Though the 2018 midterm elections are only two months behind us, plans are already being made for 2020.
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) just announced his decision to not run for re-election in 2020, a decision that opens up his eventually vacant seat to a number of Republican candidates who will battle it out over the next two years.
“Will not be a candidate”
During a press conference in Manhattan, Kansas, on Friday, the 82-year-old Roberts declared, “I will serve the remainder of this term as your senator, fighting for Kansas in these troubled times. However, I will not be a candidate in 2020 for a fifth Senate term.”
“I have had the honor and privilege of representing Kansas for 16 years in the House, 22 years so far in the Senate,” he added. “Never, never in my wildest dreams, did I think I would become the longest-serving member of Congress in our state’s history.”
JUST IN: GOP Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas announces he won’t seek reelection in 2020.
“Never, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would become the longest-serving member of Congress in our state’s history” pic.twitter.com/soZ1BPpLbD
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) January 4, 2019
Vulnerable to a primary challenge
Breitbart noted that Roberts just achieved a significant legislative win in recent weeks with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill along bipartisan lines.
While Roberts’ shepherding of the bill through the lawmaking process was deemed a bipartisan success, some conservative critics suggested it was too bipartisan in nature, with too many giveaways for Democrats and too few conservative reforms to governmental programs.
It was also noted that, though nobody had yet emerged as a primary challenger to Roberts, there were growing rumblings that he would be exceptionally vulnerable. That quite possibly played a role in his retirement decision, given the fact that he barely survived a primary challenge from a tea party candidate in 2014.
State ready for new representation
Roberts may have read the writing on the wall, or more likely, the writing in the op-ed pages of The Kansas City Star, which recently urged Roberts to retire and make room for new and younger representation to step forward on behalf of the state of Kansas. “It’s time for Roberts to step aside to allow other qualified candidates to seek the office,” wrote the Star’s editorial board.
While granting that Roberts had done an “effective job,” the paper suggested he was too focused on agricultural issues and wedded to the old ways of doing things in Washington D.C. The board wrote, “But the 21st century will demand fresher ideas — not just on farm policy, but on trade, immigration, taxation, spending, defense and other national challenges. Roberts isn’t the senator who will provide those new ideas.”
“This isn’t a matter of the senator’s age, although Roberts will be 84 years old in 2020. It’s much more about Roberts’ four decades of service in the House and Senate, a long tenure that makes it difficult for him to see things in a different way,” surmised the editorial board.
After noting that Roberts’ friend and fellow Senate colleague from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, had also announced he wouldn’t be running in 2020 — as he’d “had my turn” — the board wrote, “Sen. Pat Roberts has had his turn, too. It’s time to give other candidates a chance to earn the seat, which belongs to the people, and no one person.”
[show_poll poll_id=1227]
Sen. Roberts has been serving the state of Kansas in Congress since 1980, and has held his senate seat since 1997.
553 Responses
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this post and also the rest of the website is really good.
You have made some decent points there. I checked on the net for additional information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I think that you ought to write more about this subject, it might not be a taboo matter but typically folks don’t talk about these topics. To the next! Cheers!!
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s equally educative and engaging, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is something which not enough folks are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy I found this in my search for something regarding this.
Greetings, I do believe your website may be having web browser compatibility problems. When I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however when opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Apart from that, great site!
I love looking through an article that can make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Very good write-up. I certainly love this website. Stick with it!
The next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t disappoint me as much as this one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, nonetheless I really thought you would have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.
Right here is the perfect webpage for anybody who would like to understand this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject that’s been written about for years. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
I could not resist commenting. Very well written!
This site was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me. Kudos!
This site definitely has all the information I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Spot on with this write-up, I seriously believe that this site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the information!
Your style is unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this blog.
Excellent blog post. I definitely love this website. Stick with it!
Good day! I could have sworn I’ve visited this blog before but after going through a few of the posts I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
That is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Short but very accurate information… Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet to learn more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this website.
Hola! I’ve been following your website for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from New Caney Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the good job!
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up and also the rest of the website is extremely good.
I could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always interesting to read through articles from other writers and use a little something from their websites.
I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I come across a blog that’s both equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is an issue that not enough folks are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy that I found this in my search for something regarding this.
Thanks very nice blog!
You’ve made some good points there. I looked on the net to find out more about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this site.
I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage! Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my personal blogroll.
Everything is very open with a precise description of the challenges. It was really informative. Your website is very useful. Thank you for sharing!
I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site. I am hoping to view the same high-grade content by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal blog now 😉
Right here is the right webpage for anybody who hopes to find out about this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject which has been discussed for decades. Excellent stuff, just excellent!
After looking into a handful of the blog articles on your web page, I honestly appreciate your way of writing a blog. I added it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back in the near future. Please visit my web site too and tell me what you think.
Hi, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any help is very much appreciated.
I have been browsing on-line greater than three hours nowadays, yet I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It’s beautiful price enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content as you probably did, the internet will be a lot more helpful than ever before.
izmir rus escort, izmir üçyol escort, izmir travesti, whatsapp escort izmir
أخبار المملكةأخبار محليةأخبار السعوديةمحلياتأخبار أخبار أخبار المملكة العربية السعوديةالسعوديةالمملكة العربية السعودية
There’s definately a lot to know about this subject. I love all of the points you have made.
Excellent site you have here.. It’s difficult to find quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
When I originally commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now whenever a comment is added I recieve four emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you can remove me from that service? Many thanks!
Right here is the right website for anybody who would like to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic which has been written about for many years. Wonderful stuff, just great!