New Poll Gives Kansas Independent 7 Point lead over Pat Roberts.
Independent Greg Orman leads Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Ks.), 41 percent to 34 percent, according to a poll released to HuffPost by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling. Six percent said they'd still vote for Democrat Chad Taylor, who has announced he's leaving the race, but whose name may remain on the ballot pending a lawsuit being heard Tuesday. Another 4 percent opted for libertarian Randall Batson, with the remaining 15 percent undecided.
The PPP results find Roberts deeply unpopular, with a -17 net job approval rating among all voters, and only modestly positive numbers even among his Republican base. Orman, in contrast, has a +18 net favorable rating, with Democrats and independents giving him even stronger ratings, and Republicans about evenly split.
A 58 percent majority of Democrats say they intend to vote for Orman, who says he'll caucus with the majority party, but hasn't made clear what he'll do if the outcome of the Senate hinges on his choice. Sixteen percent still say they'd pick Taylor, while 9 percent opt for Roberts.
36 percent of Taylor supporters were unaware he had dropped out of the race.
PPP also find Democrat Paul Davis leads Governor Sam Brownback (R), the incumbent, for the Governor's race.
If someone had asked me a year ago what I thought the chances were to displace the Republican Governor and Senator from Kansas I'd have put it in the fantasy column.
But now I'm ready to break out into a rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," as this doesn't sound like the old Kansas anymore.