Topeka ? Pat Roberts is taking nothing for granted when it comes to his re-election campaign.

Roberts faces an opponent in the Aug. 6 Republican primary who has run unsuccessfully for the Senate twice before and whose main goal isn’t to defeat Roberts but to get people talking about what he sees as government’s scolding its citizens about their smoking, weight and meat-eating.

Democrats didn’t file a candidate, meaning Roberts would face only two minor party challengers after the primary.

But the Republican from Dodge City is quick to say he won’t be dogging it on the campaign trail.

“I think anytime you put your name on the ballot and ask for the public trust, you’ve got to earn it. I don’t think there is any substitute for personal contact,” Roberts said when he filed last month.

In the primary, he faces Tom Oyler of Wichita, who has said he wants to draw Roberts’ attention to his issues mainly government nagging.

As for Democrats, State Chairman Tom Sawyer readily acknowledged the race wasn’t a priority for them in recent months. The last time a Democrat was elected to the Senate was 1932.

The other candidates on the ballot are Libertarian Steven Rosile of Wichita and 34-year-old George Cook of Mission, who is in his first political race.

“Democrats really have one candidate and that’s Kathleen Sebelius and they are really focused on that,” said Burdett Loomis, Kansas University political science professor, in reference to the party’s presumed nominee for governor.

Roberts “is conservative enough so the religious right doesn’t take after him and moderate enough to have a strong historical base,” Loomis said.

State GOP Chairman Mark Parkinson said the fact Roberts was likely to win re-election shouldn’t come as any surprise.

“Pat is viewed as a leader in the Senate because of his long service and his expertise on intelligence matters, agriculture and domestic policies,” Parkinson said.