Roger Marshall Defeats Kris Kobach In The Senate GOP Primary In Kansas
Rep. Roger Marshall won the Senate GOP primary in Kansas, defeating former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. This result is expected to bolster Republican hopes of keeping the seat in its control this Nov.
Marshall faced a fierce challenge from Kobach, whose campaigns against voting fraud and illegal immigration have led to disagreements between people. This victory also marks the end of the longest losing streak for the party in the country since Democrats have not won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932.
A two-term congressman from the "Big First" district in the central and western parts of Kansas, Marshall enjoyed the support of Sen. Pat Roberts, the man he wants to replace, and a former occupant of his House seat, former Sen. Bob Dole. Aside from that, he boasted support from powerful groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kansans for Life, and the Kansas Farm Bureau, CNN reported.
On the downside, he did not receive support from the man who could help him win: Donald Trump. Trump indicated to associates on Air Force One last week that he would not openly interfere in the race even though top Republicans were hoping for his involvement.
Marshall took to his Twitter handle to post a short video after defeating Kobach in the republican senate to share a congratulatory phone call from Trump. Marshall is slated to lock horns with Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier, who has broken state fundraising records by collecting $7.8 million, the latest Federal Election Commission filings suggest.
Roberts described the recently concluded primary race as a toss-up, adding that he didn't know what was going to happen. The Republican critics of Kobach warned that only he is likely to put the seat in jeopardy, recalling the 2018 gubernatorial race outcome.
A day before winning the Republican primary by 343 votes, Trump had endorsed Kobach, who later lost to Democrat Laura Kelly by a significant five points while Trump won Kansas by twenty points in 2016. The critics accused Kobach of highlighting issues that did not coincide with the moment while Kelly focused more on reversing the state's education cuts and the budget shortfall that former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback left behind.
Moreover, they felt Kobach wasn't a good fundraiser but he points out that despite winning statewide offices in Kansas, Democrats have failed to reach the Senate, where the debated issues are quite different and opinion of the national parties are given more importance.