Sen. Pat Roberts said there was more he would like to get done in Washington, but he added that he's proud of this year's farm bill. | Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images congress Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts to consider retirement over holidays

Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas says he plans to decide soon whether to run for a fifth term in 2020, after he speaks with family members and supporters in Kansas over the holidays.

"We're going to think long and hard about it and then we'll make a decision very quickly," Roberts told POLITICO in an interview Thursday. He said he was not certain if he would make a final decision before the new Congress convenes in January, but Roberts said he expects to make an announcement "early in the year."


"I think it's incumbent on people, if they're going to not run, to certainly indicate that [early] because it's a very competitive situation," Roberts said.

Roberts, 82, survived a serious primary challenge in his last reelection fight in 2014 and had to stave off questions about his residency in Kansas. He ultimately won reelection that year by 11 percentage points over independent Greg Orman.

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Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since the 1930s, but Democratic Gov.-elect Laura Kelly did win the state's top office in November, defeating Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

Roberts said he's unconcerned with the prospect of a primary or a general election opponent if he does run for reelection.

"When people consider running and they ask me about it I say, jump in, the water's fine," Roberts said. "I'm 24-0 in terms of times I've had somebody on the ballot in opposition to me. Sometimes they have been lesser candidates but 24-0 is a pretty good record."

The Kansas City Star on Wednesday published an editorial urging Roberts to retire from the Senate, while also praising his tenure.

Former U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, a Democrat, told McClatchy earlier this week he is considering a Senate run in 2020. If Roberts retires, GOP Rep. Roger Marshall is expected to take a serious look at running for the Senate seat, according to multiple Kansas Republican operatives. Marshall won reelection in Roberts' old House district in November.

Other potential Republican candidates include Kobach and outgoing Gov. Jeff Colyer, who narrowly lost to Kobach in the Republican gubernatorial primary earlier this year.

Roberts said there was more he would like to get done in Washington, but he added that he's proud of this year's farm bill, a top legislative priority that passed the Senate with 87 votes and is set to be signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday.

"Everybody comes to make a difference here in Washington and if you do something like that, you know you've made a difference," Roberts said. "Experience counts but in today's environment I'm not too sure that's the top consideration people are thinking about."

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