United States Senate election in Kansas, 2020 (August 4 Republican primary)

Elections in Kansas, 2020

• Primary date: Aug. 4
• Primary type: Semi-closed
• Registration deadline(s): July 14
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: July 15
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Aug. 4 (postmarked)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

---

Date of Kansas presidential primary: May 2 (conducted entirely by mail; no in-person voting)

---

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • Municipal • 

2026 → ← 2014
U.S. Senate, Kansas
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2020
Primary: August 4, 2020 General: November 3, 2020 Pre-election incumbent: Pat Roberts (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Kansas
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Tilt Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
U.S. Senate, Kansas U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th Kansas elections, 2020 U.S. Congress elections, 2020 U.S. Senate elections, 2020 U.S. House elections, 2020 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

Roger Marshall defeated Kris Kobach, Bob Hamilton, and eight others in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Kansas on August 4, 2020. Marshall received 40% of the vote followed by Kobach and Hamilton with 26% and 19%, respectively. No other candidate received over 10% of the vote.

Incumbent Pat Roberts (R), who was first elected in 1996, did not seek re-election. The last time Kansas had an open Senate seat was in 2010. Roberts endorsed Marshall on July 21, 2020. To view other noteworthy endorsements in the race, click here.

Hamilton, Kobach, and Marshall led the candidate field in endorsements, fundraising, and media coverage.

Hamilton, a former owner of a plumbing business, said he was a political outsider who would bring his business savvy to Washington. Hamilton said he would be a citizen legislator who would work to limit lobbyists' influence.

Kobach, who served as Kansas Secretary of State between 2011 and 2019 and was the Republican nominee for governor in 2018, said he was "[c]ommitted to restoring the Constitution to the Founders’ intent, limiting the size of government and solving the humanitarian crisis at the border."

At the time of the 2020 election, Marshall represented Kansas' 1st Congressional District, having first won election in 2016. He said he had a record of accomplishments in the House including sitting on the Agriculture Committee, ensuring that protections for crop insurance were included in the Farm Bill, and passing a bill to reduce tax rates.

Lance Berland, John Berman, Derek Ellis, Dave Lindstrom, Brian Matlock, John Miller, Steve Roberts, and Gabriel Mark Robles also ran in the primary.

Click here to read about noteworthy events that occurred during the primary.

Major independent observers rated the general election as Lean Republican or Likely Republican. Heading into the general election, Kansas had not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. In 2018, Kansas elected Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who defeated Kobach by five percentage points.

Thirty-three of the Senate's 100 seats were up for election in November, in addition to two special elections. Heading into the general election, the Republican Party held a majority in the chamber with 48 seats. There were 38 Democrats, and the remaining two members of the chamber were independents who caucused with the Democratic Party. Click here to learn more about what was at stake in the general election.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:

Hamilton					Kobach					Marshall

For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the general election, click here.

This election was a battleground race. Other 2020 battlegrounds included:

Arizona State Senate elections, 2020 Georgia's 14th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary) North Carolina's 11th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Political party events in Kansas were modified as follows:

• Political party events: The Democratic Party of Kansas canceled in-person voting in its presidential preference primary, originally scheduled to take place on May 2, 2020. Voting instead took place by mail. The receipt deadline for mail-in ballots was May 2.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Kansas

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Roger Marshall	40.3	167,800
		Kris Kobach	26.1	108,726
		Bob Hamilton	18.7	77,952
		Dave Lindstrom	6.6	27,451
		Steve Roberts	2.0	8,141
		Brian Matlock	1.7	7,083
	Submit photo	Lance Berland	1.5	6,404
	Submit photo	John Miller	1.1	4,431
		Derek Ellis	1.0	3,970
	Submit photo	Gabriel Mark Robles	0.9	3,744
		John Berman	0.2	861

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 416,563 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Bryan Pruitt (R)
• Jacob LaTurner (R)
• Susan Wagle (R)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Bob Hamilton

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Hamilton started his plumbing business, Bob Hamilton Plumbing, in 1983. In 2011, he and his wife started a nonprofit called Giving the Basics, which donates personal hygiene products.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Hamilton’s campaign website said, “Bob is committed to stopping the creep of socialism in America, which threatens our liberties, and the ability of every family to live the American Dream through high taxes and heavy regulation.”

