Republicans are learning the downside of safe seats

Republican Senate candidates in Kansas and Texas are stumbling in tight general elections, MS NOW argues, because they have spent their careers in safe seats where sustained scrutiny rarely came. Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall has never won a congressional race by fewer than 11 percentage points, yet he is now roughly tied with Democrat Adam Hamilton.

The trouble began in September, when a New York Times investigation found that Marshall's medical practice sued over 700 patients for unpaid bills, and that more than 80 were arrested after missing court dates. Hamilton's campaign promptly produced an ad featuring a patient who described being jailed while pregnant. Marshall's campaign first attacked the newspaper. At a debate, Marshall called the practices standard business and dismissed the matter, drawing jeers from the audience. His lawyers then sent Hamilton a cease-and-desist letter, which only prolonged the coverage. MS NOW says a tested candidate would have prepared an empathetic answer.

Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who has weathered several scandals, is behind in a competitive contest with Democrat James Talarico, lacking an identity beyond loyalty to Donald Trump. By contrast, Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts handled a pardon controversy against independent Dan Osborn with sympathy and facts.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →