Trump’s pick for Kansas governor wins GOP primary

Campaign Trump’s pick for Kansas governor wins GOP primary Comments: by Ryan Mancini - 08/04/26 9:03 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ryan Mancini - 08/04/26 9:03 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Kansas state Senate President Ty Masterson (R), President Trump’s endorsed candidate to become the next governor of Kansas, is projected to defeat a crowded field of Republican candidates to advance to the general election, according to preliminary results from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Masterson defeated five other GOP candidates vying to replace Gov. Laura Kelly (D), who is term-limited. He faced off against Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, former Johnson County commissioner Charlotte O’Hara, business owner Stacy Rogers, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt and financial services executive Philip Sarnecki.

Trump backed Masterson in May. He wrote in his Truth Social endorsment post that “Ty will run on the Republican ‘ticket’ with my friend, the Great U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, who, along with many America First Patriots in Kansas, strongly believe in him.” Masterson’s also received endorsements from former Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).

It’s an open race to become the Sunflower State’s governor, but the nonpartisan Cook Political Report says the race leans Republican.

Cook Political Report also noted that Kansas Republicans had a steep hill to climb in the years following former Gov. Sam Brownback’s (R) tenure. He slashed income taxes in 2012, pushing Kansas into a fiscal tailspin, with the ensuing bipartisan response leading to Kelly’s 2018 victory in the red state.

Masterson voted against Brownback’s 2017 veto of a repeal of his tax cuts. The bill passed with bipartisan support.

“And his 2011 decision to file for bankruptcy over $800,000 in personal debts adds further ammunition to prospective attacks on his fiscal irresponsibility,” the Cook Political Report wrote.

Questions mounted regarding Masterson’s role at GoCreate, a creative makerspace owned by Wichita State University (WSU) and funded by the Koch Foundation. Sarnecki called Masterson’s $217,000 director position a “no-show job” that “smells like career politician corruption,” the Kansas City Star reported in July.

WSU students told the outlet that they have never seen Masterson on campus. But Masterson’s campaign spokesperson Garrett Henson told the Star that Sarnecki was an elitist “Illinois millionaire.”

Masterson himself told the Star that he’s responsible for sourcing equipment and mentoring at GoCreate.

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