Kansas Senate Race Heats Up as Trump Plans Rally for Marshall
President Donald Trump is planning a rally to support Republican Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas, as recent polls suggest Democrat Adam Hamilton is slightly ahead three weeks before the election. Marshall, a doctor, occupies a Senate seat held by the GOP since 1919. On Truth Social, Trump praised Marshall as one of his “favorite Senators.”
Midterm elections often gauge the political climate for the ruling party. Historically, the president’s party loses seats in midterms. Currently, Republicans hold a narrow majority in both the House and Senate. Trump won Kansas by wide margins over then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, demonstrating the state’s Republican bias. However, Democrats have a foothold with Laura Kelly as governor, despite Republicans holding both U.S. Senate seats.
In response to Trump’s post, Hamilton campaign spokesperson Tyson Brody criticized Marshall, stating, “Washington is panicking over desperate, failing politician Roger Marshall.” Brody accused Marshall of supporting the war in Iran, cutting healthcare, and raising prices on essentials. There’s criticism around Marshall’s history involving medical debt collection and blocking the release of Epstein files.
“Washington is panicking over desperate, failing politician Roger Marshall,” Brody stated.
Newsweek reached Marshall’s campaign for comment on Monday. Trump’s post defended Marshall, arguing he legally sought debts owed by patients. Election forecaster The Cook Political Report shifted the race status from Lean Republican to Toss Up, indicating potential challenges for Republicans. Cook highlighted Hamilton’s strong campaign despite attack ads against Marshall over billing practices.
Marshall labeled the attack ad about his practice as false, while countering Hamilton’s policies. Trump referred to Hamilton as a “radical Democrat,” opposing his political stance on taxes and borders, and criticized his leadership in the Church of the Resurrection, which Hamilton founded.
Trump accused Hamilton of mishandling abuse allegations within his church, with Hamilton’s campaign denying these claims and rejecting accusations of cover-ups. According to Hamilton, their focus is correcting any errors in handling the incident.
Trump concluded, “ROGER LOVES KANSAS, AND WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” He expressed plans for a Kansas-style rally in Marshall’s honor.
What New Polling Reveals
Recent polling indicates Hamilton leading by a slim margin. Prediction market site Polymarket places Marshall ahead with 63% versus Hamilton’s 38%. A YouGov poll shows Hamilton with 48% of potential votes contrasted with Marshall’s 45%. The poll surveyed 2,255 likely voters in Kansas with a margin of error of 3.2%.
A Trafalgar Group poll revealed 44.4% of support for Hamilton compared to 43.5% for Marshall, with 10.1% undecided. Another poll by The New York Times and Siena University favored Marshall slightly with 47% against Hamilton’s 46%, surveying 605 voters with a 4.6% margin of error.
Marshall’s 2020 Cookie Bill
Over the weekend, Marshall addressed an unpaid 2020 cookie bill from “Holly’s Sweet Treats, LLC.” Marshall assured prompt repayment once aware, doubling the amount of $1,300 as shown in a payment screenshot shared on social media.
For further insights into U.S. politics and the upcoming midterms, consider signing up for Newsweek’s Midterms Monitor newsletter. This story was produced with the assistance of Martyn, Newsweek’s AI, under editorial supervision.