CQ Politics

CQ 2008 Election Guide

Race to Watch

Kansas, U.S. Senate

2008: Sen. Pat Roberts (R) vs. Jim Slattery (D)

Vote for winner in 2002: 83 percent

- The GOP always has an advantage in its traditional bastion of Kansas. This alone would make Republican Pat Roberts a solid favorite to win a third Senate term, though his position is further secured by his close attention to Kansas issues in 16 years in the House and 12 so far in the Senate. Unlike 2002, the Democrats are running a challenger this year. Jim Slattery, has 12 years of House experience. But that ended when he ran for governor in 1994 and lost badly, and he was out of politics until Democratic officials recruited him this year. Slattery has drawn attention with some off-beat ads, but mid-October polls show him trailing Roberts by a wide margin.

Race Information

Incumbent: Sen. Pat Roberts, R
First Elected: 1996 (2nd term)
Last Elected: 2002 (82.52%)
Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
Challengers: Jim Slattery, D; Randall Hodgkinson, LIBERT; Joseph Martin, REF
Race Forecast: Republican Favored

State Information

U.S. Senate Delegation: 2 Republicans
U.S. House Delegation: 1 Democrat, 3 Republicans

Kansas's Other Senator: Sen. Sam Brownback-R; First Elected: 1996 (2nd full term); Last Elected: 2004 (69.16%)

State Offices: Governor: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, D; First Elected: 2002 (2nd term); State House Control: Republican; State Senate Control: Republican

Demographics (2000 census): Population (2005):2,744,687; Under 18:26.5%; Over 65:13.3%; Non-Hispanic White:83.1%; Black:5.6%; Hispanic:7.0%; Asian:1.7%; American Indian:0.8%; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander:0.0%; Median Household Income: 40,624; Median Household Income Rank: 26

State Election History
Year	Election	Candidate	Votes	Percent
2008	general	Pat Roberts (R)	727,121	60.1%
		Jim Slattery (D)	441,399	36.5%
		Randall Hodgkinson (LIBERT)	25,727	2.1%
		Joseph Martin (REF)	16,443	1.4%

2002	general	Pat Roberts (R)	641,075	82.5%
		Steven Rosile (LIBERT)	70,725	9.1%
		George Cook (REF)	65,050	8.4%

1996	general	Pat Roberts (R)	652,677	62%
		Sally Thompson (D)	362,380	34.4%
		Mark S. Marney (REF)	24,145	2.3%
		Steven Rosile (LIBERT)	13,098	1.2%

Vote For President
Year	Democrat	Republican
2004	John Kerry: 37%	George W. Bush: 62%
2000	Al Gore: 37%	George W. Bush: 58%
1996	Bill Clinton: 36%	Robert Dole: 54%
1992	Bill Clinton: 34%	George H. W. Bush: 39%

Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race

Filers	Through	Total Receipts	Total Disbursements	Total From PACs	Total From Individuals	Ending Cash	Debts Owed
ROBERTS, PAT (R)	November 24, 2008	$5,751,446.00	$6,230,690.00	$327,651.00	$2,586,769.00	$203,231.00	$0

JONES, LEROY DEAN (D)	September 30, 2008	$17,995.00	$17,670.00	$0	$9,495.00	$323.00	$5,887.00

BROWNBACK, SAMUEL DALE (R)	September 30, 2008	$38,060.00	$48,496.00	$0	$0	$31,320.00	$0

ORMAN, GREGORY JOHN (D)	March 31, 2008	$568,694.00	$568,838.00	$0	$482,615.00	$451,122.00	$0

SLATTERY, JIM (D)	November 24, 2008	$1,677,907.00	$1,668,513.00	$77,000.00	$1,416,741.00	$9,392.00	$0