Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts (R)
Virginia resident Pat Roberts
says he's preparing himself to run for re-election as to the U.S. Senate from Kansas:
“We’re done with the primary, and we’re getting ready for the general.”
There's nothing intrinsically remarkable about those words, but what is remarkable is that he's delivering them just this week, more than a month after his narrow primary victory and in the wake of a series of stumbles that have left him
trailing his independent opponent, Kansas businessman Greg Orman.
It's not like Roberts—who cites a timeshare in a La-Z-Boy store as his Kansas address, whose former campaign manager described his home as being in Virginia, and who lists a Virginia address for his campaign reimbursement checks—hasn't had enough time to prepare for this. After all, Roberts was first elected to Congress when Jimmy Carter was still president. He was elected to the U.S. Senate when Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House. He's had six years to plan his re-election campaign.
And he's still not ready, because he took his victory—and his constituents—for granted. Which is a pretty good reason to send him to his retirement in November.
p.s.: One of the stooges trying to help Roberts win is Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who in addition to being a birther is trying to prevent the former Democratic candidate from withdrawing his name on the ballot. Kobach believes leaving the Democrat's name on the ballot will siphon votes away from Roberts' independent opponent, but Kobach has a race of his own to worry about. So if you can spare it, please give $3 to his opponent Jean Schodorf to help her send Kobach packing along with Roberts.