Who's In the Race

The election for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District seat will feature Republican incumbent Rep. Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Democratic challenger Don Coover and Libertarian John Hauer on November 3. ​

Schmidt served as Kansas attorney general from 2011 to 2023 and in the Kansas Senate from 2001 to 2011, including six years as majority leader. He has represented Kansas's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House since 2025. He won the Aug. 4 Republican primary with about 80% of the vote over Chad Young, who received about 20%.

Coover is a U.S. Army veteran who served more than 10 years, including as a military intelligence officer and Army pilot, and graduated from West Point and Kansas State University's School of Veterinary Medicine; he now runs a beef cattle genetics company, a ranch and a veterinary practice. Coover ran unopposed in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary.

Hauer is a Topeka-based veteran who served two deployments to Iraq and works as a delivery driver and at a warehouse.

What They Stand For

Schmidt has proposed curbing federal spending, lowering inflation and extending tax relief for families, small businesses, farmers and ranchers, according to his campaign website. He's also supported increased border security, citing his support for the Laken Riley Act and Sarah's Law, public safety legislation to assist crime victims and address scams targeting seniors, strengthening police background checks and improving federal agencies' access to those records, and protecting Kansas small businesses.

Coover has proposed addressing affordability, including the cost of housing, food and health care, as a central concern for Kansans, according to KCUR. He's also supported bolstering rural hospitals by protecting Medicare, addressing political corruption, including insider trading and no-bid contracts, andrevising the tax burden, arguing that recent tax changes "have shifted the tax burden" away from those most able to pay, according to KCUR.

Hauer has called for a smaller federal government, the elimination of the federal income tax and closing U.S. foreign military bases, according to KCUR.

The Money Behind the Race

Through July 15, Schmidt had raised about $1.5 million and had about $939,000 in cash on hand, while Coover had raised about $759,000 and had about $244,000 on hand.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

All three major race-rating services call this a safe seat for Republicans. Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Republican as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Republican as of Oct. 2.

On the Kalshi prediction market, traders gave Republicans an 88% chance of winning as of Oct. 15.

The district's recent history reinforces that picture. The Republican candidate won Kansas's 2nd District with about 58% in 2022 and about 57% in 2024. Republicans also won three of Kansas's four U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024, and Donald Trump carried Kansas in the 2024 presidential election with about 57% of the vote.

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