UPDATE: Kobach Taking Action to Block Taylor's Withdrawal from U.S. Senate Race
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is taking steps to block Democrat Chad Taylor's effort to have the state's highest court remove him from the ballot in the U.S. Senate race. Kobach filed a response with the high court Wednesday to a petition filed Tuesday. Taylor asked the justices to force Kobach to remove his name from the ballot. Kobach is a Republican backing GOP Senator Pat Roberts. Taylor ended his campaign last week, potentially boosting the chances of independent candidate Greg Orman beating Roberts. Kobach's response said the case should be heard in district court because of factual disputes. He said that even if the Supreme Court takes the case and rules in Taylor's favor, it should force Democrats to find another nominee under state election laws.
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UPDATE 2: Washington, DC Attorney Arrives to Aid Taylor in KS Ballot Fight
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An attorney for a national Democratic Party group is part of the effort to get the party's nominee off the ballot in the U.S. Senate race in Kansas against Republican Senator Pat Roberts. A Topeka attorney representing Democratic candidate Chad Taylor filed a request Wednesday with the Kansas Supreme Court, asking it to allow out-of-state attorney Marc Elias to practice before the court. Elias is a partner in a Washington law firm, and his online biography says his clients include the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. Taylor petitioned the court Tuesday to force Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to remove him from the ballot after Taylor ended his campaign last week. The move potentially boosted independent candidate Greg Orman.
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KS Democrat Won't Discuss Senate Ballot Lawsuit
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic nominee Chad Taylor is refusing to answer questions about his petition to the Kansas Supreme Court to have his name removed from the ballot as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Taylor told reporters Wednesday that he wouldn't discuss the case for now. Taylor ended his campaign last week. Some fellow Democrats nudged him out of the race in an attempt to give independent Greg Orman a better chance of defeating three-term Republican Senator Pat Roberts in the November 4 election. The Democrat sent a letter of withdrawal to Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach. But Kobach said Taylor didn't comply with state election laws and has kept his name on the ballot. Taylor filed a petition Tuesday with the state Supreme Court to force Kobach to relent.