Kansas Senate race tightens as Hamilton rejects Schumer while allied PAC spends

Right · 1Democrat Adam Hamilton, a megachurch pastor running as a moderate, has made the Kansas Senate race against Republican Sen. Roger Marshall closer than Republicans expected, moving it from a safe seat toward toss-up territory, according to Fox News. 1 Left · 1Raw Story, citing a Kansas City Star column, likewise describes Marshall as in a tighter race than expected against Hamilton, a Methodist megachurch minister. 2 Right · 1Hamilton has said repeatedly that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as Democratic leader if he wins; in the final debate he said, "I've already said I wouldn't support Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader if the Democrats took control of the Senate." 3

Right · 1Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC closely aligned with Schumer, has put a sizable amount into the race, including a $5 million advertising buy announced earlier in October. Federal law bars candidates from directly accepting outside funding from independent groups like it. 3 Right · 1AdImpact figures cited by Fox News put total Democratic-side spending, including Hamilton's campaign, at $38 million, against $32 million for national Republicans and Marshall's campaign. FEC filings show Hamilton has raised nearly $14 million to Marshall's almost $6 million. 3 Right · 1Marshall questioned how Hamilton could benefit from "$30 to $40 million from Chuck Schumer and not be beholden to him in some way?" and argued that "a vote for Adam Hamilton is a vote for Chuck Schumer and Democrat control of the Senate." 3 1

Right · 1Hamilton's campaign spokesperson Tyson Brody replied that Hamilton believes it is time for "fresh leadership in Washington" and accused Marshall of depending on Washington money to save his campaign. 3 Right · 1Marshall told Fox News Digital that if Republicans lose Kansas he does not see how they keep Senate control, and attributed his tighter race largely to gas prices, saying his poll numbers fell as prices rose after the "Iran War." He said he needs Trump voters to win. 1 Right · 1Political scientists quoted by Fox News said conditions favour Democrats: Don Haider-Markel of the University of Kansas said factors could hardly be better for them, and Nathaniel Birkhead of Kansas State said Marshall's close tie to Trump, at a time the Trump brand is not particularly popular, opened the door for Hamilton. Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. 1

Left · 1Raw Story, summarising Kansas City Star columnist David Hudnall, reports lukewarm support for Marshall in his hometown of Great Bend, including a former backer, retired banker Craig Neeland, who said "He gives Trump free rein every time" though he expected Marshall to prevail, and a lifelong Republican who changed registration to vote for Hamilton. 2 Left · 1Raw Story also revisits local resentment over a physician-owned hospital Marshall helped open and earlier reporting on his debt collection practices as a doctor; it notes Barton County will almost certainly still back him heavily, though he ran four points behind Trump there in 2020. 2