Expect to be seeing and hearing a lot of Sen. Pat Roberts in the next few months. A decided fundraising advantage will allow him to saturate the airwaves leading up to the November general election.

The longtime U.S. senator, a Republican, has amassed a campaign war chest that dwarfs those of the Democratic candidates who are seeking to challenge him in the November general election.

The Roberts campaign collected $971,000 in the second quarter, bringing his total campaign fund to more than $4.9 million, a record for a Kansas office-seeker.

Democrat Jim Slattery - a former member of the U.S. House, a one-time candidate for Kansas governor, and, until recently, a lobbyist making millions in Washington, D.C. - raised just over $625,000 in the second quarter. He has now received contributions totaling $913,000.

Slattery initially drew two opponents from within the Democratic Party. Greg Orman, who has withdrawn from the campaign, had raised almost $569,000 for his aborted campaign, according to a report filed in March with the Federal Election Commission.

A third Democrat, Lee Jones, has raised about $16,000 for his low-profile effort.

The Democrats square off in the Aug. 5 primary, with the victor advancing to take on Roberts.

Roberts' lead in fundraising matches his current standing in public opinion polls.

According to Rasmussen Reports, which regularly conducts polls on Kansas races, Roberts, who was nine points up over Slattery a month ago, has extended that cushion to 27 percent. He now leads Slattery 57 to 30 percent.

In addition to overcoming a decided money advantage in Roberts’ favor, Slattery will have to buck Kansas history – the state hasn’t sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in more than 70 years.

In other Congressional races, U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, who represents the Third District, has amassed more campaign donations, but Republican opponent Nick Jordan, a state senator from Shawnee, out-raised Moore during the second quarter by about $150,000.  Moore has much more money on hand -- $1.14 million – than does Jordan, who has $616,000.

Meanwhile, Second District incumbent Nancy Boyda, a Democrat who unseated Jim Ryun two years ago, is behind in the fundraising race. She reported contributions of $243,000 in the quarter and now has just under $900,000 in cash on hand.

Ryun has raised almost $1.8 million.

In two other Kansas congressional races, Republican incumbents Jerry Moran and Todd Tiahrt both have dramatically out-raised their opponents.

Tiahrt has raised more than $1 million, while his leading Democrat challenger Donald Betts has collected $137,000.

Moran also has raised more than $1 million. His Democratic opponent, James Bordonaro, has raised just $4,500.

The Week in Review