Only Democrat running for Kansas 2nd Congressional seat drops out of race

photo by: Contributed photo

Abbie Hodgson

TOPEKA — The only Democratic candidate running for an eastern Kansas congressional seat has dropped out of the race.

Abbie Hodgson announced Tuesday that she was ending her campaign in the 2nd District. WIBW-TV reports that Hodgson said she didn’t have a “viable path” for winning the seat now held by freshman Republican Rep. Steve Watkins.

Hodgson was a one-time speechwriter for former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and a former staffer for Kansas House Democrats. She worked two years in Washington for the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Watkins is a former Army officer and military contractor who emerged from a crowded Republican primary in 2018 and narrowly won the general election.

State Treasurer Jake LaTurner is challenging Watkins in the Republican primary, arguing that he’s vulnerable to losing to a Democrat next year.

Related story

• July 9, 2019 — Hodgson officially launches campaign for Congress, says she’ll focus on financial stability for Kansans

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