Former Rep. Jim Slattery (D) will challenge Sen. Pat Roberts (R) after all, state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Gaughan told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Roberts nearly skated by without a high-profile challenger, as the previous Democrat recruited to run against the Senator, wealthy business executive Greg Orman, dropped out after a short-lived campaign.

Slattery represented the old, eastern Kansas 2nd District from 1983 to 94, and lost his bid for governor in 1994. He had previously been recruited to run against Roberts, but said just last November that he would not run.

Roberts closed 2007 with $2.7 million on hand and is in good shape to win re-election at this point.
— David M. Drucker