Kansas voters elected Democrat Adam Hamilton to the U.S. Senate, the first Democrat from the state to win a seat in the chamber since 1932. The Associated Press called the race for Hamilton against Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, a strong supporter of President Trump.
Hamilton, pastor of the country’s largest United Methodist church, campaigned on a moderate approach and said he would listen to people on both sides. He described himself as an “independent-minded Democrat” after considering an independent run, and emphasized a Kansas-focused message.
The result came in a state that has backed Trump by double-digit margins in each presidential election since 2016, while also electing and reelecting a moderate Democratic governor during that period. Marshall won his previous Senate race by more than 11 percentage points in 2020, but this contest became the most expensive in Kansas history, with Hamilton setting multiple fundraising records.
Hamilton’s calls for term limits, criticism of national Democrats and support from prominent Kansas Republicans helped shape his campaign. He also kept distance from party leaders: although his campaign received $5 million from a political action committee associated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Hamilton said he would not support Schumer for another leadership position. Marshall sought to link Hamilton to Schumer repeatedly in their final debate.
The campaigns also traded personal attacks. Marshall’s campaign focused on allegations concerning how Hamilton’s church handled reports of sexual abuse by a camp volunteer. Court records show the church’s initial investigation was inconclusive; after the volunteer was accused of abuse again the following year, church leaders contacted authorities. Hamilton said he was not involved in the decision to let the volunteer return and that police should have been called after the first report.
Hamilton’s campaign, meanwhile, highlighted a report that Marshall had sued hundreds of former patients over medical debt. One former patient featured in a Hamilton ad sued Marshall five days before Election Day, alleging he had charged a predatory interest rate.
National Republicans also directed attention to Kansas, and Trump and the vice president each visited the state twice during the campaign. Polls later moved in Hamilton’s favor, according to the report.
Sources: NPR News.