Adam Hamilton

TOPEKA — Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall will face United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton in November’s U.S. Senate election, according to race calls from the Associated Press.

Democratic voters participated in an unusually crowded primary with 11 candidates competing for viability, and Hamilton, who entered the race relatively late compared to other candidates, quickly became the frontrunner with record-breaking fundraising.

Republicans have controlled both of Kansas’ Senate seats since 1939, and Marshall is favored to retain his seat in November. Marshall is running for re-election after a single term characterized by loyalty to President Donald Trump, pandemic critiques and questions about his primary residence.

Marshall led with 75% of votes, according to preliminary tallies, against his primary challenger, Pond Naramore of Lawrence, who did not immediately respond to Kansas Reflector’s request for comment.

Hamilton held an early lead with more than 40% of votes, according to preliminary results, but only a fraction of precincts were reporting results when the AP called the race.

His campaign said in a statement Kansans are “tired of a Senator who only pretends to live in Kansas.”

“They’re tired skyrocketing prices for gas, groceries, and health care. They’re tired of a Senator who only pretends to live in Kansas,” the campaign said.

While the first candidates to challenge Marshall began announcing their campaigns roughly a year ago, Democrats found a strong fundraiser in Hamilton, who co-founded what is now the largest United Methodist church in the country. He rose to prominence later in the cycle after declaring his candidacy in late April, and since then, Hamilton has fielded attacks from fellow Democrats and Republicans.

Most of the Democrats running lacked political experience. Marshall, a Republican from Great Bend, was a two-term Congressman in Kansas’ 1st Congressional District before running for the U.S. Senate in 2020.

Samantha Cantrell, regional press secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, slammed Hamilton’s win.

“Adam Hamilton is a radical Democrat who would rubber stamp the new socialist agenda and tax hikes taking over the Democrat Party and Kansas voters will reject him in November,” she said.

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand said Hamilton is running to be a voice “who will show up and bring people together to get things done.”

“As a fifth-generation Kansan and pastor, Adam has dedicated his life to caring for his community and putting people over politics,” they said. “Now, he’s going to take those values to the U.S. Senate – to fight for Kansas families, farmers, seniors, and everyone being crushed by higher costs of gas, groceries, and health care because of Roger Marshall’s toxic agenda.”

Hamilton was trailed by Christy Davis, a former federal employee from Cottonwood Falls, Noah Taylor, a veteran and small business operator in Kechi, and Anne Parelkar, an immigration attorney from Overland Park.

Candidates Damon Anderson, Jason Hart, Kevin Latz, Erik Murray, Sandy Spidel Neumann, state Sen. Patrick Schmidt, and Mike Soetaert trailed with 6% of votes or fewer.

• Anna Kaminski is a journalist with the Topeka-based news service Kansas Reflector.