With several close races set to determine which party controls the U.S. Senate next year, pollster Frank Luntz says the fate of the upper chamber rests in the hands of Kansas Republican voters.
That's the race where incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts is struggling against independent Greg Orman. Orman is leading Roberts in the polls after Democrats pulled their candidate, Chad Taylor. Orman hasn't said which party he will caucus with, but most Republicans believe it would be with Democrats.
With Kansas the most vulnerable Republican seat in the country, Luntz pointed out that Roberts is even losing Republican support.
"It's up to Republican voters in Kansas to determine whether Barack Obama will have a Democratic Senate. They need to take that to heart." Luntz said Tuesday on Fox News Channel's
"Hannity."
In others races:
Luntz said New Hampshire is surprising because it has always been an independent state. Incumbent Jeanne Shaheen's 99 percent support of President Barack Obama in 2013 is likely to hurt her – if voters there find out.
"That's not independence. That's not what New Hampshire voters thought they were supporting six years ago," Luntz said. Republican Scott Brown is down four points, but he's still in the race, Luntz said, because he's been running ads using her support of amnesty against her.
In Louisiana and Arkansas, Obamacare will be "the deciding factor in why those seats are likely to shift to the Republicans," he said.
In Alaska, Democrat Mark Begich's linkage to Obama also will hurt him, Luntz said.
"People are angry with him because he doesn't show up to vote, and they're angry with him because when he does he only votes the Obama position," he said.
In Kentucky, Democrat Alison Grimes was stung by an undercover video shot by Project Veritas showing her staff calling her a liar on her support for the coal industry.
Kentucky voters "absolutely reject dishonesty," Luntz said.
He predicts the Senate will go 51-49 Republican.