TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican serving as Kansas' top elections official won't give up on forcing Democrats to field a U.S. Senate candidate even if the state Supreme Court orders the current nominee to be removed from the ballot, in a dispute that could affect which party controls the Senate.
Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Tuesday that state law requires Democratic leaders to pick a new candidate if Chad Taylor is removed from the ballot. Taylor stopped campaigning earlier this month and sent a letter of withdrawal to Kobach's office. Kobach refused to remove Taylor from the Nov. 4 ballot, and the Democrat went to the Supreme Court.
Some Democrats pushed Taylor to drop out of the race against three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, seeing independent candidate Greg Orman as the stronger rival for Roberts. They hoped to avoid splitting the anti-Roberts vote and hinder the GOP's effort to gain six seats and a new Senate majority.
Kobach told reporters afterward that another state law requires parties to fill candidate vacancies, and if he's ordered to remove Taylor from the ballot, he'll direct the Democratic Party to pick a replacement. If the party won't, he's ready to file a petition with the Supreme Court to force the issue.