The most important state in American politics is suddenly … Kansas?

There’s a chance that after November, the U.S. Senate could be close to a tie between Democrats and Republicans, in which case the decision as to which party is in control could end up in the hands of this Kansas millionaire.

“I’ve tried both parties, and like lots of Kansas, I’ve been disappointed. That’s why I’m running for the United States Senate as an independent,” announced Greg Orman.

Orman is a businessman who’s never run for office before, and he’s trying to unseat incumbent Republican Pat Roberts – who claims he’s faking it.

“He’s not independent, he is a liberal,” declared Roberts.

But Orman said he’s hardly a liberal. He supported Republicans Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush, Independent Ross Perot, Democrat Obama in 2008 and Republican Romney in 2012.

And here’s the cliffhanger, if the next Senate ends up with 50 members from one party, 49 from the other party, and Independent Greg Orman, he alone could decide who the majority leader will be: Democrat Harry Reid, Republican Mitch McConnell, or possibly neither.

“I agree that Harry Reid is stopping progress on a lot of things,” Orman has said.

The polls show Greg Orman at least five points ahead of incumbent Pat Roberts, but as much as Americans claim they hate party politics, Roberts is betting voters will want to know before they vote what color bandana Orman plans to wear to the fight.

“Are you going to be a Republican one day and a Democrat the next? And a Democrat one day, and a Republican – where ya going to be?!” shouted Roberts.

That’s the dilemma of running for office. To win, you have to make enemies, to accomplish anything, you have to embrace them.