(AP) — A Kansas court ruled Wednesday that Democrats can go without a U.S. Senate candidate on the ballot after their nominee dropped out of the race against three-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, a blow to the GOP in the national battle over control of the Senate. A panel of three Shawnee County District Court judges said a state election law does not require Democrats to fill the candidate vacancy. Secretary of State Kris Kobach — a Republican and a strong Roberts supporter who unsuccessfully sought to block Taylor's removal from the ballot — said counties need to begin printing tens of thousands of ballots Thursday so that people could start voting in advance on Oct.