---

Hamilton described himself as “the gritty outsider in the race for senate, who has rolled up his sleeves to create jobs and income for area families, and who is the living embodiment of the American Dream.”

---

Hamilton said, “I’ve never held office, and I never planned to. But if we are going to change Washington, real people have to step up and challenge the Washington insiders.”

---

Show sources

Sources: Bob Hamilton 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 15, 2020; Bob Hamilton 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed May 15, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Kansas in 2020.

Kris Kobach

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Kansas Secretary of State (2011-2019)

Biography:  Kobach received a B.A. from Harvard University, a doctorate in political science from Oxford University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. He worked as a law clerk for Judge Deanell Tacha on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and was a professor of constitutional law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Kobach was a White House Fellow and worked as a chief advisor and counsel to Attorney General John Ashcroft in the Bush administration.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Kobach said, “Kansas’s next Senator needs to be more than a Republican; he needs to be a constitutionalist.” He said he would “ask and expect to serve on the Judiciary Committee.”

---

Kobach said he “spent the past two decades of my career fighting illegal immigration” and said, “The President needs an expert on immigration to lead the charge for him in the U.S. Senate.”

---

Kobach stated, “When I was Secretary of State, I cut spending and reduced the overall budget of my office every single year for 8 years in a row. … Kansas needs a Senator in Washington who will do the same thing with the national budget.”

---

Show sources

Sources: Kris Kobach 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 3, 2020; Kris Kobach 2020 campaign website, "Meet Kris," accessed May 3, 2020, The Federalist Society, "Hon. Kris W. Kobach," accessed May 3, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Kansas in 2020.

Roger Marshall

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

U.S. House (Assumed office: 2017)

Biography:  Marshall graduated with a B.S. in biochemistry from Kansas State University and an M.D. from the University of Kansas. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1984-1991. Marshall practiced medicine as an OB/GYN in Great Bend, Kansas, and served as chairman of the board of Great Bend Regional Hospital.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Marshall’s campaign website said that he and President Donald Trump had “worked together on health care, as well as passing the 2018 Farm Bill. Doc has a 98% voting record with President Trump.”

---

Marshall described himself as a political outsider and said he had “done more town halls than any Member of Congress.” 

---

Marshall said he had delivered on the three promises he made when elected to Congress: “Get Kansas a seat back on the Agriculture Committee, help write a Farm Bill that protects crop insurance, and jumpstart the economy by rolling back regulation and passing a tax cuts bill.”

---

Show sources

Sources: Roger Marshall 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed May 3, 2020, Roger Marshall 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed May 3, 2020; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "MARSHALL, Roger Wayne (1960-)," accessed May 3, 2020, Congressman Roger Marshall, "About Me," accessed May 3, 2020, Roger Marshall 2020 campaign website, "Meet Doc," accessed May 3, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Kansas in 2020.

Brian Matlock

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Brian Matlock is running for the open Kansas US Senate seat as a Republican Socialist. The current partisan finger-pointing is unproductive and is producing negative results for Kansas towns. There is a lot of overlap between good-neighbor Republicans and common sense Socialists; both groups value showing up, pitching in, and doing what it takes to get the job done.Brian wants to cut through the corruption and obstruction within both parties and form a coalition of Kansans who are focused on making our communities better. The campaign will be going from town to town, talking with folks who have been at the losing end of irresponsible financial and political practices. We will be organizing low- to middle-income Kansans against big industry and in favor of big, bold policy change that will revitalize our dying towns.Through his proposed Federally Funded Locally Administered Job Guarantee program, local folks will be at the frontlines of deciding how an influx of money should be spent in their communities. We look forward to criss-crossing Kansas over the next several months to get a better idea of what type of projects Kansans would take on if the Federal Government were to invest in their communities."

