Poll: Roberts' wide lead narrows, Brownback still trailing
By Tim Carpenter
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sen. Pat Roberts talks to supporters during a campaign rally July 14 in Olathe.
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Kansas political campaigns punctuated Friday the work of firms conducting public opinion surveys designed to expose attitudes leading to the August primary election and set the stage for likely contests in November.
The race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Pat Roberts continues to intrigue as a SurveyUSA poll indicated Roberts' advantage over tea party challenger Milton Wolf had narrowed to 20 percentage points, down from 33 points.
Democratic candidate Chad Taylor, of Topeka, trailed Roberts in a hypothetical general election matchup — 38 percent to 33 percent, while independent Senate candidate Greg Orman gained traction by securing 14 percent in the poll performed for KSN-TV in Wichita.
"Greg Orman is the only candidate with the resources and momentum to take on the incumbent and continue reaching out to independent, Republican and Democratic voters across Kansas," said Jim Jonas, Orman's campaign spokesman.
SurveyUSA revealed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis maintained a lead over Gov. Sam Brownback in a potential head-to-head contest. Davis' 48 percent surpassed the governor's 40 percent, with Davis gaining 1 percentage point since an identical survey in June.
This polling in the campaign for governor suggested 29 percent of registered Republicans — up 5 points since June — were planning to vote for Davis in November. It indicated Davis retained 89 percent of the Democratic base. Libertarian gubernatorial nominee Keen Umbehr held 13 percent of independent voters.
John Milburn, representing the Brownback campaign, dismissed SurveyUSA's updated assessment. The polling company markets itself as an independent, nonpartisan opinion research firm. Milburn said SurveyUSA had a "history of poor polling in Kansas" and responded to the latest results by drawing a connection between Davis and Democratic President Barack Obama.
"The campaign for governor is really just beginning," Milburn said. "We are confident that when presented the choice between a liberal Obama Democrat like Paul Davis and a Reagan Republican like Sam Brownback, Kansans will help ensure Sam Brownback continues his service as governor."
Davis spokesman Chris Pumpelly said the SurveyUSA poll illustrated anxiety among Kansans about Brownback's record on public education. Among voters who said the most important issue in the November election was education funding, Davis led Brownback 4-to-1. Brownback had a 5-to-3 edge among people who believe tax rates to be the top issue.
"Kansans are deeply concerned about the direction Sam Brownback is taking the state," Pumpelly said. "His 'real live experiment' is hurting our schools, our economy and our future, while Paul's proven record of common-sense solutions and working across the aisle has earned broad support among Democrats, independents and Republicans."
The campaign of Democratic congressional candidate Margie Wakefield released a private poll suggesting incumbent U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins could be vulnerable in the 2nd District, which includes Topeka and Lawrence.
The survey by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research, commissioned by the Wakefield campaign, indicated Jenkins was the choice of 49 percent and Wakefield was the preference of 42 percent. In a similar October poll, Wakefield trailed Jenkins by 10 percentage points.
"This poll confirms what Margie has been hearing for over a year as she travels across the district," said Mark Sump, campaign manager for Wakefield. "Lynn Jenkins is spending her time promoting her personal politics in Washington rather than responding to the needs of her constituents."
Lee Modesitt, with Jenkins' re-election campaign, had a different view. He focused on the survey's result indicating 82 percent were familiar with Jenkins, compared with 19 percent who knew Wakefield.
"It's a rough day when you have to pay a partisan liberal firm tens of thousands of dollars just to get a poll that shows you losing by seven points," Modesitt said. "Once eastern Kansans get to know the Obama delegate Wakefield who 'loves Obamacare' and wholeheartedly supports cap-and-trade, we are confident Congresswoman Jenkins will only widen what is already a comfortable margin."
Sump said Wakefield was, in fact, a delegate for Hillary Clinton at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
In the 4th District primary in Wichita, U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo surrendered ground to GOP challenger Todd Tiahrt, who held the congressional seat before Pompeo's election in 2010.
SurveyUSA found Pompeo up 46 to 39 percent, with Tiahrt gaining 5 percentage points in the past five weeks.
"We are in a very good place," Tiahrt said. "The advance ballots are looking good and we have the momentum."
