Kansas Democrats have thrown their support behind a newcomer in a fiercely contested primary. Adam Hamilton emerged victorious from an 11-candidate field, securing the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
Marshall, who is pursuing a second term in the Senate, has already voiced his strategy against Hamilton. Describing Hamilton as a ‘woke, big megachurch pastor,’ Marshall told Fox News Digital, ‘Look, this guy is too woke for Kansas. I think all we have to do is share his own sermons with the Kansas people, and they’re gonna realize that he’s too woke for Kansas.’
Historically, Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since the 1930s, when Sen. George McGill served a single term. Despite Marshall’s incumbency, he faces a significant fundraising challenge.
The national Republican Party is not prioritizing Kansas as a battleground, with resources directed to critical states like Texas, Maine, and Ohio. Yet, substantial funds are circulating in Kansas that could complicate Marshall’s reelection bid.
Hamilton, who leads the nation’s largest United Methodist Church, has amassed over $4.1 million since February, based on Federal Election Commission reports. In contrast, Marshall has raised over $6.2 million this cycle.
Concerned about potential funding gaps, Marshall’s team prepares for a tough race. ‘Well, this is probably why my staff tells me, no matter what the polls show, they tell me that we’re down by three points, and we did get outspent about four to one last time around. Regardless, we’re gonna keep working hard,’ said Marshall.
While significant campaign funds target other battleground states, Marshall isn’t seeking additional support from major Republican campaign organizations. Campaign arms like the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Senate Leadership Fund are aware of Marshall’s situation.
Marshall concluded, ‘I guess we’re trying to not need to do that. That’s what our hope is, is that they won’t need to do that. Leader McConnell was super helpful last time. So, you know, they’re keeping tabs on this. We got to, you know, we’re all one, big happy family here, so we’re hoping we don’t need them.’