Kansas Democrat Chad Taylor asks court to remove his name from ballot

A week after he bowed out of Kansas’ Senate race, Democrat Chad Taylor on Tuesday filed a petition with the state’s Supreme Court to have his name removed from the November ballot.

Taylor filed the petition naming Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as the defendant. Kobach, a Republican, is the state’s top elections official and has refused to take Taylor’s name off the ballot even though he ended his campaign.

With little funding and statewide popularity, Taylor, a district attorney from the Topeka area, exited the race to elevate independent Greg Orman, a self-funded management consultant who can wage a much more formidable challenge against incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

Democrats have assailed Kobach as playing partisan politics by keeping Taylor’s name on the ballot.

Pedro Irigonegaray, who is representing Taylor, said Tuesday he’s also asked the state Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order on Kobach that denies him from printing and mailing ballots. Ballots are set to be sent to overseas voters later this month.

“There’s no hearing set, but timing is of the essence,” Irigonegaray said.

Roberts is widely viewed as vulnerable as criticism has mounted that the third-term incumbent has become out of touch with voters, particularly after the New York Times reported he no longer owns a home in the state, but instead rents a room from a friend.

As Republicans look to net six seats and possibly gain control of the Senate after the November midterm election, they’re forced to play defense to keep Roberts in office. Moreover, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who has been widely criticized for tax cuts that have badly strained state finances, also faces a tough reelection in a down ticket race that could have implications on the Senate contest.

Joan Wagnon, Kansas’ Democratic Party chairwoman, said in a statement Tuesday the party will watch closely as this legal challenge proceeds through the courts.

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