Republicans suddenly sweating election in deep-red Kansas district

Vice President Pence is stepping into Kansas’s special House election, recording a robocall urging Republican voters to cast their ballots for the party’s congressional nominee on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reported on Friday.

The robocall comes amid shaky support for Kansas State Treasurer Ron Estes, who is running against Democrat James Thompson to fill the House seat vacated by Mike Pompeo, who is now President Trump’s CIA director.

President Trump won Kansas’s 4th District by almost 30 points in November. But Democrats in the district have been energized by the president’s low-approval ratings and controversies in his first months in office, leaving Republicans sweating over whether they will be able to hold the seat.

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“Ron’s run a horrible campaign,” a Kansas Republican operative told the Examiner. “Hasn’t raised much money, his ads are abysmal — no energy. It’s a low turnout special and weird things happen.”

Pence isn’t the only high-profile Republican to step in to try to aid Estes. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is expected to make an appearance in Kansas’ 4th District on Monday, according to the Kansas City Star.

Another special House race in Georgia’s 6th District also has Republicans scrambling for a win. Democrat Jon Ossoff has gained a high-profile in the district and is leading Republican candidates in polls to fill the House seat vacated by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.