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

When folks in this country are unemployed, it isn't because there isn't enough work to be done. There are endless projects to take on in our communities - dilapidated housing, care work of every type, increasing access to healthy foods - but the money to start these projects always seems just out of reach as our local governments scramble to find money to keep the basic infrastructure in place. Meanwhile, Federal money is being used to shower already wealthy corporations and pay for endless wars. It is time we put that money to work in our communities. A Federally funded, locally administered job guarantee would put the resources in our hands to prioritize the things we need done and build an economy that works for us!

---

We know fossil fuels are finite. We know they lower air and water quality. Plastics have been in wide use for only a single generation and are already piling up around the world and killing our sea life. We know that air and water pollution can lead to any number of negative health effects and can significantly reduce life expectancies in areas where that pollution is concentrated. We don't need a degree in environmental science to know we have to stop passing the buck! We know the only way that a Green New Deal is going to be truly beneficial is if it is written and designed by the low- to middle-income people who are going to be most directly affected by climate change and other environmental factors.

---

Republican Socialism is the movement to revive our dying communities, both urban and rural, by using Federal dollars to fund local, community-driven projects, particularly in low-income areas. It is a movement to unite Kansans who are tired of the status quo. It is about the coalition between good-neighbor Republicans and common-sense Socialists. Both coalitions want to pitch in, take care of each other, and have meaningful work that enriches our lives, rather than jobs with long hours and low wages to further enrich billionaires.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Kansas in 2020.

Noteworthy primary endorsements

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement	Hamilton	Kobach	Lindstrom	Marshall
Newspapers and editorials
The Wichita Eagle			✔
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R- Kan.)				✔
Individuals
Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)		✔
1996 presidential candidate Bob Dole (R-Kan.)				✔
Organizations
American Workers Coalition		✔
Gun Owners of America		✔
National Association for Gun Rights		✔
National Border Patrol Council		✔
National Right to Life				✔
Operation Rescue		✔
U.S. Chamber of Commerce				✔

Timeline

2020

• July 2020 (click to collapse)

  July

  • July 31, 2020: The Wichita Eagle endorsed Lindstrom.

  • July 27, 2020: Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) endorsed Kobach.

  • July 23, 2020: Campaign finance reports covering all fundraising and spending through July 15, 2020, were due. Hamilton led in total fundraising with $3.7 million, $3.5 million of which he loaned to his campaign, followed by Marshall with $2.7 million, Kobach with $940,000, and Lindstrom with $715,000. No other candidates reported over $25,000 in fundraising.

  • July 22, 2020: Politico reported that the Senate Leadership Fund booked $1.2 million in airtime for an ad campaign supporting Marshall.

  • July 21, 2020:
    • Incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts (R- Kan.) endorsed Marshall.
    • Daily Kos reported that Free Forever PAC was spending $365,000 on an ad supporting Kobach.

  • July 15, 2020: The super PAC Sunflower State launched an $850,000 ad campaign. Media outlets wrote that the group had Democratic connections. According to Politico, "The ad is engineered to drive conservative voters toward Kobach. A narrator in the ad calls Kobach 'too conservative' because he 'won't compromise' on building President Donald Trump's border wall or on taking a harsher stance on relations with China. By contrast, the ad labels Marshall as a 'phony politician' who is 'soft on Trump.'"

  • July 13, 2020: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce began a $400,000 ad campaign supporting Marshall.

  • July 7, 2020: The Associated Press reported that the political action committee Plains PAC said it would spend $3 million on a television, radio and online ad campaign criticizing Kobach.

