Kansas’s 1st Congressional District House Race 2026

Kansas House District 19, covering parts of Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood in Johnson County, will see a rematch of its 2024 race. Democratic incumbent Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, who has held the seat since 2012 and switched parties from Republican to Democrat in 2018, faces Republican challenger Mark Hermes again after defeating him previously. A win would give Clayton a seventh term. Clayton's platform emphasizes government transparency, education funding, tax relief and reproductive access, while Hermes centers his campaign on judicial accountability, court reform and child welfare policy, including support for electing rather than appointing Kansas judges.

General elections are set for Nov. 3, with most polling locations open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

With just over three weeks until Election Day, Kansas election officials are preparing for unusually high turnout in a midterm cycle, driven largely by a competitive U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton. Pollsters have called the contest too close to call, prompting Johnson County — one of the state's largest and most populous counties — to plan for possible recount procedures, including deploying up to 300 poll workers under tight security and a five-day completion window.

Officials there say they're planning for turnout levels typically seen in presidential elections, citing heavy national media attention on the race. Johnson and Sedgwick counties together represent roughly 60-65% of Kansas's electorate. Marshall launched a six-day statewide bus tour, while Hamilton focused on voter registration efforts in Lawrence. The voter registration deadline falls just before early voting begins, which marks its 30th year in the state.

Kansas has split its governorships evenly since 1960, with seven Republicans and seven Democrats holding the office despite the state's strong Republican lean in federal races. No party has won three consecutive gubernatorial elections since four-year terms began in 1974, a streak now being tested by Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher's challenge to Republican state Sen. Ty Masterson, as term-limited Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, departs after two wins.

Several past races were decided by narrow margins, including a sub-4,000-vote finish in 1974 and Kelly's roughly 22,000-vote win in 2022. Since 1990, no sitting Kansas governor has lost a reelection bid, underscoring the historical stakes of this year's contest.

Kansas, which has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932, is emerging as an unexpectedly competitive race ahead of the November 3 election. Pastor Adam Hamilton, a moderate Democrat with a large congregation and significant name recognition, is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall, a close ally of President Trump.

Democrats see an opening driven by rural frustration with Trump's tariffs and economic policies that have disproportionately affected farming communities, along with broader unease over the Iran conflict. Trump carried Kansas with 57% of the vote just two years ago, underscoring how significant an upset would be if Hamilton were to win. The race is being watched closely as a potential bellwether for midterm sentiment in traditionally red, agriculture-heavy states, and as a test of whether economic discontent can overcome a century of Republican dominance in Kansas Senate contests.

The Kansas Senate race between Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton is heading into its final stretch, with President Trump set to campaign for Marshall in Wichita and a candidate debate scheduled in Kansas City. Analysts say the contest hinges on the longstanding divide between suburban Johnson County and rural western Kansas. With Republicans holding a registration advantage statewide, Hamilton would need a landslide win in Johnson County, exceeding Gov. Laura Kelly's 2022 margin there, while limiting losses elsewhere. Marshall's path relies on strong rural turnout. No Democrat has won a Kansas Senate seat since 1932, though some observers consider the race competitive.

With less than three weeks until Election Day, the Kansas U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton hinges on a familiar divide: suburban Johnson County versus rural western Kansas. Political scientist Bob Beatty of Washburn University notes Kansas voter registration leans about 45% Republican and 25% Democratic, with the rest unaffiliated, explaining why statewide wins are historically difficult for Democrats.

Johnson and Sedgwick counties account for nearly 65% of registered voters statewide. Beatty says Hamilton would need to win Johnson County by more than 20 points, surpassing Gov. Laura Kelly's 2022 margin there, while limiting losses elsewhere; Marshall's strategy relies on driving rural turnout. No Democrat has won a Kansas Senate seat since 1932. President Trump is set to visit Wichita, and the candidates face a debate, ahead of an election Beatty calls competitive, giving Hamilton a real but uphill chance.

A constitutional amendment on Kansas's November general election ballot is a flashpoint in the race to succeed outgoing Secretary of State Scott Schwab. Passed by lawmakers in March 2025, the measure would change the constitution's voting language from "all" U.S. citizens may vote to "only" U.S. citizens may vote in Kansas elections.

Republican candidate Pat Proctor, a state representative who sponsored the amendment, argues it enshrines an important deterrent, noting that four non-citizens have been charged with illegal voting in Kansas according to the Secretary of State's office. Democratic candidate Jennifer Day calls the change redundant and unnecessary, warning it could open the door for the legislature to further restrict voting access later. Both candidates say they support secure elections but differ sharply on whether the amendment is needed.

The amendment and the Secretary of State race will both appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, making the outcome a test of how Kansas voters view citizenship-based voting restrictions and election administration priorities.

A proposed Kansas constitutional amendment on the November ballot would change election law language to specify that "only" U.S. citizens can vote, replacing current wording stating "all" U.S. citizens can vote. Kansas lawmakers passed legislation in March 2025 to put the measure before voters, and it is now a flashpoint in the state's Secretary of State race.

Republican Rep. Pat Proctor, who introduced the amendment and is running for the office, argues it reinforces existing law and deters illegal voting, noting four noncitizens have been charged with illegal voting in Kansas. Democratic candidate Jennifer Day calls the change redundant and unnecessary, warning it could open the door for the legislature to later restrict voting access. Both candidates say they support secure elections, but differ on whether the amendment is needed given citizenship is already a voting requirement. The amendment and the Secretary of State race will both appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, the Kansas Republican facing Democrat Adam Hamilton in the Nov. 3 Senate election, is scheduled to speak at a Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce legislative forum on Oct. 16 at the Great Overland Station, with tickets ranging from $70 to $95. The event comes about three weeks before Election Day.

A separate Oct. 20 appearance planned at Zarda Bar-B-Q in Lenexa, part of a Johnson County Republicans luncheon, was relocated after a leaked flyer — which warned attendees not to share the event on social media for "congressional security protocols" — became public. Zarda's leadership said staff were unaware a senator would be speaking and stressed the restaurant is non-partisan. Johnson County Republicans did not respond to comment requests.

Marshall has not held a public town hall since March of last year, citing safety concerns, drawing criticism including a petition delivery earlier this year demanding he hold statewide town halls. He and Hamilton debated at the Kansas State Fair on Sept. 12.

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has settled a six-year-old unpaid bill with a Kansas bakery after its owner, Holly Thomas, publicly said she would not vote for him over the debt. Thomas made cookies, brownies, and cupcakes for Marshall's 2020 primary election watch party but said she was never paid the $678.75 owed, despite repeated attempts to contact his campaign during a difficult early period for her small business amid the pandemic. After Thomas's social media post drew attention, Marshall said his campaign had no explanation for the lapse, apologized, and paid her $1,300—double the original amount. Thomas confirmed the invoice was finally settled.

The episode comes as Marshall faces an unexpectedly competitive reelection fight against Democrat Adam Hamilton, with a recent New York Times/Siena poll showing the race tied. Marshall has also faced criticism over a report that he sued hundreds of patients for unpaid medical debt while working as an obstetrician-gynecologist, a story Democrats have used in campaign ads.