Trump Heads to Wichita Today as Kansas Senate Race Becomes a Toss-Up
President Donald Trump is heading to Kansas on Monday to campaign for Senator Roger Marshall, a sign of how seriously national Republicans are taking a Senate race that few expected to be competitive. Trump announced the trip himself on Truth Social on Monday morning, writing: “I’m going to the Great State of Kansas today to Rally support for Roger Marshall, one of the absolutely best Senators in the U.S. Senate,” according to an archive of the post.
The rally is scheduled for Monday evening in the Wichita area, with the president’s remarks expected around 6 p.m. local time, according to local reporting. It comes with the race now rated a toss-up or Lean Republican after the Cook Political Report downgraded it. Axios reported this week that the RealClearPolitics average has both candidates around 46 percent, and CBS News reported polling showing Marshall one point behind his Democratic challenger, pastor Adam Hamilton.
A state that has not voted blue for the Senate since 1932
The stakes are unusual. Trump won Kansas by about 16 points in 2024, and a Democrat has not won a Kansas Senate race since 1932. Hamilton leads the nation’s largest United Methodist Church and has won endorsements from former Republican Governors Mike Hayden and Bill Graves, a signal of crossover appeal.
Money is pouring in. The Senate Leadership Fund, the main GOP super PAC, has reserved nearly $8.2 million in advertising for Marshall, according to AdImpact, while Marshall’s campaign reserved another $2.3 million. Hamilton has reserved about $590,000. The race is part of a midterm cycle on track to be the most expensive on record.
What each side is betting on
Marshall, seeking a second term, has added veteran Trump strategist Chris Grant as a senior adviser and campaigned alongside Trump administration officials, including a recent appearance with Medicare administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. But a New York Times report that Marshall’s former medical practice sued more than 700 former patients over unpaid bills has given Hamilton ammunition.
The Kansas stop continues Trump’s aggressive October travel through states where Republicans are defending Senate and House seats, even in territory the party long considered safe. With early voting underway and two weeks until Election Day, the president’s personal appearance tells its own story: Kansas is no longer a sure thing.