  • July 2, 2020: The Kansas Republican Party announced that it was canceling its fourth and final debate after Hamilton, Kobach, and Lindstrom said they would boycott the debate due to an interview format they viewed as benefiting Marshall. The debate was originally scheduled for July 15.

• June 2020 (click to expand)

  June

  • June 29, 2020: Politico reported that Club for Growth Action was suspending its TV advertising in the primary. The group had run ads opposing Marshall. Club for Growth President David McIntosh said, "We continue to believe Rep. Marshall is not a strong pro-growth candidate. ... But the Club for Growth PAC is not endorsing in this race, and Club for Growth Action will be deploying resources in other critical House and Senate primaries." According to The New York Times, President Trump asked McIntosh to stop running the ads.

  • June 25, 2020: Kobach released his first broadcast TV ad, titled "Protect American Jobs". The ad criticized Marshall for voting in favor of a 2018 immigration bill.

  • June 24, 2020: Kobach, Lindstrom, and Marshall participated in a debate about healthcare hosted by the Kansas Republican Party in Wichita.

  • June 23, 2020: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Marshall.

  • June 5, 2020: The Kansas Coalition for Life endorsed Kobach.

  • June 2, 2020: Daily Kos announced the results of a Civiqs poll in which 35% of polled Republican primary voters said they planned to vote for Kobach, 26% for Marshall, 15% for Hamilton, and 4% for Lindstrom. The poll had a margin of error of ±4.2%.

• May 2020 (click to expand)

  May

  • May 29, 2020: Hamilton released an ad calling for a new foreign policy approach towards China.

  • May 28, 2020:
    • State Senate President Susan Wagle (R) withdrew from the race.
    • Kansans for Life endorsed Marshall.

  • May 23, 2020: Hamilton, Kobach, Lindstrom, Marshall, and Wagle participated in a debate about agriculture hosted by the Kansas Republican Party in Manhattan, Kansas.

  • May 12, 2020: The Kansas Livestock Association endorsed Marshall.

  • May 1, 2020: Hamilton released the first TV ad of his campaign, titled "Businessman, Plumber, Father of 12". According to Politico, the ad was "backed by a six-figure buy."

• April 2020 (click to expand)

  April

  • April 30, 2020: The Kansas Farm Bureau endorsed Marshall.

  • April 29, 2020: Politico reported that the Keep Kansas Great PAC was spending $35,000 in airtime for a negative ad against Kobach and Club for Growth.

  • April 23, 2020: Kansas Republican Party Chairman Mike Kuckelman sent letters to Lindstrom and Wagle asking them to drop out of the Republican primary.

  • April 15, 2020:
    • Quarterly campaign finance reports covering all fundraising and spending through March 31, 2020, were due. Hamilton, who loaned $2 million to his campaign, led with $2.2 million in total receipts. Marshall reported $2.1 million in fundraising, followed by Wagle with $728,000, Kobach with $595,000, Lindstrom with $574,000, and Matlock with $20,000.
    • Marshall released a TV ad titled "Trusted Hands", spending $60,000 on airtime.

  • April 6, 2020: Kobach released a TV ad titled "Fighting for you. Standing with Trump." that would run on cable for two weeks, spending at least $48,000.

• March 2020 (click to expand)

  March

  • March 31, 2020: Politico reported that Club for Growth Action would spend $2.1 million on television ads opposing Marshall running June 9 through August 4.

  • March 16, 2020: The Washington Times reported that Club for Growth Action was spending $33,000 on newspaper and digital ads featuring criticisms of Marshall.

  • March 13, 2020: The Kansas City Star reported that Free Forever PAC was spending $70,000 on negative ads against Marshall on Fox News.

• February 2020 (click to expand)

  February

  • February 24, 2020: Former Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) endorsed Marshall.

  • February 19, 2020: Kobach announced the results of an internal poll that showed him leading in the primary.

