How To Use This Guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Rank the two or three that matter most to you, such as tariffs and farm costs, diesel and grocery prices, health care or the war with Iran.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House and U.S. Senate write federal law and set the federal budget, including the farm bill, Medicaid and trade policy, and the Senate also confirms federal judges and approves treaties. The statewide amendment would change the Kansas Constitution’s rules on who may vote, and some Wyandotte County voters will also decide two local sales taxes.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then read the candidates’ own words, endorsements and who funds each campaign.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

U.S. House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. All bills that raise taxes must start in the House. The 2nd District covers much of eastern Kansas outside the Kansas City suburbs, including part of Wyandotte County, according to KCUR’s House voter guide. The district lines, shown on the Legislative Research Department’s district map, are the same as in 2024. ​

Rep. Derek Schmidt (R-KS) won the open seat in 2024 with 57.1% of the vote to 38.2% for Democrat Nancy Boyda and 4.7% for Libertarian John Hauer. The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball all rate the 2026 race Likely Republican, according to Ballotpedia’s race overview.

Candidates In Brief

Republican Schmidt grew up in Independence and worked for former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R) before serving in the Kansas Senate from 2001 to 2011, six of those years as majority leader, according to KCUR. Schmidt was Kansas attorney general from 2011 to 2023 and lost the 2022 governor’s race to Gov. Laura Kelly (D) by about two points. Schmidt won the Tuesday, Aug. 4 Republican primary with 79.6% of the vote to 20.4% for Chad Young.

Democrat Don Coover of Galesburg grew up on a small dairy farm in southeast Kansas, graduated from West Point and served a little more than 10 years in the Army as a military intelligence officer and pilot, according to Coover’s Ballotpedia profile. Coover is a veterinarian who runs a cattle ranch and a beef genetics company and says Coover was a registered Republican for most of Coover’s life, according to KCUR. Coover was unopposed in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary.

Libertarian John Hauer of Topeka is an Army veteran who deployed to Iraq twice and now works at a car battery warehouse and makes deliveries, according to Ballotpedia. Hauer does not accept campaign donations, according to KCUR.

Where They Stand

Tariffs and farm costs. Coover wants to “Stop the harmful tariffs that are costing Kansas families thousands of dollars and devastating our farmers.” Schmidt’s campaign focuses on “border security, public safety and economic relief,” according to KCUR. Hauer wants to end the federal income tax and “replace it with nothing.”

Health care. Coover wants to “Make health care more affordable and accessible and protect our rural hospitals,” including by protecting Medicare. As attorney general, Schmidt challenged parts of the Affordable Care Act, according to KCUR.

Taxes and the 2025 tax and spending law. Coover says the law’s tax changes made affordability worse, saying “We have shifted the tax burden.” Hauer opposes tax cuts for wealthy people and corporations, according to KCUR.

The war with Iran. Coover wants to “Stop the war in Iran that has caused fuel prices to increase dramatically, and crippled access to fertilizer.” Hauer says “End all the wars” and wants to close all foreign military bases.

Immigration. Schmidt cosponsored the Laken Riley Act, which expanded detention and deportation of certain people without legal status who are charged with crimes, and has called for “Biden-proof” borders. Hauer says protecting the borders is a proper federal role.

The Epstein files. Schmidt declined to sign a discharge petition in September to force a House vote on a second Epstein disclosure bill, saying “I prefer to work with the leadership to get items scheduled on the floor,” according to the Kansas Reflector. Schmidt said “I’d probably vote for it” and wants the Justice Department to follow the 2025 disclosure law. Coover’s campaign says Schmidt sided with “D.C. insiders covering up the Epstein files instead of standing with survivors of sexual abuse.”

In Their Own Words

Derek Schmidt, at a town hall reported by the Kansas Reflector:

“I’m not sure we have to have another law. What we have to have is DOJ follow the one we’ve got.”

Don Coover, in Ballotpedia’s candidate survey:

“Too many politicians in Washington take hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate and billionaire donors and then vote for them, not their constituents.”

John Hauer, to KCUR:

“I’m never going back to pro-war.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Coover and Hauer completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey, and Schmidt did not. In the survey, Coover lists honesty, hard work and the “Courage to do the right thing” as the most important traits for an elected official.

Endorsements

AllCiv’s endorsement data lists President Donald Trump, AIPAC, the NRA Political Victory Fund and the Kansas State Council of Fire Fighters as backing Schmidt before the primary. The data lists the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as backing Schmidt after the primary.

AllCiv’s endorsement data lists Kelly, the National Education Association and the Blue Dog PAC as backing Coover after the primary. Coover says Coover is also backed by “Multiple labor unions” and the Committee to Protect Health Care.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures come from Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports for the 2026 cycle through Wednesday, Oct. 14, as compiled by Ballotpedia:

  • Schmidt reported raising $1,772,989 and spending $1,353,904, with $457,586 on hand.
  • Coover reported raising $1,363,193 and spending $1,131,518, with $231,676 on hand.
  • Hauer has not reported any fundraising.

