Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said the independent challenger to Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) would not caucus with Senate Republicans if the GOP takes over the upper chamber’s majority.
“It is an impossibility. It is not possible,” Priebus told Kansas City’s 41 Action News.
{mosads}He called the idea that independent Greg Orman might work with Republican leadership in the Senate “ridiculous.”
Orman has said he would like to caucus with the party that holds a clear majority, and Priebus’s comments that he’s a Democrat in disguise may be aimed at undercutting that argument.
“He’s a Democrat. He’s a major giver to Democrats,” he told the TV station. “And he’s lying and not telling the truth to people in Kansas.”
Two new polls have shown Roberts with a lead in the tight race, but Republicans are worried Orman could cost them the seat — and their chance at taking over the Senate.
“The guy is a major donor, thousands of dollars to Barack Obama and Harry Reid,” Priebus said.
Asked if there was a scenario in which he could see Orman choosing to caucus with the GOP — and if he would be welcomed if he did, Priebus replied, “No, I may have been born on a weekend, but it wasn’t last weekend.”