Dogged by controversy and opposed by every living former Republican governor of his state except one, Secretary of State Kris Kobach is nonetheless tied for the lead in the latest poll of the three-candidate race for governor of Kansas.
According to the Public Policy Polling survey released Tuesday, Kobach and Democrat Laura Kelly are tied at 41 percent each statewide. Millionaire businessman Greg Orman, who is running as an Independent, had 10 percent in the same poll, with Libertarian Jeff Caldwell at 2 percent. The remaining 6 percent were undecided.
That Kobach is in such a strong position is impressive in itself. A nationally known opponent of illegal immigration and author of legislation to require photo ID for voter registration, Kobach is by far one of the most controversial office-seekers in America today.
In the last two weeks, former Kansas Republican Governors Mike Hayden and Bill Graves both endorsed Kelly. With the exception of former Governor Sam Brownback (who serves in a top State Department position), every living former governor of the sunflower state now supports Kelly.
Moreover, former Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum, a prominent moderate Republican, weighed in behind Kelly, a former state legislator and protégé of former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.
Orman, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator in 2014, clearly draws more from Kelly. PPP showed that in a theoretical two-person race, Kelly outpolled Kobach 48-to-44 percent.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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