OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Independent candidate Greg Orman, running a surprisingly competitive race for the Senate in Kansas, has based his campaign on his disdain for both major political parties. But the parties have something the Kansas City businessman could use: an established get-out-the-vote operation.
In most elections, making sure that friendly voters cast their ballots is more important for a candidate in a race’s final days than wooing new supporters.
Orman’s opponent, three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, has several thousand campaign workers and volunteers armed with the latest voter information who are making sure his likely supporters vote in person or by mail. Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee dispatched a top operative to help oversee his phone bank, door-knocking and transportation efforts.
Orman, 45, hopes that a quickly assembled turnout effort using new voter data techniques and about 800 volunteers will make up for his lack of a party apparatus.
“It’s not easy,” said Orman campaign manager Jim Jonas, “but we’re using every tool in the toolshed.”
Orman, who surged in September when the Democratic challenger dropped out of the race, is trying to appeal to voters disgusted with Washington gridlock.
Orman hired a firm to design a database of likely supporters based on their political, demographic and consumer information. Polls show Orman and Roberts running neck and neck.
“There’s a unique opportunity because there’s normally not a candidate independents can connect with,” said Dave Beattie, Orman’s pollster.
