TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) – Despite trailing financially throughout the race, Independent Greg Orman remains ahead of GOP Sen. Pat Roberts in the polls with only a few days left until Election Day.
Roberts was thought to win until the Democratic nominee, Chad Taylor, withdrew – a controversial move that resulted in a failed legal fight to keep him on the ballot.
A SurveyUSA poll, released Wednesday, shows Kansas voters favor Orman over Roberts by a 44-to-42 percent margin, with four percent of voters wanting Libertarian Randall Batson and 10 percent still undecided.
Republican outfits have come to Roberts’ aid in recent days in a last ditch effort to secure a victory.
On Tuesday, the Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund announced its support of Roberts, even though the organization originally backed Milton Wolf in the GOP primary.
“There is just too much at stake not to support Pat Roberts,” said Jenny Beth Martin, TPPCF chairman.
“The only way to make President Obama a true lame duck is to take away Harry Reid’s majority and his nuclear option. If Democrats get a pickup in Kansas for first time since 1932, that road is a lot tougher. It is time for conservatives in the Sunflower State to answer the call.”
On Monday RandPac, the leadership PAC of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released a 30-second spot in support of Roberts. The ad costs six figures and is being broadcasted on cable and online.
The candidates have little left in their coffers heading into the home stretch.
As of Oct. 15, Roberts had raised under $7 million and spent more than $6 million. His opponent, Orman, raised more than $2.3 million but spent more than $2.2 million, campaign finance records show.
Half of Roberts’ funding has come from PACs, with Koch Industries supplying $48,450 in donations, according to opensecrets.org.
Reach David Yates at elections@legalnewsline.com