CBAK Legislative Midterm Election Analysis Nov 4, 2026
Community Bankers Association of Kansas
Kansas Legislative and Policy Report
Midterm Election Analysis
November 4, 2026
It was, undoubtedly, an historic night in the Sunflower State, with Kansas voters making notable history on two fronts in particular. Kansas voters flocked to the polls in record numbers for a midterm election, where they made history by sending the first Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932, with United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Pastor Adam Hamilton handily defeating incumbent Senator Roger Marshall 51-46%. Other than this history-making upset, the Kansas Congressional delegation remains the same. All races will be officially certified on December 1st.
The other history-making outcome Tuesday night, which is still not official and could take a bit longer to resolve, is Democrat Senator Cindy Holscher’s lead over Senate President Ty Masterson. Never in the State’s history have voters elected back-to-back Democratic Governors, until now. The Governor’s race has not been officially called, as Holscher’s margin of victory is by about 5,500 votes out of 1,087,617 cast, or about .51% of the vote. Mail-in ballots and provisional votes still need to be counted, but the likelihood that that impacts the margin in Masterson’s favor is very slim. Once results are certified and if Holscher’s victory stands, a replacement will be chosen for her Johnson County Senate seat, and Masterson likely remains Senate President. Kansas Senators are next up for election in 2028. It is worth noting that Holscher performed remarkably well in a handful of Southwestern Kansas counties—especially Seward—but also in places like Finney and Ford counties. Historically pretty reliable “red” counties, it is clear that current ag prices and recent ICE raids on communities there impacted not only voter turnout but ultimately how people voted at the ballot box.
While Republicans will retain the Secretary of State’s office, State Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner, Chris Mann defeated incumbent Attorney General Kris Kobach 51-49%, in a rematch from 2022 that was anticipated to be close, but Mann prevailed by nearly 11,300 votes.
Additionally, Kansas voters approved the state's sole constitutional amendment on the ballot, 64% to 36%, adding explicit language to the Kansas Constitution that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in state elections. The measure passed comfortably and carried most areas of the state.
The outcome in the House brings significant change. Results are not yet certified, and a couple races are extremely close and may change before final certification. For now, Republicans have lost 20 seats in the Kansas House. The new balance of power in the Kansas House will stand at 68 Republicans and 57 Democrats, a stunning decline from its previous 88-37 Republican supermajority that has been in place for the last few years. The loss of the supermajority in the House means Republicans will need Democratic support for veto overrides and certain procedural actions requiring a two-thirds vote (i.e., constitutional amendments).
One critical impact of the election outcome on the House of Representatives is the distribution of committee membership based on partisanship. Currently Republicans control 70.4% of the House and occupy 70.4 % percent of each committees’ membership. Assuming the current results do not change, Committee membership in the House will be divided 54% Republican and 46% Democrat. House committees in 2027 will look different and the path to passing bills becomes more competitive.
Just as notable, leadership positions in the House are now up for grabs, following the surprising defeat of current Majority Leader Chris Croft, widely favored to be the next Speaker of the House, as well as what appears to be the narrow defeat of Representative Sean Tarwater, current Chairman of the Commerce Committee and favored to be the next House Majority Leader. It will be a fascinating few weeks as House Republicans figure out a new leadership plan and campaign for the top three leadership positions. Leadership elections will take place on Monday, December 7th.
Below is a recap of the 20 Republican-held seats that will now be occupied by a Democrat when the 2027 Legislature convenes in January. Note just how pivotal those Johnson County seats turned out to be:
HD8 (Johnson County) - Majority Leader Chris Croft defeated by Megan Phillips (51%-49%)
HD14 (Johnson County) – Rep. Charlotte Esau defeated by Sherry Giebler (56%-44%)
HD15 (Johnson County) – Rep. Lauren Bohi defeated by Allison Houghland (57%-43%)
HD27 (Johnson County)) – Rep. Sean Tarwater defeated by Sara Kiewiet (41 vote margin)
HD28 (Johnson County) – Open seat, formerly held by Rep. Carl Turner. Alex Bergman defeated by Bryan Mouber (55%-45%)
HD30 (Johnson County) - Rep. Laura Williams defeated by Amelia Wiederaenders (53%-47%)
HD33 (Johnson County) – Rep. Carolyn Caiharr defeated by Emily Blanks (56%-44%)
HD39 (Johnson County) – Rep. Angela Stiens defeated by Zach Maier (54% to 46%)
HD41 (Leavenworth County) – seat held by Rep. Pat Proctor who has won the Secretary of State’s seat; former state senator Jeff Pittman defeats Ann Reinhart (56%-44%)
HD43 (Johnson County) – Rep. Bill Sutton defeated by Kristen Schultz (51%-49%)
HD67 (Riley County) – Open seat vacated by Rep. Angel Roeser not seeking re-election; Democrat Brenda Bandy prevails over Stacy Kohlmeier (53%-47%)
HD78 (Johnson County) – Rep. Robyn Essex defeated by Tim Lundberg (53%-47%)
HD85 (Sedgwick County) – Rep. Steve Brunk defeated by Mackenzi Truelove (51% to 49%)
HD88 (Sedgwick County) – Rep. Sandy Pickert defeated by Candace Landers (56% to 44%)
HD96 (Sedgwick County) – Rep. Tom Kessler defeated by Jessica Maldonado (54%-43%-3%)
HD102 (Reno County) – Former House member Jason Probst will return after defeating incumbent Kyler Sweely (53%-47%)
HD105 (Sedgwick County) – Rep. Jill Ward defeated by John Burke (51%-49%)
HD117 (Johnson County) – Rep. Adam Turk defeated by Brandon Holland (51%-49%)
HD121 (Johnson County) – Open seat left vacant by the death of Rep. John Resman. Republican Tom Palenske lost to Kelsey Stock (54%-46%)
HD123 (Finney County) – Rep. Bob Lewis lost to Becca Burnfin (51%-49%)
In some ways we are still processing the significant changes these outcomes mean as we head into the 2027 Session. The loss of the Republican supermajority in the House, combined with a Democratic Governor, shifts the conversation, and likely outcomes, on the most pressing issues facing our state in 2027, from school finance and special education funding to health policy everything in between. Another Democratic administration also means some more continuity in state agency operations, with less shakeup in leadership at state agencies that had been anticipated with the potential of a Masterson administration.
So, what’s next? Newly elected House members from both parties will meet December 7th to select leadership for the upcoming legislative session. The race for all leadership positions is now wide open. Those results will inform the makeup of committees, which we will know by late December. Then, on January 11, 2027, the new Legislature gavels in and begins crafting a budget and debating school finance, among many other issues.
Wrap Up
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Shawn P. Mitchell, President Stuart J. Little, Ph.D.
Community Bankers Association of KS Little Government Relations, LLC
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Topeka, KS 66614 Topeka, Kansas 66612
785-271-1404 Office 785-235-8187 Office
shawn@cbak.com 785-845-7265 Cell
www.cbak.com stuartjlittle@mac.com
Mallory Lutz
Little Government Relations, LLC
800 SW Jackson, Ste. 1100
Topeka, Kansas 66612
785-235-8187 Office
785-409-8351 Cell