Pat Roberts, the Republican running for a third term representing Kansas in the U.S. Senate, has maintained a solid lead over his Democratic challenger, Jim Slattery, according to the most recent Rasmussen poll.

The latest figures give Roberts a 20-point lead, 58 percent to 38 percent. The Senate race numbers have remained virtually unchanged since June.

Republican John McCain also continues to enjoy widespread support in the state.

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows the Arizona senator's lead over Democratic rival Barack Obama mirrors the Roberts-Slattery race: 58 percent say they support McCain, while 38 percent claim they'll vote for Obama.

Nationally, the race is much closer. According to Rasmussen, Wednesday's poll "shows Barack Obama attracting 49 percent of the vote while John McCain earns 47 percent. It’s the first time in more than two weeks that Obama has enjoyed a lead larger than a single percentage point."

Many Americans draw on the debates for information on the candidates, but according to the polling company, most see the debate moderators as biased. "Three out of four U.S. voters (74 percent) say they are very likely to watch the upcoming presidential debates," Rasmussen reported, "but over half (56 percent) think debate moderators are biased in their questioning."

Only six percent of those polled thought the moderator of the first debate, PBS' Jim Lehrer, would be likey to support McCain. Two-thirds of respondents said Lehrer would either support Obama or try to remain neutral.

Roberts has been helped by rising approval numbers, according to Rasmussen. "Favorable ratings for [Roberts] have improved since August. He is now viewed favorably by 63 percent of voters, up from 59 percent a month ago. Just 31 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of the senator, down from 36 percent in August," the report said.

For one Kansas Democrat, however, Rasmussen has good news. According to the most recent poll, "Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who was among the finalists as a possible running mate for Barack Obama, earns good or excellent ratings from 52 percent of voters. Twenty-six percent (26 percent) say she is doing a poor job as governor."

The Week in Review