Pat Roberts in 2014 KS Senate debate

On Abortion: Let insurance plans deny abortions based on employer beliefs

Orman thinks the Hobby Lobby decision was wrong. "This is a dangerous precedent to set and opens the door to many more court challenges from private employers," his website says. Orman says he supports access to abortion services.

On Government Reform: 2012: No transparency of PAC donors; 2014: Some transparency

In the State Fair debate, Roberts said he supported "transparency" in campaign donations. "If people know where the money is coming from," he said, "I think that is the biggest reform we can make." Yet current law allows unlimited secret donations to social welfare organizations known by their 501(c)(4) section of the federal tax code. Roberts has not indicated any desire to eliminate those groups or prohibit their secret spending in elections.

In 2012, Roberts voted to kill a bill that would have required public disclosure of some donors to companies and labor unions that engage in political activities.

On Government Reform: No term limits for Congress

On Gun Control: Don't mess with people's right to bear arms

Orman says he is open to considering a required background check in order to purchase a weapon at gun shows. "I just do not think it makes sense to make it easy for a convict, or someone who was under a restraining order for domestic abuse to be able to walk into a gun show and easily get a gun," Orman said at the debate.

Roberts says that position threatens all gun owners. "Don't mess with people's right to bear arms with any restrictions," he said in the Hutchinson debate.

On Health Care: Immediate and complete repeal of ObamaCare

Roberts has supported health care spending at times. He voted for the prescription drug benefit that was added to Medicare in 2003 and has supported federal efforts to expand health care delivery options in rural areas.

Orman has not expressed support for repeal of the entire Affordable Care Act and says the Republican Party's repeal attempts are futile until President Barack Obama leaves office. But he has criticized Obamacare as an expansion of a "broken system" and says he would have voted against the measure had he been in the Senate.

On Immigration: Increase border patrols; reduce undocumented immigrant flow

Unlike Roberts, though, Orman supports a path to citizenship for some of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants now in the U.S. Roberts opposes any path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally--he calls it amnesty. "Who do we honestly expect to raise their hand, identify themselves as an illegal immigrant, agree to pay years of back taxes, pay an additional fine, get in line for a chance, just a chance, at getting citizenship in about a decade?" he said in a 2013 news release.

On Immigration: 1986: Opposed Reagan's immigration limited amnesty bill

In 1986, as a member of the House, Roberts voted against an immigration bill backed by President Ronald Reagan. That bill, which became law, granted a limited amnesty to more than 2 million undocumented immigrants while prohibiting employers from knowingly hiring undocumented workers.

In 2007, as a senator, he voted to kill an immigration measure updating the 1986 law, including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

On Budget & Economy: Ok to spend in time of war; otherwise don't be over-generous

"I have voted for omnibus [spending] bills in the past; in the past, I have voted for [raising] debt ceilings," Roberts said. "But that was a time of war; we were doing emergency spending." Now, "all of a sudden, you are at $16 trillion debt," he said. "It's astounding. Now, $17 trillion, $18 trillion."

Similarly, Roberts said he voted against the farm bill because its subsidies for certain commodities were too generous and it did too little to overhaul the food stamp program. Still, when Roberts travels through the state, he touts his role crafting the law's provisions reforming the crop insurance program.

On Homeland Security: $200M for new fleet of tankers at McConnell Air Force Base

Gov. Sam Brownback showered Roberts with praise for his work on the project, as well as his support for a $404 million research lab at Kansas State University.

On Principles & Values: Group ratings more conservative in 2014 than in 2012

[His primary opponent Milton] Wolf accuses Roberts of "posing" like a conservative to save his job. "He does whatever Ted Cruz does," Wolf said. Yet as ripe as the conditions here are for a tea party upset--an entrenched GOP incumbent in a reddening state--Wolf has failed to capitalize. The 43-year-old radiologist has been hobbled by a February report in the Topeka Capital-Journal that he had posted X-ray images of gunshot victims on his Facebook page along with macabre humor.

On Principles & Values: Returns home to Kansas "every time I get an opponent"

In an interview with KCMO radio, Roberts was asked about reports that he no longer lives in his home in Kansas and instead rents a room from donors when he returns to the state. That and further reports outlining his relatively infrequent visits home have dogged him; his primary [opponent] Milton Wolf hammers him as out-of-touch with his state.

Roberts said his performance shouldn't be measured on where he lives. "I don't measure my competency or my record or the results--and I do get results--on where I put my head on a pillow," he said.

But pressed on the residency issue, Roberts backed himself into a gaffe. "Every time I get an opponent--I mean, every time I get a chance, I'm home. I don't measure my, what, my record with regards as a senator as how many times I sleep wherever it is," he said.

On Environment: For early farm bill, but final bill had too many subsidies

On Foreign Policy: Opposed UN ban on discrimination against disabilities

Roberts opposed a United Nations treaty banning discrimination against people with disabilities after being personally lobbied to support it by his predecessor, former Senator Kassebaum, and by former Senator Dole, who uses a wheelchair. Roberts said he did not trust the UN.

"I'm disappointed in Pat," said Kassebaum, referring to both the treaty vote and his larger reluctance to stand up to his party's right wing. "You're not sent there just to go whichever way the polls tell us."

Dole, who supports Roberts, acknowledged that his old friend's vote had irritated him "a little bit." "My view is we need to be a party of inclusion, and that includes moderates as well as conservatives," Dole said.

Roberts's aides candidly acknowledge that the moves [ensure against losing in a Tea Party primary].

On Principles & Values: Resides in Virginia but votes in Kansas

Roberts acknowledged that he did not have a home of his own in Kansas. The house on a Dodge City country club golf course that he lists as his voting address belongs to two longtime supporters and donors--C. Duane and Phyllis Ross--and he says he stays with them when he is in the area. He established his voting address there the day before his challenger, Milton Wolf, announced his candidacy, arguing that Roberts was out of touch with his High Plains roots.

"I have full access to the recliner," the senator joked. Turning serious, he added, "Nobody knows the state better than I do." That assertion is disputed by Tea Party activists.

On Health Care: First to call for Sebelius resignation over ObamaCare fiasco

Sen. Pat Roberts, a Republican from her home state of Kansas who stood by her side more than four years ago when President Obama announced her nomination, was the first lawmaker to call for her resignation.

Todd Tiahrt, a former GOP congressman from Kansas, said that the call for Sebelius' ouster is merited. "Look at a parallel situation in the private sector of a CEO being hired by a board of directors to implement something that they have heavily invested in," Tiahrt said. "If it comes to a disaster, I would venture to guess that the CEO would immediately be withdrawn and fired. "