Mike Pompeo to speak at Missouri-Kansas Forum amid Senate bid speculation

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will speak at a breakfast for the Missouri-Kansas (MOKAN) Forum amid rumors that he plans to run for the Kansas Senate seat that Pat Roberts (R) will vacate, according to Politico.

The breakfast will be held at  at Charlie Palmer in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 5, which is also the day of the State of the Union address, Politico reported. Pompeo will be joined by aide Toni Porter.

Pompeo reportedly met with Republican strategist Ward Baker about a potential Senate bid earlier this month. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had encouraged Pompeo to run in Kansas.

{mosads}Pompeo told Fox News last week that he was approached by “lots of folks” who want him to run for Senate, but that he has “a very full plate” in his current position.

Pat Roberts said earlier this month he won’t seek a fifth term in 2020, marking the end of a decades-long career in Congress and setting up a likely crowded open-seat race. 

Kansas Republicans fear that Roberts’ vacancy could allow Democrats to flip the seat.

Democrat Laura Kelly won the state’s 2018 gubernatorial election and Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder lost his House race to Democrat Sharice Davids.