You knew when U.S. Senator Pat Roberts started getting endorsed by high profile Republicans, his campaign was in serious jeopardy.
Here’s a brief list:
• Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate.
• Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate.
• Ted Cruz, Texas Senator.
• Dr. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Senator.
Separate and independent polls illustrate that 78-year-old Roberts is engaged in a serious battle with independent challenger Greg Orman. No Democrat will be listed on the ballot.
A Suffolk University and USA Today poll indicates that Orman is leading Roberts 46 percent to 41 percent.
Orman is leading Roberts in Kansas 48 to 38 percent, according to the latest NBC News/Marist poll.
“He’s in a great deal of trouble out there,” Marist pollster Lee Miringoff said of Roberts. “He’s got high negatives and his intensity of support is low. He’s losing independents by more than two-to-one.”
The NBC poll indicates that 47 percent of likely voters have a negative opinion of Roberts and 37 percent carry a positive opinion.
Fifty-five percent say they’re backing the independent candidate mostly because they’re against his opponent.
The USA Today poll reports Roberts’ favorable rating of 39 percent is lower than President Barack Obama’s 41 percent. Roberts’ approval rating among Republicans is just 50 percent, with 36 percent disapproving.
The USA Today poll shows Orman’s favorable rating at 39 percent and his unfavorable rating at 25 percent. Those are good numbers considering a majority of voters don’t know his agenda.
Seventy-seven percent of Democrats and 16 percent of Republicans say they’re picking Orman over Roberts.
The key may be independent voters.
NBC News/Marist poll indicates Orman is earning 57 percent of independent support while Roberts lands 27 percent.
The USA Today poll reports that Orman has the edge with independent voters 43 to 38 percent, which would be close enough for Roberts to win.
For the most part, Orman remains somewhat of a mystery. Twenty-eight percent of likely voters say they haven’t heard of him or aren’t sure of their opinion about him.
Voters understand what they’re getting is they re-elect Roberts.
One thing is sure.  Anyone opposed to Orman will continue to tie him to a Democratic agenda.
Scare tactics might be Roberts’ best chance.

Jim Misunas