Top Senate Republicans are scrambling for an alternative to Mike Pompeo in Kansas, fearing the secretary of state’s decision to skip the 2020 Senate race could put their Senate majority in jeopardy.
Kansas is solidly Republican. But with Pompeo out, Republican insiders worry a path to the GOP nomination is cleared for Kris Kobach, a polarizing immigration hawk and ally of President Trump who lost a bid for governor in 2018. Private conversations were underway Tuesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and allies plotted to block Kobach and choose a different alternative to Pompeo, who declined to run amid escalating tensions with Iran.
“It’s imperative that we have people on the general election ballot who can win,” said Kevin McLaughlin, a GOP strategist who oversees the National Republican Senatorial Committee for Todd Young of Indiana, chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm.
Concern about Kobach’s chances against leading Democratic contender Barbara Bollier, a state legislator, extends to Kansas. Kelly Arnold, former chairman of the state Republican Party, said that unless Kobach changes “not just how he campaigns, but the issues he campaigns on,” the result of a 2020 Senate contest would mirror the outcome of his gubernatorial bid.
“So far, with his campaign, I have not seen anything different,” Arnold told the Washington Examiner.
Kobach, 53, and other Republicans are running for the seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Pat Roberts, who is retiring. In a brief telephone interview, Kobach rejected criticism that his nomination would risk a loss and boost Democratic prospects for retaking the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats. He also took a shot at McConnell’s management of the Senate.
“The D.C. establishment folks who claim that I would have difficulty winning aren’t familiar with Kansas politics,” Kobach said, referring to Republican domination of the state’s two Senate seats but periodic Democratic control of the governor’s mansion.
“Nobody in the Senate is serving as [Trump’s] point man on immigration issues,” he continued, adding: “It’s just bizarre that [Republicans] are not moving executive branch nominees as fast as judicial nominees.”
With diplomacy with North Korea failing and conflict with Tehran threatening to erupt after Trump ordered the killing of Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, Pompeo informed McConnell Monday that he was committed to staying in the administration. Thus ended the Kentucky Republican’s monthslong, full-court press to recruit Pompeo into the Senate race in Kansas, where the secretary of state was a congressman before being tapped by the president.
McConnell told reporters during his weekly news conference Tuesday that under the circumstances, he applauds Pompeo’s decision. The majority leader cautioned Democrats against optimism that this development might help them flip Roberts’ seat, although he did not address his concerns that Kobach could cost the GOP the race.
Pompeo’s move “should not lead to any excess observations on the other side that Kansas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1932, will do it in 2020,” McConnell said.
Despite being a loyal Trump supporter, Kobach’s recent loss, despite an endorsement from the president, could make the commander-in-chief hesitant to back his ally again in the early Senate August primary. Some Republicans said party leaders could turn to Rep. Roger Marshall as the new consensus pick for the nomination.
Marshall’s Senate bid had been dismissed as top Republicans focused on Pompeo. Other well-placed Republicans said the primary field might expand, as potential candidates, possibly state attorney general Derek Schmidt, reconsider their decisions not to run.
Some Republicans are hoping that primary candidate Susan Wagle, a state legislator, exits the race to reduce chances of splitting the anti-Kobach vote, fretting he might be too formidable to beat in the primary otherwise. Other Republicans believe that even that would not be enough to box out Kobach.
“I don’t see anyone who can beat Kobach in that primary, to be frank,” a conservative strategist said.