  • February 1, 2020: Kobach, Marshall, and Wagle participated in a debate at the Kansas Republican Party convention in Olathe, Kansas. A representative spoke on Lindstrom’s behalf due to a medical emergency.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Bob Hamilton

Supporting Hamilton

"TOO MUCH" - Hamilton campaign ad, released July 24, 2020

"TERESA" - Hamilton campaign ad, released July 24, 2020

"The Real Joke" - Hamilton campaign ad, released July 4, 2020

"Craziest" - Hamilton campaign ad, released June 24, 2020

"False Attacks" - Hamilton campaign ad, released June 18, 2020

"Law and Order Conservative" - Hamilton campaign ad, released June 17, 2020

"That's Reality" - Hamilton campaign ad, released June 8, 2020

"It's time to crack down on China" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 29, 2020

"Bring Back America" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 29, 2020

"We need to drain the swamp, not regulate it" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 20, 2020

"It's a Right, Not an Option" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 20, 2020

"Pro Life, Pro Wrench" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 20, 2020

"Bob Hamilton's Whole Life is Pro-Life" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 11, 2020

"Send a plumber to drain the swamp" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 5, 2020

"Businessman, Plumber, Father of 12" - Hamilton campaign ad, released May 1, 2020

"Bob Hamilton for Senate" - Hamilton campaign ad, released March 30, 2020

Opposing Marshall

"Wrong on Immigration" - Hamilton campaign ad, released July 7, 2020

"Cover-Up" - Hamilton campaign ad, released July 7, 2020

Kris Kobach

Supporting Kobach

"Establishment attacks conservatives... again" - Kobach campaign ad, released July 14, 2020

"China Lied." - Kobach campaign ad, released April 27, 2020

"Fighting for you. Standing with Trump." - Kobach campaign ad, released April 6, 2020

"Borders Matter" - Kobach campaign ad, released March 25, 2020

Opposing Marshall

"Protect American Jobs" - Kobach campaign ad, released June 25, 2020

Dave Lindstrom

"Forward" - Lindstrom campaign ad, released July 1, 2020

"Fighter on the Field" - Lindstrom campaign ad, released March 13, 2020

Roger Marshall

Supporting Marshall

"Hero" - Marshall campaign ad, released July 28, 2020

"Badge of Honor" - Marshall campaign ad, released July 22, 2020

"Help" - Marshall campaign ad, released July 22, 2020

"Take it From Me" - Marshall campaign ad, released July 13, 2020

"November 4" - Marshall campaign ad, released June 30, 2020

"Stripes" - Marshall campaign ad, released June 23, 2020

"Leader" - Marshall campaign ad, released June 4, 2020

"Tough Job" - Marshall campaign ad, released May 17, 2020

"Heartbeat" - Marshall campaign ad, released May 5, 2020

"Trusted Hands" - Marshall campaign ad, released April 15, 2020

"Great Friend" - Marshall campaign ad, released January 14, 2020

"Icon" - Marshall campaign ad, released January 13, 2020

Opposing Hamilton

• "Too Much Risk" - Marshall campaign ad, accessed July 8, 2020

"True Conservative Choice" - Marshall campaign ad, June 10, 2020

Opposing Kobach

"Newt Gingrich's Message To Kansas" - Marshall campaign ad, released July 30, 2020

"Flames" - Marshall campaign ad, July 15, 2020

Brian Matlock

"Brian Matlock for Kansas Senate" - Matlock campaign ad, released June 27, 2020

Satellite group ads

Click "show" to the right to see satellite group ads.

