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Roberts, Orman Accuse Each Other Of Partisan Politics At Second Debate

Elle Moxley
/
KCUR

The two candidates vying for the U.S. Senate seat from Kansas spent Wednesday trading partisan barbs at their second debate.

Republican incumbent Pat Roberts tried to paint Greg Orman, who is running as an independent, as a Democrat in a race that doesn’t have one.

“A vote for Greg Orman is a vote to hand over the future of Kansas and the country to Harry Reid and Barack Obama,” Roberts told the crowd at the Overland Park Convention Center.

Roberts called Orman a liberal more than a dozen times and repeatedly hammered him for his ties to Democrats.

Orman fired back that he believes Reid is partially to blame for Congressional gridlock.

“But the other half of the mess (is) Mitch McConnell and Pat Roberts," says Orman. "The truth is, both parties are more interested in playing political games than problem solving.”

Orman joked he did not commit voter fraud by casting a ballot in Nevada for Reid.

The Johnson County Public Policy Council arranged the debate, during which both candidates tried to court the business community's vote. Roberts touted his endorsement from the U.S Chamber of Commerce earlier this week. 

Meanwhile, Orman detailed his own experience navigating government regulations and healthcare as an Olathe business owner.

Elle Moxley covered education for KCUR.
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