JD Vance’s Faith-Based Attacks on Kansas Senate Candidate Adam Hamilton

During a September 14 campaign stop in Olathe, Kansas, Vice President JD Vance questioned the religious beliefs of Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor. “In this race, we have got Dr. Roger Marshall, a proud servant of this state, and a proud Christian to boot, versus a guy who would insult your faith and spit on your religion to accrue donations to himself,” Vance said.

The Hill

Hamilton responded on ABC’s *This Week* that Vance’s remarks were “a sign of desperation” and “pathetic,” emphasizing his daily prayer routine and denying any statements about race or diet. He called Vance’s summary “a lie.”

The Hill

Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Hamilton “is not one of us,” and Marshall’s campaign accused Hamilton of protecting a church camp worker alleged to have sexually abused minors.

Newsweek

Kansas has voted Republican for the U.S. Senate continuously since 1919. The 2026 race pits incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall (R) against Hamilton, who would be the first Democrat elected from Kansas since George McGill in 1932. National forecasters have moved the contest from “Leans Republican” to “Toss-Up,” citing tight polling and heightened Republican focus on the seat.

Newsweek

• Adam Hamilton rejected the characterization, citing his lifelong ministry and a sermon on racism that never advocated “repentance for being white” or for eating beef. He invited Vance to compare theology directly.

Newsweek

• Donald Trump amplified the attacks, stating unequivocally that Hamilton “is not one of us.”

Newsweek

• Roger Marshall’s campaign accused Hamilton of shielding the alleged abuser and of being a “Chuck Schumer-funded Democrat” who “protected and enabled” abuse.

Newsweek

• Hamilton’s Church of the Resurrection, described as the nation’s largest United Methodist congregation, reported feeding more than 45,000 people and distributing nearly 60,000 children’s books in 2025.

Newsweek

• The church’s outreach includes foster-care support, affordable-housing projects, and food-donation programs.

Newsweek

• “In this race, we have got Dr. Roger Marshall, a proud servant of this state, and a proud Christian to boot, versus a guy who would insult your faith and spit on your religion to accrue donations to himself,” — JD Vance

The Hill

• “I thought it was a sign of desperation,” — Adam Hamilton

Newsweek

The feud illustrates a broader trend of personal, religion-focused attacks in a race that Republicans once considered unwinnable. By targeting Hamilton’s faith, GOP leaders aim to portray him as out of step with Kansas’s evangelical electorate, while Hamilton positions himself as a faith-based moderate seeking to bridge partisan divides. The outcome could determine whether a traditionally red state becomes a battleground for Senate control in 2026.

Newsweek