SAVING KANSAS – AT 9:41 A.M. ET:  All of a sudden there's a Republican crisis in Kansas.  This should be an easy win for the incumbent Senator Pat Roberts.  But the Democratic candidate suddenly dropped out of the race, and Roberts, whose popularity has declined, is facing an independent who is beating him in the polls.  This could result in the loss of a "safe" GOP seat, and possibly the loss of the GOP dream of taking over the Senate.  So now the Republicans have awakened and are actually trying to win.  From the Wichita Eagle: 

Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida and a possible 2016 presidential candidate, will come to Wichita on Sept. 29 to stump for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts in a tight Senate race that has drawn national attention.

Bush, the son and brother of the former presidents, will join the three-term senator at a luncheon at Murfin Stables, 14525 E. 13th St. Cost for attendees ranges from $100 up to $2,600 for a seat at the head table, according to the invitation.

On Thursday, Roberts will be joined by a special guest at the Independence Historical Museum and Art Center in Independence, Kan. A source close to the campaign said that guest is Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska who served as running mate in 2008 for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The political forecasting site FiveThirtyEight.com on Monday gave Roberts’ independent opponent, Greg Orman, a 61 percent chance of winning with an expected margin of 3 percentage points.

Winning the seat could prove critical in the Republican Party’s quest to retake control of the U.S. Senate. Orman has not committed to caucusing with either party.

It's tough to imagine a man running against a Republican in the general election and then caucusing with them.

Roberts is touring the state with other Republican icons this week, including McCain and former Sen. Bob Dole, both of whom served as the GOP’s nominee for the presidency in unsuccessful runs.

Dole used to be a Kansas senator.  I don't know if he's been to Kansas recently.

September 23,  2014