Kansas Poll Shows Independent Greg Orman Leading Incumbent Pat Roberts in U.S. Senate Race

Suffolk University ^ | October 1, 2014 | Staff

[C19fan]

Independent businessman and political enigma Greg Orman (46 percent) is leading three-term Republican incumbent Pat Roberts (41 percent) in the race for U.S. Senate in Kansas, with 11 percent undecided, according to the latest Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll of likely voters in the general election. In the race for governor, Democratic state Rep. Paul Davis (46 percent) is leading incumbent Sam Brownback (42 percent), a Republican, with 6 percent undecided in the survey conducted by the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston.

[C19fan]

Looks like might a Bloody Kansas for the GOP. Interesting the poll results are almost identical for the 2 statewide races for Senate and Governor. One would expect if Tea Party unhappiness with Roberts is driving down his numbers that would not effect Brownback. Usually bad news when the incumbent is polling below 50%. Seems like almost a vicious cycle with the big controversy around Brownbacks fiscal policy and Roberts now being portrayed as an out of touch DC insider.

[Uncle Miltie]

Karl Rove, the GOPe, The Chamber of Crony Capitalists, Bushes, and the RNSC can just spend their way to victory.

Don’t mention any issues; someone might misconstrue Republicans as (shhhhh!!!!) conservative.

[BlueStateRightist]

Flip this type of story to a Blue state. For example, in either New York or California an out of touch, ineffective (yes, redundant) Democrat incumbent would still win by 20 points over any Republican. Democrats uncritically walk in lockstep.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

When is anyone going to tell the truth about Orman?

He is about as independent as my behind.

[Cowboy Bob]

If I understood previous articles, this guy Orman has taken no positions on anything. He is basically saying “you have to elect me to know where I stand.” If the people of Kansas vote for this guy, the deserve everything they get. What fools.

[Zhang Fei]

Democrats uncritically walk in lockstep.

I disagree. They're fairly critical. Cut their bennies and watch them defect. As long as the bennies keep flowing, the Dems are doing their job. From an electoral standpoint, that's the problem with the GOP. It's the party of liberty (aka cut the bennies). Liberty is pretty abstract. A benefit check, on the other hand...

[Oak Grove]

Roberts must be defeated.

He is an establishment fossil and a resident of Virginia.

As long as he sits in the Senate, it will be business as usual in Washington.

Do not vote for Roberts, McConnell, Alexander, Graham or Tillis.

[DoodleDawg]

No idea how accurate this outfit is, but their results seem to be in line with everyone elses - Orman up by 5 or 6 and Davis up by 4 or 5. I’m more inerested in the small number of undecideds in the governor’s race. That doesn’t bode well for Brownback.

[what's up]

If you elect Orman and his ilk, then you get business as usual with Reid still in charge.

Don't be dense. Roberts has a 84% ACU rating and 100% prolife rating.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

I suggest you go back on your meds.

Roberts voted against Obamacare, against the Porkulus, against Dodd-Frank, and against Cap and Trade, against Harry Reid, and against BHO’s SCOTUS appointments.

Orman is a proxy for BHO and Harry Reid. Period.

Wise up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nikos1121]

I’m sure there are a number of people on this site happy about this. This will be another travesty if the Democrat Davis wins this.

[Uncle Miltie]

Whoa! You’re saying that people won’t just pull the (R) lever for an ancient political hack when there were better choice barely defeated by the antiquated powers that be?

[Dave W]

You are such an idiot. Roberts has an ACU rating of 90+. Let me revise that statement to an ignorant idiot.

[what's up]

So your problem with Roberts is that he's old?

He votes correctly the vast majority of the time, but his age is what turns you off?

[DoodleDawg]

Flip this type of story to a Blue state. For example, in either New York or California an out of touch, ineffective (yes, redundant) Democrat incumbent would still win by 20 points over any Republican. Democrats uncritically walk in lockstep.

This is an anomaly. Red states like Mississippi, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina all match your description and in all of those the Republican incumbent is up in the polls, often by double digits.

[Uncle Miltie]

Happy? Pissed. The GOPe shouldn’t run out-of-state antiquated incumbents who can’t secure 50% of PARTY support.

Roberts should have withdrawn for the good of the seat.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

I don’t care if Roberts is on life support.

Electing Orman would simply give Harry Reid and BHO another rubber stamp in the Senate.

Is that what people want?

[Steamburg]

Worked for Obama twice. You can’t underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate.

[DoodleDawg]

One would expect if Tea Party unhappiness with Roberts is driving down his numbers that would not effect Brownback.

Brownback has his own problems unrelated to the Tea Party. His tax cuts have been slow to produce the benefits he promised and the natives are restless.

[jjsheridan5]

Flip this type of story to a Blue state. For example, in either New York or California an out of touch, ineffective (yes, redundant) Democrat incumbent would still win by 20 points over any Republican. Democrats uncritically walk in lockstep.

The implication usually being: vote for the lesser of two evils, just like the Democrats do. However, your premise is misleading. The Democrat party is a reflection of their base. By contrast, the Republican party is at war with theirs. And that is the critical difference. When Democrats walk "uncritically" in lockstep, the mass of voters they represent walk along side. When Republicans walk in lockstep, it is usually the mass of Republican voters they are walking all over.

And that is why it is such a huge tactical error to support establishment Republicans (an error Republican voters have been repeating for decades, with predictable results).