Supporting Kobach "The Time Is Now" - Free Forever PAC ad, accessed July 20, 2020 Opposing Marshall Sunflower State ad, accessed July 22, 2020 Sunflower State ad, accessed July 20, 2020 Club for Growth ad, June 9, 2020 Free Forever PAC ad, March 2020 Supporting Marshall Keep Kansas Great PAC ad, accessed July 27, 2020 American Bankers Association PAC ad, July 23, 2020 "Stand Up" - Senate Leadership Fund ad, July 23, 2020 "Fighting for Veterans" - U.S. Chamber Action ad, July 10, 2020 Opposing Kobach "Erase" - Plains PAC ad, July 21, 2020 "Failed" - Plains PAC ad, July 7, 2020 "Damaged Goods" - Keep Kansas Great PAC ad, April 27, 2020

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

United States Senate election in Kansas, 2020: Republican primary polls
Poll	Date	Bob Hamilton	Kris Kobach	Dave Lindstrom	Roger Marshall	Susan Wagle	Someone else	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size	Sponsor
Civiqs	May 30-June 1, 2020	15%	35%	4%	26%	N/A	4%	16%	4.2	699	Daily Kos
McLaughlin & Associates	Feb. 12-16, 2020	2%	40%	5%	23%	9%	N/A	21%	5.6	300	Kris Kobach

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election. It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees. The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Lance Berland	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
John Berman	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Derek Ellis	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Bob Hamilton	Republican Party	$3,977,674	$3,930,904	$46,770	As of December 31, 2020
Kris Kobach	Republican Party	$1,149,415	$1,138,693	$10,722	As of December 31, 2020
Dave Lindstrom	Republican Party	$731,753	$731,753	$0	As of September 30, 2020
Roger Marshall	Republican Party	$6,772,872	$7,171,199	$209,959	As of December 31, 2020
Brian Matlock	Republican Party	$21,738	$20,412	$1,326	As of September 30, 2020
John Miller	Republican Party	$5,015	$0	$0	As of October 15, 2020
Steve Roberts	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Gabriel Mark Robles	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

Candidate self-funding

The following candidates contributed or loaned their own money to their campaigns:

• Bob Hamilton loaned his campaign $2 million on March 30, 2020, and $1.5 million on June 24, 2020.
• Kris Kobach contributed $1,000 to his campaign on July 11, 2019.
• Dave Lindstrom loaned his campaign $140,000 in three installments: $25,000 on April 1, 2019, $100,000 on September 30, 2019, and $15,000 on December 31, 2019. He contributed $1,500 to his campaign on June 30, 2020.
• Brian Matlock contributed $5,889.08 to his campaign in 54 separate payments between October 4, 2019, and March 9, 2020.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

• Club for Growth Action spent $33,000 on newspaper and digital ads featuring criticisms of Marshall, The Washington Times reported on March 16. On March 31, Politico reported that the group would spend $2.1 million on television ads opposing Marshall running June 9 through August 4. On June 29, Politico reported that the group was suspending its TV advertising in the primary. Club for Growth President David McIntosh said, "We continue to believe Rep. Marshall is not a strong pro-growth candidate. ... But the Club for Growth PAC is not endorsing in this race, and Club for Growth Action will be deploying resources in other critical House and Senate primaries." According to The New York Times, President Trump asked McIntosh to stop running the ads.

• Free Forever PAC spent $70,000 on a negative ad against Marshall on Fox News, The Kansas City Star reported on March 13. On July 21, Daily Kos reported that the group was spending $365,000 on an ad supporting Kobach.

• Keep Kansas Great PAC booked $35,000 in airtime for a negative ad against Kobach and Club for Growth, Politico reported on April 29.

• Plains PAC said it would spend $3 million on a television, radio and online ad campaign criticizing Kobach. The Associated Press reported the spending on July 7, 2020.

• The Senate Leadership Fund booked $1.2 million in airtime for an ad campaign supporting Marshall, Politico reported on July 22.

• The super PAC Sunflower State spent $850,000 on an ad campaign starting July 15. Media outlets wrote that the group had Democratic connections. According to Politico, one of the group's ads was "engineered to drive conservative voters toward Kobach. A narrator in the ad calls Kobach 'too conservative' because he 'won't compromise' on building President Donald Trump's border wall or on taking a harsher stance on relations with China. By contrast, the ad labels Marshall as a 'phony politician' who is 'soft on Trump.'" According to the Associated Press, the group's spending on advertising in the race had increased to over $4 million as of July 24, 2020.

