democrats is just fine with you. You’ll teach those RINOs a thing or two. That’s a special kind of stupid.

The longer Democrats retain power at any level, the longer it will take to root them out and the more damage they do to our society. They are advancing every day on two fronts, voter fraud and amnesty and total victory is almost within their grasp. A few more years and it won’t matter, they will have achieved the Stalin goal - they will count all the votes and they will keep counting until they win. Hope that you enjoy it.


20 posted on 08/13/2014 6:41:58 AM PDT by centurion316
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