Mike Pompeo officially won’t be Senate Republicans’ savior in Kansas.
The filing deadline came and went on Monday afternoon without the Secretary of State making a surprise reconsideration. That ends months of speculation — and repeated entreaties by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — that the former Kansas congressman could swoop back to his home state and clear the field in the GOP race.
Instead, Republicans are left with one of their messiest and perhaps most electorally consequential primaries that further complicates an increasingly difficult overall map. There are different factions of the party split between efforts to get a nominee (anyone but former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach) who won’t endanger their hold on what should be a reliably red open seat in a state that President Trump won by 20 points.
There will be 11 candidates total on the GOP ballot, seeking to succeed the retiring Sen. Pat Roberts. But the contest is effectively a three-way race between Kobach, Rep. Roger Marshall and wealthy plumbing company owner Bob Hamilton. Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end
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