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce began a $400,000 ad campaign supporting Marshall on July 13, 2020.

Interviews and questionnaires

Click the links below to view candidates' responses to interviews and questionnaires.

• KSN questionnaires
• KWCH interviews

Debates and forums

July 20, 2020

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and the Young Professionals League of Bourbon County hosted a candidate forum.

June 24, 2020

Kobach, Lindstrom, and Marshall participated in a debate about healthcare hosted by the Kansas Republican Party in Wichita, Kansas.

Coverage:

• KMBC 9 News
• KSN News

May 23, 2020

Hamilton, Kobach, Lindstrom, Marshall, and Wagle participated in a debate about agriculture hosted by the Kansas Republican Party in Manhattan, Kansas.

Coverage:

• KSN News
• WIBW

February 1, 2020

Kobach, Marshall, and Wagle participated in a debate at the Kansas Republican Party convention in Olathe, Kansas. A representative spoke on Lindstrom’s behalf due to a medical emergency.

Coverage:

• ABC News
• KCUR
• The Topeka Capital-Journal
• The Wichita Eagle

Primaries in Kansas

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Kansas utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which previously unaffiliated voters can participate in the partisan primary of their choice (a voter who is already affiliated with a party can only vote in that party's primary).

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Noteworthy events

State Senate President Susan Wagle withdraws from race

State Senate President Susan Wagle withdrew from the race on May 28. She said, "Over the last few weeks I have spoken with Party leaders, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee. I share concerns that a divisive primary will only benefit the campaign of Barbara Bollier. ... I will not be part of a primary fight that will divide our Party or hurts my colleagues in the state legislature."

Mike Pompeo declines to run

According to The Washington Post, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) declined a May 2020 request from President Donald Trump (R) to join the race. In an interview with Politico, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, "[Pompeo] would obviously be my first choice and he has been for months."

Kansas GOP chair asks Lindstrom and Wagle to drop out of primary

According to the Kansas City Star, Kansas Republican Party Chairman Mike Kuckelman sent letters to Lindstrom and then-candidate Susan Wagle (R) on April 23 asking them to drop out of the Republican primary. Kuckelman wrote, "[F]ailure to suspend your campaign could negatively impact the outcome of the race — something we’ve seen in recent Kansas history — and could possibly cost Kansas Republicans the U.S. Senate seat." He also wrote, "It is time to allow our Party to coalesce behind a candidate who will not only win, but will help Republicans down the ballot this November."

In response, Lindstrom said, "The polling information I have, it says that I can win." Wagle's campaign representative Matt Beynon said, "Private conversations with Mike Kuckelman over the past year have made it clear he’s been opposed to Susan’s campaign from the start, and today, he simply put that on paper. Others can speculate on his motives, but it may be as simple as he doesn’t support strong, pro-life conservative women."

State party executive director Shannon Golden said the party wanted a contest between Kobach and Marshall but that the party did not favor either candidate.

Kobach said of Kuckelman's letters, "Grassroots Republicans should be outraged. Our next Senator will be chosen by the people of Kansas — not the party elites. The Chairman’s attempted intervention into the GOP primary is inappropriate." Marshall's campaign representative Eric Pahls said, "The last thing Kobach wants [is] a one-on-one race with Dr. Marshall. … While we can’t control what others do, we can keep working harder than anyone."

Lindstrom and Kobach called on Kuckelman to resign the following week.

The state party did not send letters to the three other candidates in the race.

What was at stake in the general election?

