With No Pompeo, Kansas Senate Primary Is One of Republicans’ Messiest [Cook Political Report]

Divisive GOP Primary Makes Kansas “A Headache That Senate Republicans Don’t Need”

Today, Cook Political Report is out with a new analysis of how the messy Republican Senate primary in Kansas makes that state “a headache” for the GOP and forces Republicans to spend money in a state they’ve previously taken for granted. Whoever emerges from Republicans’ bruising primary will face a “strong candidate” in physician Barbara Bollier, who’s posted the biggest fundraising numbers of the entire field and remains in a dead heat with the Republican candidates according to a recent poll.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Cook Political Report: With No Pompeo, Kansas Senate Primary Is One of Republicans’ Messiest

By Jessica Taylor

Key Points:

• Mike Pompeo officially won’t be Senate Republicans’ savior in Kansas. 
• Instead, Republicans are left with one of their messiest and perhaps most electorally consequential primaries that further complicates an increasingly difficult overall map. 

• There will be 11 candidates total on the GOP ballot, seeking to succeed the retiring Sen. Pat Roberts.

• Both Marshall and Hamilton are competing to be the anti-Kobach, but the dynamics of a three-way race could end up giving Republicans the type of damaged nominee they fear. 

• The Democrats have a strong candidate in Barbara Bollier, 62, who only faces nominal primary opposition, waiting in the wings for whoever emerges. She’s a state senator and a former Republican whose party switch was spurred by Trump and unpopular former Gov. Sam Brownback, actively backing Kelly in her victory over Kobach.

• Bollier is also an anesthesiologist and would be the first female doctor ever elected to the Senate if she wins the upset. She’s also put up the most impressive fundraising numbers of the bunch, ending March with $2.4 million in the bank. 

• The bottom line is that Kansas remains, for at least two more months, a headache that Senate Republicans don’t need at a time when the map is expanding, not shrinking for them. 

Read the full story here.

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