Why It Matters
Donald Trump has renewed his endorsement of Republican Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor’s race and urged voters to defeat Democratic nominee Cindy Holscher on Nov. 3. The contest will determine a successor to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who cannot seek reelection.
What Happened
Trump spoke Monday night in Park City, where he reaffirmed his support for Masterson and criticized Holscher. Trump called Holscher “the most radical candidate ever to run for Kansas governor.”
Masterson, an Andover Republican and president of the Kansas Senate, won the Republican primary with 43% of the vote in a seven-candidate field. Jeff Colyer left the Republican contest at the June filing deadline.
Holscher, a state senator from Overland Park, won the Democratic primary with 48.6% of the vote in a three-candidate race. Kelly had endorsed Ethan Corson during the primary and later backed Holscher after her victory.
Holscher responded by focusing on the cost of living, including fuel and grocery prices, as well as health and child care challenges. “You can call me whatever names you want, but I’m here fighting for the everyday Kansans who are struggling and are sick of politics as usual,” Holscher said.
Holscher also said she would serve Kansas families as governor and would not be bound to a single political party or partisan agenda. She said she had never considered herself a socialist.
She tied Masterson to former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s income-tax decision. Brownback and Republican lawmakers did not reduce spending after the tax-cut bill was signed, and a coalition of Republicans and Democrats repealed much of the program in 2017. Masterson opposed that repeal, as did Brownback.
Masterson said voters needed to elect him to replace Kelly. He described the current Democratic Party as “unrecognizable” and said he missed the period when the U.S. House included a Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally conservative Democrats.
By the Numbers
2026 — midterm election year
43% — Masterson’s share of the Republican primary vote
Seven — candidates in the Republican primary
June — month of the Republican filing deadline when Colyer exited
Nov. 3 — election date cited by Trump
Three — candidates in the Democratic primary
48.6% — Holscher’s share of the Democratic primary vote
2012 — year Brownback signed the state income-tax bill
2017 — year much of the Brownback tax program was repealed
Zoom Out
The election includes a debate over the Brownback tax program, which was later rolled back through cooperation between Republicans and Democrats. It also places Trump’s endorsement against Holscher’s emphasis on household costs and independence from party control.
What’s Next
Masterson and Holscher will face voters in the Kansas governor’s election on Nov. 3. Kelly, a second-term Democrat, is barred from seeking another term.