Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton has been elected senator from the US state of Kansas, the first Democrat to win there in nearly 100 years. He defeated the incumbent Republican senator Roger Marshall, according to a projection by the Associated Press (AP).
The result of the competitive race between Hamilton and Marshall surprised political analysts, as Republicans have long dominated Kansas. The state last elected a Democratic senator in 1932.
Hamilton, founder of the largest United Methodist church in the United States, stressed his religious identity in the campaign while highlighting key Democratic positions such as lowering the cost of living. As in other rural states, record rises in diesel and fuel prices have hurt farming and transport in Kansas.
“We are always told we should not talk about politics and religion. But this time we are trying to protect our democracy. The next two years are a very important time for the country,” Hamilton said on Monday.
Marshall, by contrast, is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, who campaigned for him.
In his campaign Marshall pledged to carry out Trump’s political programme, and promised to expand rural healthcare and protect farmers’ interests. But those promises were questioned because he had voted for Trump’s cuts to rural healthcare funding.
Marshall, a physician by profession, supports Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) policy, which critics say is harmful to public health. He also drew controversy during the coronavirus pandemic for opposing mask mandates.
He came under pressure in the campaign over a New York Times report that, as a doctor, he had sued nearly 700 former patients to recover unpaid medical bills. Hamilton’s campaign used the issue against him.
According to the Associated Press, about $110 million was spent on the race, the most expensive election in Kansas history.
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