Posted on 10/01/2014 5:16:55 AM PDT by cotton1706
Kansas Tea Party supporters are threatening to sit out the state’s pivotal Senate election, potentially dealing another blow to the reelection hopes of Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).
Though schisms within the GOP base rarely have such an outsized impact on a general election contest, the lack of support from the conservative base could be devastating to the vulnerable Roberts’s chances against surging independent Greg Orman.
Multiple sources tell The Hill that a group of Tea Party leaders in the state are meeting Wednesday to try to decide whether they should go to bat for the incumbent this fall or sit out of the race entirely. Aware of the vulnerabilities it faces, the Roberts campaign has been engaged in a full-court press to mend fences with conservatives over the past few weeks and regain some of the trust lost during the bitter primary fight against radiologist Milton Wolf, whom the senator beat by a closer-than expected margin.
“It all comes back to whether or not there’s an agreement reached. I don’t know if there’s going to be,” said Steve Shute, a city councilman in Gardner, Kan., and Tea Party activist.
“The longer this delays, to find results, the greater risk there is that Kansas turns blue or purple,” said Shute, who’s been acting as a moderator between conservatives and the campaigns of Roberts and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R).
Ever since Democratic nominee Chad Taylor was removed from the ballot, giving Orman a one-on-one shot at toppling the GOP senator, the Roberts campaign has been parading Republican establishment and Tea Party figures through the state to help boost the struggling Roberts.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
In addition, they’re calling for the resignation of top Kansas GOP officials and for the state party to adopt a resolution declaring that if Roberts doesn’t complete all six years of his next term, Wolf would be named his replacement. And they want Kansas to institute a runoff primary, as well as for state party leaders to agree to meet more often with conservatives."
Good! Let's get some concessions for our support (not that they'll follow through should Roberts get safely reelected!). A runoff primary would be a good start!
There was a small typo in the title. Fixed it.
These Kansas Tea Party people should take a look at the Roberts voting record. He has been as Conservative as you can get to include taking a hard line against any Amnesty. He may be old and has been in Washington a long time, but you know where he stands and his record proves it. This so called Independent has a shady past and offers a lot of questions on where he stands.
I wonder why the Left and RINOs fear an organization that is reportedly “dead”.
The dude doesn’t live here.
Kansans don’t cotton to prevaricators and operators.
We’ve got to start making the GOPe soil its britches somewhere if we’re ever going to achieve anything.
Exactly - Roberts is not the problem. His voting record is not bad at all. The bigger point is The Hill though - they are just trying to tamp down enthusiasm on the Republican/conservative side.
And every day, we see this from the Hill, The Politico, AP, Washington Compost - and every day Freepers fall for it hook line and sinker.
Well, Harry Reid has probably never been to Kansas, and yet, he has more impact on Kansas than either of Kansas' Senators. So how do you "cotton to" retaining Harry Reid's power? Is it really worth throwing your tantrum? Enjoy your death panel.
The Republicans have got to stop acting like golfers at the country club slapping each other on the back whenever they manage to get elected and understand that we are in a very serious struggle.
With ebola now in America and people being beheaded in middle America, people better get their behinds to the polls and vote out the criminal party. They should do this if they care about their family.
Nothing could be worse than leaving democrats in charge.
And no, the GOP ain’t great, but nothing is worse then the democrat party.
They should also read the entire article to find out just how much contempt Roberts and his campaign have for them.
That will help them decide.
I don't disagree with any of that - but you are not acting any more responsibly than they are about this struggle. You are so mad at Boehner and McConnell for being part of the problem - and they are - that you think somehow you'll "punish them" with your vote. You only punish yourself, and all good Americans, when you do that. Take a look in the mirror. It is serious, and your tantrum vote is unserious just like their back slapping is.
“but you know where he stands and his record proves it.”
This has been a popular line of bull regarding Roberts. The fact is his record has been all over the map. He was voting like a moderate just last year!
Roberts (KS) - 2013 - 87% (Average) - 90% (Heritage) - 84% (CFG) - 84% (ACU) - 91% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2012 - 62% (Average) - 65% (Heritage) - 55% (CFG) - 72% (ACU) - 54% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2011 - 74% (Average) - - 78% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 65% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2010 - 93% (Average) - - 93% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 91% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2009 - 87% (Average) - - 93% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 77% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2008 - 69% (Average) - - 77% (CFG) - 72% (ACU) - 57% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2007 - 66% (Average) - - 57% (CFG) - 92% (ACU) - 50% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2006 - 69% (Average) - - 57% (CFG) - 84% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)
Roberts (KS) - 2005 - 81% (Average) - - 76% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 79% (FreedomWorks)
Agreed. The GOP had a walk to the Senate. Would have given them the whole Congress but they just couldn’t help stepping on their damn genitals and piss the conservatives off. Serves their ass right. Don’t give me but, but, but. If the GOPe was worried about but, but, but they wouldn’t have screwed us. But they did.
But it is true the Tea Party IS in REVOLT mode right now.
I just wanna be a fly on the wall when Boehner, McConnell, Rove and Pribus come groveling to Sarah on their hands and knees, begging her to save them.
If you don’t vote for Roberts, you’re voting for Harry Reid and potentially a couple more of Obama’s new Supreme Court nominees.
Vote for Roberts and he’ll be gone in a few years. Don’t vote for Roberts and his replacement (hand picked by the Democrats) will be around for many years and Obama’s Supreme Court appointments will be around for life.
Your call, you can be smart or you can be stupid.
This Kansan did not support Roberts but when it comes down to the election, I feel I have no choice but to vote Roberts. Beats the alternative.
Seems that’s my excuse for all my voting these days, that’s why I vote Republican in the Presidential races, it beats the alternative.
We just need to continue working to get GOOD tea party candidates. Winners, articulate people who can explain what it really is all about - we don’t hate gays, we’re not out to starve poor people, we’re not racists - we’re just middle class folks who are TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!!
Not only that but I can’t seem to find out who the Tea Party ‘leaders’ are in my part of the country.
(Let’s hope the fools don’t figure out what the Tea Party actually is until it’s too late for them.)
And every day, we see this from the Hill, The Politico, AP, Washington Compost - and every day Freepers fall for it hook line and sinker.
Wish we had a "like" button. That is it, I'm just sick of the GOP establishment, they are crooks and don't have we the people's best interests at heart.
But we need the seats and much as I dislike the fact he doesn't live here and has been in office way too long, I have to vote Roberts.
However, can't remember the state where the Senator went after the dem vote because his tea party opponent was going to beat him. Him I would NOT vote for, don't even care if they lose the seat. In that case the principle is more important.
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