From Independence, Kansas -
Never did I think seriously that my 2014 campaign trail travels would bring me to the Sunflower State, but Kansas has presented Republicans with unexpected election challenges in 2014 both for U.S. Senate and Governor, and those were clearly evident during my visit.
As soon as I crossed the state line on Tuesday, a political ad boomed out over one local radio station, making it very clear that Election Day is just around the corner - and still unusually competitive.
For Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), the challenge is an independent candidate, Greg Orman, who shot to the top of the polls in recent weeks after a Democratic candidate dropped out.
Outside groups have been spending a lot of money in this state, with the latest big push coming from supporters of Roberts, charging that Orman is nothing but a Democrat in disguise.
"Who is Greg Orman," an ad from the group Ending Spending Action Fund says; reportedly, it will spend $1 million to air those ads in Kansas.
Roberts has been hammering on a similar line of attack in this rather red state, where President Obama won only two of the state's 105 counties in 2012, and only three in 2008.
"He wasn't Independent when he ran against me in 2008 and he isn't now," Roberts said of Orman.
Orman has tried to use Roberts' tenure in the Senate against him, making the case that it is time for new leadership in D.C. - arguing Roberts has been part of the problem.
"This is an opportunity for Kansans to say there is a new way forward," Orman argues.
"I have actually always been independent minded," Orman said recently.
The ads have voters shaking their heads.
"It's getting ugly here!" said my sister-in-law, who lives in Wichita. "Can't stand the ads."
Urban vs Rural
Orman's path to victory seemingly lies mainly in the more populous counties near Kansas City and in areas near colleges, like the University of Kansas and Pittsburg State.
President Obama won two counties in Kansas in both 2008 and 2012 - Wyandotte County, south of Kansas City and Douglas County, the home of the University of Kansas.
The only other county that President Obama won in 2008 was Crawford County in far southeastern Kansas, home to Pittsburg State University; and driving around Pittsburg on Tuesday, there certainly were a lot more signs for Democrats there than anywhere else I went in southeastern Kansas.
In fact, in most of the rural areas of Kansas that I was in, there isn't much evidence that Orman is even running for Senate, while there are ample signs for Sen. Roberts, Gov. Brownback, and Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS).
It took a few hours before I finally stumbled upon a small Orman for Senate sign in Parsons, Kansas, an area that went for Romney by more than 20 points in 2012.
This past week, Roberts tried to make sure rural Kansas voters got the message about November, as he brought in the Tea Party Express for an endorsement; that group labeled Orman as "an Obama-liberal masquerading as an independent."
"I know why he says he's an Independent," Roberts said of Orman. "It's because if he says he's a liberal Democrat, you won't vote for him."
Republicans are banking on that kind of appeal to undercut Orman and bring Roberts home to victory, in what really never should have been a race that Republicans had to worry about.
As for the Governor's race, GOP allies of Brownback were on the air with a series of attack ads that I heard on Tuesday; one accused Democrat Paul Davis of being "pro-abortion." Another ad labeled Davis a "Lawrence liberal" and a "DUI lawyer."
But sprinkled among the many GOP ads in rural counties were a number of "Republicans for Davis" signs, as some party members believe Brownback has been too conservative.
That may be one reason the Governor brought in two more moderate GOP voices, as Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey helped Brownback stump for votes on Monday, while businesswoman Carly Fiorina visited Wichita on Tuesday.
The latest poll in the Kansas Governor's race has a tie, with 10 percent undecided.
The Kansas races for Governor and Senate are two races the GOP surely didn't think they would be spending so much time, energy and money on this late in 2014.
And as I drove out of Kansas on the way to my next campaign assignment, it was hard to believe I had made it to the Sunflower State as well.
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Credit: Jamie Dupree
About the Author
