National Republicans have done little to hide how little they relish the idea of having former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who lost last year’s general election for governor 48-43, as their Senate nominee, and the Kansas City Star reports they’re willing to back up their talk with action.
The paper writes that NRSC officials have quietly told state Republicans that if Kobach runs for this open seat, they would “get involved to make sure he doesn’t make it past the primary.” When asked to comment, the NRSC didn’t name Kobach, but they did say that they have the right to get involved in primaries to make sure they get an electable nominee.
The Senate Leadership Fund, the well-funded super PAC funded by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, was even less subtle. Their spokesperson told the Star that, while they’ve made no decisions about this race, “[G]iven the party’s loss in the gubernatorial race last year, it is vitally important that we put our best foot forward in the Senate race.” Now who could they possibly be talking about?
Kobach himself doesn’t seem especially bothered by the idea of national Republicans directing their fury on him. Kobach said at the end of February that he’d decide whether or not to run over the following six months, and he recently confirmed that he was still eyeing this seat.
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