Adam Hamilton, a 61-year-old Methodist pastor, has won a U.S. Senate seat in Kansas, giving Democrats their first victory in the state’s Senate race since 1932. The result marks a major achievement for Hamilton, who presented himself during the campaign as an alternative to career politicians.
Hamilton leads the Church of the Resurrection, a Methodist congregation with 23,000 members. During the midterm campaign, he pointed to the range of views among its members as an example of why political compromise matters, while rejecting extremism.
He also connected his humanist interpretation of faith with policy debates including immigration, health care and housing. On abortion, Hamilton acknowledged a moral tension between ensuring access to safe and legal medical care and protecting life.
Democrat Laura Kelly is already Kansas governor, but Hamilton’s win gives the party its first Senate victory in the state in nearly a century.
Sources: Le Monde International.