Two former Republican governors of Kansas, Mike Hayden and Bill Graves, have endorsed Democrat Adam Hamilton for the U.S. Senate, signaling a notable break in GOP unity as the race tightens. Hayden criticized Sen. Roger Marshall for supporting tariffs and positions tied to the war with Iran that he says harm Kansas farmers. Semafor reports GOP-aligned funds are redirecting millions to Kansas, a development CNN called "unbelievable." The endorsements add weight to a competitive race in a state that hasn't elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
Two Former Republican Kansas Governors Endorse Democrat Adam Hamilton in Tight Senate Race
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton of Kansas/AP Photo – Colin E. Braley
A second former Republican governor of Kansas has publicly endorsed Democrat Adam Hamilton for the U.S. Senate, underscoring growing concern among some GOP leaders as the contest tightens.
Mike Hayden, who served as Kansas governor from 1987 to 1991, announced he is supporting Hamilton over incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. Hayden wrote in the Wichita Eagle that Marshall is failing to fight for Kansans, especially farmers facing higher costs tied to tariffs and the war with Iran.
Governing should always center around the best interests of the people.
Right now, our sitting senator, Roger Marshall, is failing to live up to that standard.
I grew up in western Kansas, around the farmers and fields that feed the world.
Kansans work hard. In return, they deserve champions in Congress who fight for them every day.
But the policies currently coming out of Washington are leaving them behind. Chaotic tariffs are making it harder for Kansas farmers to sell what they grow.
The war with Iran is causing record-high diesel prices, driving up the cost of planting, harvesting, and hauling, and more family farms are at risk of going bankrupt.
Sen. Marshall time and again has chosen to back the tariffs and the war, despite what is happening back in Kansas. Kansans need a senator willing to stand up and say this isn't working, and to press for relief and real solutions.
Last month, former two-term Republican governor Bill Graves (1995–2003) released a four-minute video endorsing Hamilton. Graves said he believes Senator Marshall 'has turned his back on Kansas' and praised Hamilton as 'a bulwark of kindness, humility, and service to others.' Graves added that he is 'proud to endorse' Hamilton for the U.S. Senate.
Political groups are taking notice: Semafor reported that the GOP-aligned Senate Leadership Fund is redirecting millions of dollars to Kansas, a shift CNN's political director called an "unbelievable development." The move reflects how an already-watched race has become competitive.
Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to retake control of the chamber—making contests like Kansas especially significant this cycle.
This pair of endorsements from prominent former Republican governors highlights fractures in party unity and could influence voters in a state that has long leaned GOP at the federal level.
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