Schmidt raised about $1.0 million from individuals and $474,000 from PACs, while Coover raised $1.3 million from individuals and $34,000 from PACs, according to AllCiv’s Schmidt candidate page. AllCiv’s Kansas 2nd District race page shows no outside spending in the race. Donors who give more than $200 in a cycle are listed by name in FEC filings, while smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total.

The Incumbent’s Record

Schmidt serves on the House Armed Services, Judiciary and Small Business committees, including the Armed Services subcommittees on military personnel and readiness, according to AllCiv. This Congress, Schmidt has voted in 640 of 645 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans 5 times out of 603, according to AllCiv’s vote data. Schmidt has cosponsored 317 bills, and the 17 bills Schmidt introduced drew 47 cosponsors, with none becoming law.

Schmidt voted for the 2025 tax and spending law, which passed the House 218 to 214 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, according to the House clerk’s roll call. Schmidt told a town hall “I have not yet signed a discharge petition on any subject since I’ve been in Congress.”

Challengers’ Records

Coover and Hauer have not held public office. Hauer has held positions with Libertarian organizations, according to KCUR.

The U.S. Senate Race

What This Office Does

U.S. senators serve six-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. The Senate also confirms presidential nominees, including federal judges and Cabinet members, and approves treaties.

The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate the race a Toss-up, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates it Lean Democratic, according to Ballotpedia’s Senate race overview. PolitiFact called it a race that “unexpectedly ranks among the nation’s hottest.”

Candidates In Brief

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) of Great Bend is seeking a second term. Marshall is a former obstetrician who served in the Army Reserve and represented the 1st District in the House from 2017 to 2021, according to KCUR’s Senate voter guide. Marshall won the Aug. 4 Republican primary with 79.8% of the vote to 20.2% for Pond Naramore.

Democrat Adam Hamilton, a fifth-generation Kansan, started a church with four people 36 years ago with LaVon Hamilton, and it is now the largest United Methodist church in the country, according to Hamilton’s Ballotpedia profile. Hamilton has never held office and served on former President Barack Obama’s faith-based advisory council, according to KCUR. Hamilton won the 11-candidate Democratic primary with 34.9% of the vote to 14.1% for Christy Davis.

Libertarian David Graham) is a solo attorney who was the party’s 2022 Senate nominee, winning 3.0% of the vote. Mark Baldwin is running as an independent write-in candidate.

Where They Stand

Tariffs, diesel and farm costs. Marshall supports the president’s tariffs and says “Because of those tariffs, Japan is moving jobs to Kansas.” Hamilton says “The tariffs are a disaster for everyone across the state of Kansas, whether you realize it or not,” and wants Congress to approve any future tariffs. Hamilton blames the Iran war for diesel prices, and Marshall blames the war in Ukraine, which PolitiFact found are both factors, according to PolitiFact’s debate fact-check.

Health care. Marshall’s Patients Deserve Price Tags Act would require hospitals and insurers to share negotiated prices up front, and Marshall supports Medicaid work requirements, according to KCUR’s report on everyday issues. Hamilton wants to reverse the 2025 law’s Medicaid cuts, restore the expired Affordable Care Act premium credits and let Medicare negotiate prices on more drugs. Hamilton said more than 36,000 Kansans had lost coverage, and PolitiFact found marketplace and Medicaid enrollment combined fell by 61,776.

The war with Iran. Marshall backs the war and says preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon will help future generations. Hamilton wants to end it, saying “We were supposed to be out of this war after four weeks, maybe six weeks.”

Immigration. Marshall says Hamilton has “always supported amnesty.” Hamilton says “I’m not in favor of open borders, despite what my opponent would say,” and PolitiFact found no instance of Hamilton calling for across-the-board legalization.

Abortion. Marshall opposes abortion. Hamilton personally opposes abortion but says Hamilton would protect reproductive freedom and write access to birth control into law, according to KCUR.

Ethics. Hamilton supports term limits and age limits for all three branches and a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, and the campaign takes no corporate PAC money, according to Hamilton’s Ballotpedia survey. Graham wants the Epstein files released, saying “Release them all. Let Kansas read the names,” according to Graham’s campaign website.

In Their Own Words

Roger Marshall, at the Kansas State Fair debate:

“What I’m going to give the Kansas farmers and ranchers is predictability and certainty.”

Adam Hamilton, on CNN, about a church camp abuse case from about two decades ago:

“Absolutely. We should have called the police immediately.”

David Graham, on Graham’s campaign website:

“Your paycheck is yours. Washington can live on a budget like you do.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Marshall and Hamilton debated at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson on Saturday, Sept. 12, in a debate aired on 580 WIBW and the Kansas Radio Networks, according to WichitaLiberty’s debate transcript. Graham did not take part. Marshall and Hamilton met again on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a debate hosted by WDAF-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, where Marshall named Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 19 times, according to PolitiFact. Hamilton completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey, and Marshall and Graham did not.

Endorsements

Before the primary, Trump, AIPAC and the Senate Conservatives Fund endorsed Marshall, according to AllCiv’s endorsement data. Trump held a rally for Marshall in Wichita on Monday, Oct. 19, according to KSHB. AllCiv’s data also lists Vice President JD Vance, former Gov. Sam Brownback (R), the Teamsters, the Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Family Voice and the NRA Political Victory Fund as backing Marshall after the primary.

