Chad Taylor doesn’t want to be in the race for U.S. Senate, but he’s going to remain on the ballot, at least for now. The Senate race in Kansas was shaken up for the second time in two days Thursday when Secretary of State Kris Kobach said Taylor had not met the requirements to withdraw from the race and would stay on the ballot. Kobach said Kansas law requires that candidates who want to be removed from the ballot submit a formal letter and also declare themselves “incapable of fulfilling the duties of office if elected.” Taylor submitted a letter on Wednesday, the deadline to withdraw, but did not make such a declaration. So he will remain on the ballot, Kobach said. A Kansas Senate ballot that includes a Democrat is widely seen as helpful to Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. A ballot without a Democrat would allow anti-Roberts votes to coalesce around Greg Orman, a well-financed independent. Polls show weak support for Roberts, but he has maintained a lead with Taylor and Orman splitting the bulk of the remaining vote. Orman would not comment.
Roberts’ campaign underwent a major shake-up Thursday, reflecting growing GOP concerns about the race.
Taylor issued a statement contending that Assistant Secretary of State Brad Bryant had assured him he met all the requirements to withdraw when he submitted a formal letter to the Secretary of State’s Office.
“I specifically asked Mr. Bryant if the letter contained all the information necessary to remove my name from the ballot. Mr. Bryant said, ‘Yes,’ affirming to me, and my campaign manager, that the letter was sufficient to withdraw my name from the ballot,” Taylor said in a statement.
Full Article: Kobach: Democrat Chad Taylor’s name will remain on ballot for U.S. Senate | The Wichita Eagle.