NEW LINEUP

Kansas GOP Sen. Pat Roberts Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2020

Roberts recently shepherded an $867 billion farm bill into law that protected food stamps for low-income Americans.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) announced Friday that he would not seek re-election in 2020. “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,” said a reportedly emotional Roberts. The typically blunt-speaking Republican worked closely with Democrats on helping the nation’s farmers and protecting food stamps for millions of low-income Americans. Roberts recently helped sign an $867 billion farm bill into law. The measure had the backing of all Senate Democrats, a remarkable feat in the polarized Congress. President Trump was unhappy that the bill did not include stricter limits on food stamps, a provision pushed by conservatives. Republicans have expressed interest in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a former congressman from Kansas and staunch ally of President Trump, running for Robert’s open seat.