AllCiv’s endorsement data lists Kelly, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), former Govs. Bill Graves (R), Mike Hayden (R), John Carlin (D) and Mark Parkinson (D), the Kansas AFL-CIO, the National Education Association and The Kansas City Star as backing Hamilton after the primary. Former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) and Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas backed Hamilton before the primary.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures come from FEC reports for the 2026 cycle through Wednesday, Oct. 14, as compiled by Ballotpedia:

  • Hamilton reported raising $19,175,044 and spending $16,300,681, with $2,874,364 on hand.
  • Marshall reported raising $7,546,611 and spending $6,946,763, with $809,806 on hand.
  • Graham has not reported any fundraising.

AllCiv’s Kansas U.S. Senate race page shows $6.4 million in outside spending in the race. Ads from the Democratic-aligned super PAC WinSenate and the Republican Senate Leadership Fund made misleading claims about each candidate, according to FactCheck.org.

The Incumbent’s Record

Marshall serves on the Senate Agriculture, Budget, Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees and chairs subcommittees on conservation and forestry and on primary health and retirement security, according to AllCiv. This Congress, Marshall has voted in 863 of 869 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans 0 times out of 852, according to AllCiv’s vote data. Marshall has cosponsored 310 bills, and the 73 bills Marshall introduced drew 328 cosponsors, with one becoming law: a measure letting schools serve whole and 2% milk again.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, Marshall voted against a Democratic amendment to release the Epstein files, saying Marshall opposed attaching it to an unrelated defense bill, and later backed the standalone release law, according to FactCheck.org. At the Oct. 21 debate, Marshall said Kansas had the nation’s leading third-quarter growth in 2025 at “over 6%,” and PolitiFact found Kansas grew 4.7% and ranked 10th.

Challengers’ Records

Hamilton and Graham have not held public office. KCUR reports Hamilton has given two $500 political donations, to Democrats Sharice Davids and Barbara Bollier.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Schmidt and Marshall both have congressional records that interest groups rate. Each group picks its own set of votes, so the scores measure different things:

Also On Your Ballot

Every Kansas voter will see one proposed constitutional amendment, along with races for governor, the Legislature and local offices. Your county election office can provide a sample ballot.

Constitutional Amendment: Citizenship requirement to vote. A Yes vote adds to the Kansas Constitution that no one may be a qualified voter unless that person is a U.S. citizen, along with the existing age and residency rules. A No vote leaves the constitution unchanged. The Legislature placed the amendment on the ballot through House Concurrent Resolution 5004, which passed the House 90 to 28 on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, and the Senate 37 to 3 on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, according to Ballotpedia News. Every No vote in both chambers came from Democrats. Supporter Becky Arps of Americans for Citizen Voting said the current constitution does not stop cities from letting noncitizens vote in local elections. Davis Hammet of Loud Light Civic Action said the amendment “does nothing to strengthen our Constitution.”

Wyandotte County health services sales tax. Voters in Wyandotte County will decide a 0.25% countywide sales tax for health services, including indigent care, behavioral health, substance abuse treatment and the county health department, according to the county election notice. The tax would start Thursday, April 1, 2027, raise about $12 million a year and could help pay for the county’s first homeless shelter, according to KSHB’s report on the measures. It has no end date.

Kansas City, Kansas, parks and infrastructure sales tax. Voters in Kansas City, Kansas, will decide a 0.375% citywide sales tax, split about evenly between parks, community centers and trails and roads, bridges and sidewalks, according to the city election notice. It would raise about $16 million a year and end after 10 years. If both taxes pass, the city’s combined sales tax rate would rise from 9.125% to 9.75%. Mayor Christal Watson says “We have to invest in ourselves,” while Commissioner Andrew Kump calls a sales tax “the most regressive tax,” according to KCUR’s report on the city tax.

Before You Go

Today

  • Election Day is today, Tuesday, Nov. 3. State law sets polling hours at 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but counties may open as early as 6 a.m. and close as late as 8 p.m., according to the Secretary of State’s voter information page. Check your county’s hours and your polling place on the Secretary of State’s VoterView site.
  • ID: Bring a photo ID, such as a Kansas or other state driver’s license or ID card, a U.S. passport, a military ID, a tribal ID, a government employee badge, a Kansas college student ID, a concealed carry license or a public assistance ID card. Voters 65 or older may use an expired photo ID.
  • Mail ballots can be returned to your county election office, any drop box in your county or any polling place in your county before polls close. A court order also requires counties to count ballots postmarked by today that arrive by the last mail delivery on Friday, Nov. 6, according to the Secretary of State’s advance voting page and the Kansas Reflector’s report on the appeals court ruling.
  • Questions: Call the Secretary of State’s office at 800-262-VOTE (8683), or call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Deadlines That Have Passed

  • Registration closed Tuesday, Oct. 13, 21 days before the election.
  • In-person advance voting ended Monday, Nov. 2.

Sources

AllCiv Profiles and Race Pages

Official Records

Candidate Statements and Questionnaires

News

Ballot Measures

Scorecards

Voting Information

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