Kansas elects first Democratic senator in almost a century
Adam Hamilton beat out Republican Roger Marshall in a highly competitive race.
Key points
- Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Roger Marshall in the Kansas Senate race, according to Associated Press projections.
- Hamilton is the first Democrat to win a Kansas Senate seat since 1932.
- The race cost $110m, making it the most expensive in the state's history, the Associated Press reported.
Democrat Adam Hamilton has won a Kansas Senate seat, defeating incumbent Republican Roger Marshall, according to Associated Press projections. He becomes the first member of his party to win a Kansas Senate seat in almost a century.
The race was considered consequential to control of the US Senate. A Democrat had not won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932, and the result surprised political observers given the state's long history of Republican wins.
Faith and affordability campaign
Hamilton founded the largest United Methodist church in the country and campaigned as a man of faith while pushing core Democratic positions on affordability. Kansas, like other rural states, has seen its agricultural and transportation industries hit by record-high diesel and fuel prices.
Speaking on Monday, Hamilton said, "this is one time we're trying to save our democracy," adding that the next two years are a pivotal time for the country.
We're always told to not talk about politics or religion but this is one time we're trying to save our democracy.
— Adam Hamilton
Marshall's record and costs
Marshall is a staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump, who campaigned for him. The physician pledged to expand rural healthcare and support agriculture, and backed Trump's Make America Healthy Again policies, which critics say undermine public health. He also opposed mask mandates during the pandemic.
His campaign was dogged by a New York Times report that he had sued about 700 former patients over medical debt, which Hamilton's campaign used in attack ads. The Associated Press reported the $110m race was the most expensive in the state's history.
