Full Breakdown
Former Kansas Governor Backs Democrat in Senate Race
9/10/2026, 8:07:16 AM
Endorsement Shifts the Contest
Former two-term Kansas governor Bill Graves announced his support for Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton, rejecting incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. Graves argued that the current partisan gridlock is harming the nation and that Hamilton offers a “breath of fresh air” and a return to effective, “old-school” governance.
Candidate Backgrounds
- Adam Hamilton – Senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City; founded the congregation in 1990; appointed by former President Barack Obama to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in 2016. He and his wife LaVon have two daughters.
- Roger Marshall – Incumbent senator, age 66, seeking a second term; previously an obstetrician whose medical practice has faced scrutiny after reports that he sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills, resulting in 81 arrests. Marshall’s disclosed net worth ranges between $3 million and $9.8 million, and he has four children with his wife Laura.
Graves’ Political Track Record
Graves has a history of crossing party lines in Kansas elections. In 2018 he endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly over Republican immigration hardliner Kris Kobach, and he supported Kelly again in her 2022 re-election bid. Both of those races resulted in Democratic victories, and Graves frames his current endorsement as a continuation of that “old-school” approach he believes better serves Kansans.
Polling Landscape
A mid-August poll conducted by Global Strategy Group, a Democratic-sponsored firm, showed Hamilton with a narrow 44-43 percent lead over Marshall. A separate Democratic-run poll released the week before indicated Marshall ahead by 1 percentage point. Election forecasters had previously rated the race as solidly Republican, but the Cook Political Report recently shifted its rating toward “Likely” Republican for Marshall.
Potential Impact
Graves’ endorsement adds a high-profile Republican voice to Hamilton’s campaign, potentially influencing moderate voters who value bipartisan cooperation. If Hamilton can maintain the slim polling edge, the race could become one of the few Senate contests where a Democrat unseats an incumbent in a traditionally red state, altering the balance of power in Washington.
