The Democratic Party has secured a “historic victory” in the US Senate race in Kansas for the first time since 1932, after its candidate Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Senator Roger Marshall, according to projections by US media outlets.
The result ends 94 years of consecutive Republican victories in Senate elections in the state.
CNN projected Hamilton, a Methodist pastor making his first run for elected office, as the winner over Marshall, who had been seeking a second Senate term. The result was among the biggest surprises of the congressional midterm elections.
According to data from Decision Desk HQ, an organisation specialising in tracking US elections, Hamilton received 52.1% of the vote, compared with 44.93% for his Republican rival, with approximately 91% of ballots counted. The organisation declared the race in Hamilton’s favour.
The victory marks the first Democratic win in a Kansas Senate election since George McGill won in 1932. McGill subsequently lost his re-election bid in 1938 to Republican Clyde Reed.
Since then, Republicans have won every Senate election in the state, marking the longest consecutive winning streak by a single party in Senate elections across US states.
The Senate seat currently held by Marshall had been under Republican control since 1919, adding further historical significance to Hamilton’s victory.
Hamilton, 61, is the founder of Resurrection United Methodist Church in the Kansas City area, one of the largest Methodist congregations in the United States, with approximately 25,000 members.
His campaign focused on reducing the cost of living, healthcare and energy expenses, while criticising tariffs and the economic policies of President Donald Trump’s administration. He also called for overcoming partisan divisions.
The race attracted particular attention after Kansas, traditionally a Republican-leaning state, became unexpectedly competitive, despite Trump winning it by more than 16 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance directly intervened in the campaign to support Marshall, while Hamilton received backing from several moderate Republicans, including former state governors.
The Democratic victory in Kansas adds to the party’s gains in the Senate elections, as control of the chamber remains contested during the final two years of Trump’s presidential term.
Source: CNN / Decision Desk HQ
