Posted on 10/02/2014 6:57:38 AM PDT by centurion316
A new poll out Wednesday from Suffolk University and USA Today confirms something we kind of already knew: Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) is in a remarkable amount of trouble. The poll shows independent Greg Orman leading Roberts 46 percent to 41 percent with Democrat Chad Taylor now off the ballot.
It has plenty of bad news for Roberts, but also some reasons to believe his goose isn't cooked just yet. Below, we're recapping three ominous signs for Roberts, and three reasons for hope. (And it all comes with the caveat that one poll shouldn't be taken as gospel.)
First, the storm clouds:
1) He is behind, period.
The only other Senate incumbents who have trailed by as much as five points in a poll are Sens. Mark Pryor , Mary Landrieu and Mark Begich . And there are less than five weeks left in the campaign — i.e. not a ton of time.
2) His favorable rating — 39 percent — is lower than President Obama's — 41 percent.
Ouch. That said, this is where Obama's mother is from, so there might be same nostalgia for that. His approval rating, for example, is five points lower, at 36 percent. And Roberts's unfavorable rating and disapproval ratings are both lower than Obama's. Still, the fact that Roberts is in the same ballpark as Obama in ruby-red Kansas is telling.
Also telling: Roberts's approval rating among Republicans is just 50 percent, with 36 percent disapproving. Clearly, there are lingering effects from his sub-50-percent primary showing.
3) Roberts earns the support of just 61 percent of Republicans
It's 61-30 Roberts among GOPers. If he's going to win, that needs to change — plain and simple. An incumbent, even in a state like Kansas, can't win while ceding that much of his party's vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The GOPe can rot in hell with the Demonrats. Until President Cruz cleans house and sends Karl Rove to an untimely political grave.
Right! People must swallow a s*** sandwich, or they might have to swallow a s*** sandwich!
I do appreciate your comments. People who are considering irrational behavior at election time need to consider all viewpoints and opinions. Voting against the Republican candidate in a general election is irrational behavior for a conservative and must be supported by some sort of explanation or plan for how that could possibly advance our goals.
About all that comes out of this are insults, screeds, and silly little rants. It doesn’t make the case, in my opinion. A real plan might be better, but none seems to be forthcoming.
Roberts is old, he won the primary in a plurality (couldn’t muster a majority of his own party) as the Karl Rove (TM) endorsed candidate, against a viable and more conservative challenger (Wolf).
An honorable guy would have taken his narrow win as a signal to stand aside in favor of young blood.
But the GOPe is all about scorched earth against .... conservatives.
So, they’d rather run and lose with Roberts than retain the seat with a guy who will caucus with Cruz. Just like the many other races in which defeat of actual conservatism is THE motivating factor of the party.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/kansas-2014-election-sam-brownback-108952.html
Liberal Republicans have been in Kansas since Quantrill rode through Lawrence. They are behind the Orman campaign and they thank you for your support.
Or just stick with Harry Reid. What silliness. Mark Kirk would be a better choice than Dirty Harry.
I remember well the GOPe screaming about Tea Party candidates having lost because of their conservative principles.
Now, the GOPe has their principle-free candidates, and they are losing.
I intend to stuff their loss down their throats just as hard as they did to us.
I’d far prefer to suffer a loss with a principled candidate, than with the Democrat-lite candidates they buy.
Best analysis yet on this thread.
According to a Wall Street Journal article from yesterday, Wolfe still hasn’t endorsed.
“Mr. Roberts hasn’t consolidated his base from a nasty primary victory over conservative challenger Milton Wolf, who has yet to throw his support to the three-term incumbent”
I don't blame him and I hope he doesn't endorse. We will take our Sh** sandwich and eat it because we have no choice but we don't have to like it.
Roberts and the GOP went after Wolf in a very bad way - I don't think he should just smile and take it.
I don't blame him and I hope he doesn't endorse. We will take our Sh** sandwich and eat it because we have no choice but we don't have to like it.
Roberts and the GOP went after Wolf in a very bad way - I don't think he should just smile and take it.
Wolf said he’d throw his support behind Orman if Orman promised to caucus with the Repubs. Orman said he will caucus with whoever holds the Senate after the election.
Sounds like Wolf might be a bit ticked off. :) Can't say I blame him. I don't believe Orman will caucus with the Repubs even if they take the Senate. Don't think he will fit in very well.
It would certainly save him one or two airline flights a year.
“The question should be whether having Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority Leader is enough to make conservative voters hold their noses once again and vote for an arrogant establishment chair-warmer who has no understanding or interest in his constituents and who holds much of his party base in contempt?”
And who has stated openly that if he becomes majority leader he will reinstate the filibuster rule.....therefore nuetering his own party!
Very well said, thanks for a great post.
Kansans are pretty clannish. I say this as a graduate of KSU.
They would find his non-resident residency to be offensive.
I don't know why people are making such a big deal of this. The KC Star dug in to his Kansas residency and even though they questioned it, they could not deny he was a Kansas resident. They even went as far as admitting many DC politicians buy homes all around Washington DC. So many politicians would be guilty of this and really a big deal about nothing. It's just the left and their media cohorts and the brownshirt liberal agitators on all social medias that are trying to make this an issue. He has a home outside Kansas to be closer to Washington, big deal, most all do it. Don't be taken in by these agitators, it's what they want.
If people would step back and look at all the shenanigans and deceptions going on in this Kansas Senate race, they would understand who the bad guys are, and it is definitely not Roberts.
CGato
I don’t think it’s the outsiders, I think it’s the Kansans themselves.
They are the ones offended by his non-resident residency. He beat his primary opponent fair and square, so I have no real beef with him.
But your fellow statesmen....they’re the ones who are fed up. FWIW, I think it’s a beautiful state, and I loved my time in Manhattan.
If you were eligible to do so, would you vote for Thad Cochran?
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