I agree it seems likely a Game is being played on the people of Kansas. A democrat with a real chance of winning drops out, why?
If the Democrats replace him, it is because this guys skeletons are about to come crashing out of the closet. If they don’t, the independent is in the bag for Harry Reid. The party came to him and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse, probably a high paying no show job at the Clinton Foundation, mid 6 figures a year I would guess.