Sen. Pat Roberts is the senior Republican senator from Kansas, but he actually lives in Virginia. He owns Kansas property but the tax bill for it goes to his Virginia home.Roberts has lived in Virginia since Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office, a fact that is now at the root of his political problems at home, as described today by RedState's Erick Erickson.
Tea Party favorite Milton Wolf is challenging Roberts in the Republican primary in no small part because the incumbent allegedly has lost touch with Kansas voters, a fact that is conveniently symbolized by his Virginia residence.
The real problem
Roberts and other incumbent GOP congressmen are increasingly facing primary challenges from insurgent Tea Party candidates.
Such challenges invariably are rooted in a feeling that the incumbent has lost touch with the home folks. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is likely the most prominent illustration of this phenomenon in the 2014 election cycle.
Republicans aren't unique in facing this situation, however, as seven Democratic Senate incumbents who voted for Obamacare in 2010 are learning in 2014.
A simple solution
What if state governments invested in permanent residences in the Washington, D.C. area to be occupied temporarily by their senators and representatives?
The White House is owned by the federal government and is used temporarily by the succession of presidents. Why not the same thing for state governments for their members of Congress?
Doing so would negate somewhat the present process in which Joe Blow gets elected, buys a house in suburban Virginia or Maryland, moves his family there, puts down roots and becomes a frequent flyer to visit the folks who used to be his friends and neighbors "back home."
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