Although Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts looked vulnerable after winning his Republican primary race last week with only 48 percent of the vote, he still has an easier path to victory in November than his remaining opponents.

Democrat Chad Taylor must hold his party’s smaller base and build on it with GOP moderates and unaffiliated voters.

Independent candidate Greg Orman must supplant Taylor as Roberts’ main rival and capture the support of centrists of all stripes.

Both are trying to tap the same frustration with Washington and an anti-incumbent mood.

Roberts’ simpler task is to unify the GOP enough to keep his percentage of the vote in the low-to-mid 40s – and 44 percent of the state’s registered voters are Republicans.