Closely watched contest between Marshall, Hamilton comes to a head as voter turnout surges
By Anna Kaminski – Kansas Reflector
OVERLAND PARK — The Rev. Adam Hamilton made history as the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in Kansas in 94 years, defeating Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall at the end of a fervid race defined by clashing political visions and strong turnout in some of the state’s most populous counties.
Hamilton led in unofficial counts for most of Tuesday night, but the margin narrowed as final tallies rolled in. He led with 51% of votes compared to Marshall’s 45% by the time the AP called the race around 10:25 p.m., accounting for 90% of votes.
“This election is a rebuke of unkindness and cruelty in Washington,” Hamilton said addressing a crowd of around 1,000 people in Overland Park.
Marshall said at a watch party in Wichita he called Hamilton to congratulate him on his win.
Standing next to his wife, Laina, he said they would seek understanding from the Lord and “keep leaning not on our own understanding.”
“I don’t have any answers,” Marshall said. “I’ll just tell you, it’s been a great honor of my life to serve the state of Kansas for 10 years, and just love this state, love this country.”
Marshall, a former OB-GYN in central Kansas and first-term U.S. Senator, faced a tough reelection bid against Hamilton, a pastor in the Kansas City area and the co-founder of one of the largest Methodist congregations in the country.
In the race that has made this election the most expensive in Kansas history, Marshall and Hamilton have held nothing back, relentlessly campaigning on each other’s pasts and affiliations, perceived or otherwise, while trying to convince voters of which future they ought to choose.
Hamilton picked up the state’s most populous counties in the Kansas City and Wichita areas while Marshall led in rural areas. But Hamilton also managed to sweep at least three counties that went to the Republican gubernatorial candidate in the other statewide race.
Voter turnout was strong Tuesday in Kansas’ three largest counties, said Brian Caskey, the state elections director, during a virtual press conference Tuesday afternoon. As of 3:30 p.m., 55% of registered voters in Johnson County had turned out to vote, along with 44% of voters in Sedgwick County and 35% of voters in Wyandotte County.
On the campaign trail, Hamilton would often mingle with attendees before and after events, shaking hands, taking pictures. A crowd of around 1,000 people at the Marriott Kansas City in Overland Park on Tuesday night milled around a conference hall, waiting for Hamilton and cheering for Democratic victories displayed on a pair of projectors.
The crowd at Hamilton’s watch party in Overland Park began chanting “USA! USA! USA!” when CNN projected a Democratic win just after 10:15 p.m.
They chanted, “Adam! Adam! Adam!” when AP called it.
Hamilton addressed a roaring crowd, telling the parable of the good Samaritan, drawing connections between its lessons and the current political climate.
“I figure I got six years. I’m going to do all I can to love boldly — I’m going to help us as a nation to love boldly — to serve joyfully and lead courageously,” he said.
He also said he wanted to become Kansas Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s best friend.
Hamilton has campaigned on affordability, health care and the divisive nature of modern politics. He beat out 10 other primary candidates to become the party’s nominee in April, and Marshall’s lone primary opponent endorsed Hamilton.
In the months since, national attention has flocked to Kansas. The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia changed its rating Monday in the Kansas U.S. Senate race to “leans D,” a remarkable shift from the “safe R” rating the race had back in July.
Outgoing Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said Hamilton has run a campaign that shows “what he says is what he means” in a time when voters nationwide have grown accustomed to broken promises.
“I don’t think he comes across as a Democrat or a Republican, and I think he just is sort of party-free,” Kelly told Kansas Reflector on Thursday. “I think that he’s been able to get Kansans to trust him.”
Polls ahead of Election Day put Marshall and Hamilton neck-and-neck, while Marshall has been supported by two visits each from fellow Republicans President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Marshall has accused Hamilton of being controlled by U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, while Hamilton has criticized Marshall for failing to break with Trump when his administration’s policies hurt Kansans.
Greg Orman an independent U.S. Senate candidate in 2014, said at Hamilton’s watch party he believes voters recognized Hamilton’s authenticity. Orman, who also donated to Hamilton’s campaign, ran against former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and he said the 2026 election was set to be “an incredible year for Democrats.”
“I think both Sen. Roberts and Sen. Marshall really felt like when they got elected to the U.S. Senate, it was a lifetime appointment,” Orman said. “When you take a job like this for granted, sometimes people are going to surprise you, and they’re going to say, ‘You have to earn my vote.’ And Roger Marshall’s behavior over the last two years clearly demonstrated a disregard for the voters of Kansas.”
Marshall relied on his record in the Senate and loyalty to the Trump administration to resonate with voters on the campaign trail, often touting efforts to advocate for year-round E15, a gasoline-ethanol blend. Trump promised at an Oct. 19 rally in the Wichita area to institute such a rule if Marshall won.
Marshall, at a second Trump rally in Salina on Sunday, made a final pitch that every vote matters, and that a vote sends a message in Kansas. He said every time he would see former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kansas, he would tell Marshall: “Roger, remember where you’re from.”
“I think that’s so important,” Marshall said. “And I want to make sure that everybody — whether you’re from Salina or, like I was, raised in El Dorado and lived in Great Bend now for 25 years — let’s let Washington know where we’re from.”
Trump said Tuesday on X that Marshall “is one of the Best Senators in the United States of America.”
“He loves Kansas more than anyone, with the possible exception of me!” Trump said.
In the same post, he called Hamilton a “Radical Left LUNATIC Dumocrat, whose Values are not those of the People of Kansas!”
In a video message before Election Day, Kansas GOP Chair Danedri Herbert said this election is critical for Republicans.
“In Kansas, there are 900,000 registered Republicans and only about 500,000 registered Democrats,” she said. “We know that if we vote, we win. But we need you to do your part.”
Graham, the Libertarian candidate in the race, was barred from participating in the candidates’ two debates ahead of Election Day. He encouraged voters in a statement to Kansas Reflector to avoid voting for the lesser of two evils.
He said he was watching Tuesday night to see how many people cast votes for libertarian candidates, who he said are gaining ground across the country.
“Regardless of the results, I shall continue working to provide a pro-freedom alternative to voters,” Graham said. “We need to end the two-party stranglehold on our country! I am optimistic about America!”
Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter contributed to this report.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com.
