TOPEKA
Former Kansas Republican Governor Bill Graves endorsed Democrat Adam Hamilton on Monday in his bid to unseat Senator Roger Marshall, a Republican and Trump ally seeking a second term.
Graves, who led Kansas from 1995 to 2003, said in a video released by Hamilton's campaign that Marshall has "turned his back on Kansas" over six years in office. He called Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor, a "bulwark of kindness, humility and service to others" and urged voters to "do something different."
The endorsement continues a pattern for Graves, who also backed Democrat Laura Kelly in her successful 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial campaigns. It signals fractures in Kansas Republican unity heading into the general election.
Hamilton, a fifth-generation Kansan and senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, won the Democratic primary in August, defeating 10 other candidates. He has outraised Marshall in recent fundraising: $3.7 million to Marshall's $610,000. Marshall, however, held more cash on hand as the general election campaign began.
Marshall won his GOP primary with roughly 79 percent of the vote and has made his alliance with President Donald Trump central to his reelection message.
The race has drawn national Democratic investment and attention. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Kirsten Gillibrand have both backed Hamilton as an alternative voice in Washington.
Political handicappers have adjusted their outlook. Sabato's Crystal Ball and the Cook Political Report shifted the race from "safe Republican" or "solid Republican" to "likely Republican" following Hamilton's primary victory — a reflection of his stronger-than-expected performance and fundraising strength. Both still assess a Democratic victory as unlikely.
Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932, a historical headwind for Hamilton. Democrats have fared better in recent years in statewide gubernatorial races.