See also: United States Senate election in Kansas, 2020

U.S. Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincide with the 2020 presidential election. Thirty-three of the Senate's 100 seats were up for regular election in November. There were also two special elections in 2020. The results determined control of the U.S. Senate in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, the Republican Party had a 53-seat Senate majority, while Democrats had 45 seats. There were also two independents who caucus with the Democratic Party. Republicans faced greater partisan risk than Democrats in 2020 because they were defending 23 seats compared to 12 for the Democrats. Both parties had two incumbents representing states the opposite party's presidential nominee won in 2016.

In 2018, Democrats and Democratic-caucusing independents defended 26 of the 35 seats up for election, while Republicans defended the other nine. Republicans won 11 seats to the Democrats' 24, for a GOP net gain of two.

In the 24 previous Senate elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained Senate seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party gained seats, the average gain was three seats. In years where the president's party lost seats, the average loss was five seats. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Kansas, 2020
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 3, 2020	October 27, 2020	October 20, 2020	October 13, 2020
The Cook Political Report	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Tilt Republican	Lean Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican	Lean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Election history

2016

U.S. Senate, Kansas General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Jerry Moran Incumbent	62.2%	732,376
	Democratic	Patrick Wiesner	32.2%	379,740
	Libertarian	Robert Garrard	5.6%	65,760
	N/A	Write-in	0%	46
Total Votes				1,177,922
Source: Kansas Secretary of State

2014

U.S. Senate, Kansas General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat Roberts Incumbent	53.1%	460,350
	Independent	Greg Orman	42.5%	368,372
	Libertarian	Randall Batson	4.3%	37,469
Total Votes				866,191
Source: Kansas Secretary of State Official Results

2010

On November 2, 2010, Moran (R) won election to the United States Senate. He defeated Lisa Johnston (D), Michael Wm. Dann (L), and Joseph K. Bellis (Reformed Party) in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Kansas General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Jerry Moran	70.1%	587,175
	Democratic	Lisa Johnston	26.4%	220,971
	Libertarian	Michael Wm. Dann	2.1%	17,922
	Reformed	Joseph "Joe" K. Bellis	1.4%	11,624
Total Votes				837,692

State profile

See also: Kansas and Kansas elections, 2020

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of April 30, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

• Kansas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

• Following the 2018 elections, both U.S. Senators from Kansas were Republicans.
• Kansas had one Democratic and three Republican U.S. Representatives.

State executives

• Democrats held five and Republicans held 12 of Kansas' 24 state executive offices. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
• Kansas' governor was Democrat Laura Kelly.

State legislature

• Republicans controlled the Kansas State Senate with a 28-11 majority.
• Republicans controlled the Kansas House of Representatives with a 84-41 majority.

Kansas Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas  •  Sixteen years of Republican trifectas

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Kansas quick stats

• Became a state in 1861
• 34th state admitted to the United States
• Members of the Kansas State Senate: 40
• Members of the Kansas House of Representatives: 125
• U.S. senators: 2
• U.S. representatives: 4

More Kansas coverage on Ballotpedia:

• Kansas elections, 2020
• Presidential voting trends in Kansas
• United States congressional delegations from Kansas
• Public policy in Kansas
• Influencers in Kansas
• Almanac of American Politics state profile
• More...

Demographic data for Kansas
	Kansas	U.S.
Total population:	2,906,721	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	81,759	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	85.2%	73.6%
Black/African American:	5.8%	12.6%
Asian:	2.6%	5.1%
Native American:	0.8%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	3.3%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	11.2%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	90.2%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	31%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$52,205	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	15%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kansas. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

See also

• United States Senate election in Kansas, 2020 (August 4 Democratic primary)
• United States Senate election in Kansas, 2020
• United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2020
• United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2020
• United States Senate elections, 2020
• U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2020

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Kansas' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Roger Marshall (R)

Jerry Moran (R)

Representatives

District 1

Tracey Mann (R)

District 2

Derek Schmidt (R)

District 3

Sharice Davids (D)

District 4

Ron Estes (R)

Republican Party (5)

Democratic Party (1)

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox