Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

Elections in Kansas, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
* Early voting: Oct. 17 - Nov. 5
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: Photo ID required
* Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: U.S. House • Governor • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State House • Special state legislative • Appellate courts • Local judges • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

<- 2014

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Kansas

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2018Filing deadline for primary candidates
Primary: August 7, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

* * *

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Jeff Colyer (Republican)
Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Kansas
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas and triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Kansas
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Insurance commissioner
State board of education

State Sen. Laura Kelly (D) defeated Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), businessman Greg Orman (I), and four other candidates in the general election on November 6, 2018, for governor of Kansas.

Incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer (R), who took office following Brownback's resignation in January 2018 to serve as ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, ran for a full term but was defeated by Kobach in the August 7 primary, leaving the seat open. Of the state's preceding 10 gubernatorial elections, a Republican candidate won five and a Democratic candidate won five. In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) carried the state by a margin of 21 percentage points.

Orman, whose campaign staff included outgoing Gov. Colyer's campaign manager, was identified by political observers as a likely factor in the race's eventual outcome.[1] Political commentators suggested that Orman's presence on the ballot was more helpful to Kobach than to Kelly, noting the breakdown of the state's voter registration. Republicans made up 44 percent of the state's registered voters, while unaffiliated voters made up 31 percent and Democrats made up 24 percent.[2]

Kelly's victory broke the state's Republican trifecta. At the time of the election, Kansas had been under a Republican trifecta since Gov. Sam Brownback (R) took office in 2011. The winner of this election stood to influence the state's redistricting process following the 2020 census. Under Kansas state law, the governor may veto congressional and state legislative district maps proposed by the state legislature.

Third party, independent, and write-in candidates included Libertarian nominee Jeff Caldwell, independent candidate Rick Kloos, and write-in candidates Aaron Coleman and Theophilus Floyd.

Kansas was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Click here to read more about the Democratic Party primary election.
Click here to read more about the Republican Party primary election.

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 1.1 Lieutenant governor
* 1.2 Primary candidates
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 3 Polls
* 3.1 PredictIt Prices
* 4 Campaign finance
* 5 Race ratings
* 6 Noteworthy endorsements
* 7 Timeline
* 8 Campaign ads
* 8.1 Laura Kelly
* 8.1.1 Support
* 8.1.2 Oppose
* 8.2 Kris Kobach
* 8.2.1 Support
* 9 Noteworthy events
* 9.1 Mike Pence
* 9.2 Donald Trump campaign appearance
* 9.3 Objection to the candidacy of Greg Orman
* 10 Debates and forums
* 11 Campaign themes
* 11.1 Laura Kelly
* 11.2 Kris Kobach
* 11.3 Greg Orman
* 12 Social media
* 12.1 Twitter accounts
* 12.2 Facebook accounts
* 13 Pivot Counties
* 13.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 14 Election history
* 14.1 2014
* 14.2 2010
* 15 Wave election analysis
* 16 State profile
* 16.1 Presidential voting pattern
* 17 Recent news
* 18 See also
* 19 External links
* 20 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

General election

##### General election for Governor of Kansas

Laura Kelly defeated Kris Kobach, Greg Orman, Jeff Caldwell, and Rick Kloos in the general election for Governor of Kansas on November 6, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Laura Kelly (D)  |

48.0

| 506,727

| Kris Kobach (R)  |

43.0

| 453,645

| Greg Orman (Independent)  |

6.5

| 68,590

| Jeff Caldwell (L)  |

1.9

| 20,020

| Rick Kloos (Independent)  |

0.6

| 6,584

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 1,055,566

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for Governor of Kansas

Laura Kelly defeated Carl Brewer, Joshua Svaty, Arden Andersen, and Jack Bergeson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Kansas on August 7, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Laura Kelly |

51.4

| 80,377

| Carl Brewer |

20.2

| 31,493

| Joshua Svaty |

17.5

| 27,292

| Arden Andersen |

8.4

| 13,161

| Jack Bergeson |

2.5

| 3,950

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 156,273

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

#####  Republican primary for Governor of Kansas

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Kansas on August 7, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Kris Kobach |

40.6

| 128,832

| Jeff Colyer |

40.5

| 128,489

| Jim Barnett |

8.8

| 27,994

| Ken Selzer |

7.8

| 24,804

| Patrick Kucera |

1.0

| 3,212

| Tyler Ruzich |

0.7

| 2,275

| Joseph Tutera Jr. |

0.5

| 1,559

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 317,165

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

#### Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

* JoeLarry Hunter (Independent)
* Aaron Coleman (Independent)
* Andrea Costley (Independent)
* Michael Tabman (D)

### Lieutenant governor[edit]

### Primary candidates[edit]

Democratic primary candidates

* Alexander Cline
* Dale Cowsert
* Katrina Lewison
* Chris Morrow
* Lynn Rogers ✔

Republican primary candidates

* Tracey Mann (Incumbent)
* Phillip Clemente
* Rosie Hansen
* Wink Hartman ✔
* Patricia Reitz
* Jen Sanderson
* Dominic Scavuzzo

Libertarians

* Mary Gerlt

Running mate of Jeff Caldwell

Independent

* Nathaniel Kloos

Running mate of Rick Kloos

* John Doll

Running mate of Greg Orman

## Candidate profiles[edit]

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages

Laura Kelly, state senator

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: Kansas State Senate (Assumed office: 2005)

Biography: After working for a time as an advocate for improved mental health services and patient care, Kelly led the Kansas Recreation and Park Association, a group which calls for increased investment in public parks. As of the 2018 election, Kelly had spent more than 10 years as a ranking member of the state Senate's Ways and Means Committee.

Key messages

* Kelly highlighted her personal values, saying in her official biography that she "learned the importance of service, integrity and accountability" from her upbringing in a military family. The biography also emphasized Kelly's work in healthcare and public parks before seeking elected office and her education policy while in the state Senate.[3]

* Kelly described a program of tax cuts implemented by former Gov. Sam Brownback (R) as "an attack on who we are as Kansans" and promised to fight back by increasing education funding.[4][5]

Kris Kobach, Kansas Secretary of State

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: Kansas Secretary of State (Assumed office: 2011)

Biography: Kobach graduated from Harvard University before receiving a doctorate in political science from Oxford University and a law degree from Yale. He served as a law clerk and taught law at the University of Missouri before accepting a White House Fellowship in the George W. Bush (R) administration. Kobach worked for a time in the U.S. Department of Justice before returning to Kansas, where he led the Republican Party of Kansas before his election as secretary of state in 2010.

Key messages

* Kobach highlighted his policy positions, with his campaign website billing himself and running mate Wink Hartman (R) as "the conservatives to fix Topeka" and giving top billing to his promises to preserve education funding, maintain a low tax rate, and cap property taxes.[6]

* Kobach said that he would bring experienced leadership to the table, referencing his service in the Department of Justice following the September 11 attacks and his work with President Trump, particularly as vice chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Kobach also said that his legislation and litigation on immigration and firearms regulations were examples of his past leadership experience.[7]

Greg Orman, businessman

Party: Independent

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: After his graduation from Princeton, Orman worked with the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. He later left to work in energy, including with Kansas City Power & Light. In 2004, he founded investment firm Denali Partners, LLC. Orman challenged incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts (R) in the 2014 election as an independent candidate.

Key messages

* Orman presented his campaign as a potential unifying force, inviting voters to "declare your independence from partisan politics!"[8] He also emphasized his background outside of politics.[9]

* Orman argued that he was well-positioned to win the election, pointing to his fundraising numbers and support from established political figures.[9]

* Orman promised to not accept money from PACs and to run a transparent administration if elected.[9]

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Governor of Kansas, 2018

Poll | Poll sponsor | Laura Kelly (D) | Kris Kobach (R)| Jeff Caldwell (L)| Rick Kloos (I)| Greg Orman (I)| Undecided/Other| Margin of Error| Sample Size
Emerson College
(October 26-28, 2018)| N/A | 43%| 44%| 0%| 0%| 8%| 4%| +/-3.3| 976
Ipsos
(October 17-27, 2018)| Thomson Reuters
University of Virginia | 43%| 41%| 0%| 0%| 9%| 7%| +/-3.6| 986
Public Policy Polling
(October 19-20, 2018)| Western States Strategies | 41%| 41%| 2%| 0%| 10%| 6%| +/-3.7| 698
Remington Research Group
(September 30 - October 1, 2018)| Kansans for Jobs and Opportunity | 42%| 41%| 2%| 1%| 10%| 4%| +/-2.4| 1,680
Emerson College
(September 26-28, 2018)| N/A | 36%| 37%| 0%| 0%| 9%| 18%| +/-3.5| 938
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org
Click [show] to view older polls|

|

|  | Governor of Kansas, 2018

Poll | Poll sponsor | Laura Kelly (D) | Kris Kobach (R)| Jeff Caldwell (L)| Rick Kloos (I)| Greg Orman (I)| Undecided/Other| Margin of Error| Sample Size
Civiqs
(September 21-24, 2018)| Crawford County Democratic Party | 41%| 39%| 5%| 0%| 9%| 5%| +/-3.4| 1,178
Public Policy Polling
(September 12-13, 2018)| Pottawatomie County Democratic Party | 38%| 39%| 1%| 2%| 9%| 12%| +/
| 618
Fort Hays State University
(August 22 - September 25, 2018)| N/A | 40%| 36%| 0%| 0%| 10%| 14%| +/
| 328
Public Policy Polling
(August 24-26, 2018)| Kansas National Education Association | 38%| 39%| 1%| 2%| 9%| 11%| +/
| 877
Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Click [show] to view hypothetical polls conducted ahead of the August 7 primaries.|

|

|  | Kansas governor 2018, hypothetical general election matchup: Kelly vs. Kobach vs. Orman

Poll | Laura Kelly (D) | Kris Kobach (R)| Greg Orman| Undecided/Other| Margin of error| Sample size
Remington Research Group
(July 19-20) | 36%| 35%| 12%| 17%| +/-2.85| 1,189
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Kansas governor 2018, hypothetical general election matchup: Kelly vs. Colyer vs. Orman

Poll | Laura Kelly (D) | Jeff Colyer (R)| Greg Orman| Undecided/Other| Margin of error| Sample size
Remington Research Group
(July 19-20) | 28%| 38%| 10%| 24%| +/-2.85| 1,189
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

### PredictIt Prices[edit]

This section provides the PredictIt market prices for this race during the three months leading up to the election. PredictIt is a site where people make and trade predictions on political and financial events. Market prices reflect the probability, based on PredictIt users' predictions, that a candidate will win a race. For example, a market price of $0.60 for Candidate A is equivalent to a 60 percent probability that Candidate A will win.

## Campaign finance[edit]

The following chart contains campaign finance information from the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission covering all contributions and expenditures made between January 1, 2017, and October 25, 2018.

## Race ratings[edit]

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from three outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

* Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
* Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
* Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[10]
* Tossup ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[11][12][13]

Race ratings: Kansas gubernatorial election, 2018

Race tracker| Race ratings
| November 5, 2018| October 30, 2018| October 23, 2018| October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report| Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales| Toss-up| Tilt Republican| Tilt Republican| Tilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball| Toss-up| Toss-up| Lean Republican| Lean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

## Noteworthy endorsements[edit]

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes links to endorsement lists published on campaign websites, if available. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Noteworthy general election endorsements

Endorsement  | Kelly (D)  | Kobach (R)  | Orman (I)
Newspapers and editorials
The Kansas City Star[14] |  ✔  |  |
Elected officials
President Donald Trump (R)[15] |  |  ✔  |
Former Gov. Bill Graves (R)[16] |  ✔  |  |
Former Gov. Mike Hayden (R)[17] |  ✔  |  |
Former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R)[18] |  ✔  |  |
Individuals
Former Jeff Colyer (R) gubernatorial campaign chairman Steve Baccus[19] |  |  |  ✔
Organizations
Kansas State Council of Firefighters[20] |  |  ✔  |
Click here to see a list of endorsements in the August 7 Democratic primary|

|

|  | Democratic candidate endorsements

Endorsement  | Brewer[21] | Kelly[22] | Svaty[23]
State figures
Former Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former Kansas Democratic Party Chair Joan Wagnon (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former Democratic Party Chair Larry Gates (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former gubernatorial candidate Michael Tabman (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Kansas State Board of Education member Ann Mah (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former Kansas Budget Director Duane Goossen (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Sen. Pat Pettey (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Sen. Tom Holland (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Rep. Nancy Lusk (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Rep. Annie Kuether (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Rep. Barbara Ballard (D)  |  |  ✔  |
State Rep. John Carmichael (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Sen. Janis Lee (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Sen. Kelly Kultala (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Sen. Marge Petty (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Rep. Julie Menghini (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Rep. Annie Tietze (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Rep. Judith Loganbill (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Rep. Lisa Benlon (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former state Rep. Dolores Furtado (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Former Gov. John Carlin (D)[23] |  |  |  ✔
Local figures
Former Wichita City Council member Lavonta Williams |  ✔  |  |
Former Kansas City Mayor Carol Marinovich (D)  |  |  ✔  |
Organizations
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America  |  ✔  |  |
Latino Coalition  |  ✔  |  |
EMILY's List |  |  ✔  |
Sheet Metal Air Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)  |  |  ✔  |
Carpenters' Regional Council |  |  ✔  |
United Steelworkers |  |  ✔  |
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local #1360  |  |  ✔  |
Planned Parenthood Votes Great Plains[24] |  |  ✔  |
Click here to see a list of endorsements in the August 7 Republican primary|

|

* Jeff Colyer
* Mark Hutton[25]
* Kansas for Life[26]
* State Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine (R)[27]
* Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell[28]
* Sedgwick County Commission Chair David Dennis[28]
* Wichita Regional Chamber Political Action Committee[28]
* National Rifle Association[29]
* Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole[30]

* Kris Kobach
* President Donald Trump[31]
* Kansas State Senate President Susan Wagle (R)[32]
* Wink Hartman[33]
* Donald Trump, Jr.[34]
* Kansas for Life[35]
* Gun Owners of America[29]

## Timeline[edit]

* October 31, 2018: The Kansas City Star endorsed Kelly.
* October 31, 2018: An Ipsos poll sponsored by Reuters and the University of Virginia found Kelly about even with Kobach, with 43 percent support to Kobach's 41 percent and Orman's 9 percent. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points.
* October 30, 2018: Kelly, Kobach, and Orman met for a debate in Wichita.
* October 29, 2018: The candidates filed campaign finance reports covering all raising and spending between July 27 and October 25. Kelly reported raising $2.3 million during this period to Kobach's $1.4 million and Orman's $800,000.
* October 29, 2018: An Emerson College poll found Kobach about even with Kelly, with 44 percent support to Kelly's 43 percent and Orman's 8 percent. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.

For older updates, click here.

* October 23, 2018: A Public Policy Polling poll commissioned by Western State Strategies found Kelly and Kobach at 41 percent support each and Orman at 10 percent support. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.
* October 18, 2018: Former Gov. Mike Hayden (R) endorsed Kelly.
* October 6, 2018: President Trump (R) appeared at a rally alongside Kobach in Topeka.
* October 5, 2018: A Remington Research Group poll found Kelly about even with Kobach and leading Orman, with 42 percent support to Kobach's 41 percent and Orman's 10 percent. The poll reported a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points.
* September 30, 2018: An Emerson College poll found Kobach about even with Kelly and leading Orman, with 37 percent support to Kelly's 36 percent and Orman's 9 percent. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
* September 25, 2018: A Civiqs poll found Kelly about even with Kobach and leading Orman, with 41 percent support to Kobach's 39 percent and Orman's 9 percent. The poll reported a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
* September 18, 2018: Former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R) endorsed Kelly.
* September 14, 2018: A Public Policy Polling poll found Kobach about even with Kelly and leading Orman, with 39 percent support to Kelly's 38 percent and Orman's 9 percent. The poll did not report a margin of error.
* September 6, 2018: The Republican Governors Association released an ad supporting Kobach titled The Kansas Way.

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

###  Laura Kelly[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"Cut It" - Kelly campaign ad, released October 12, 2018

"Both" - Kelly campaign ad, released October 2, 2018

"Back on Track" - Kelly campaign ad, released September 20, 2018

#### Oppose[edit]

"Pay More" - Republican Governors Association ad, released October 16, 2018

"Way Too Liberal" - Republican Governors Association ad, released October 4, 2018

"Hike It" - Republican Governors Association ad, released September 19, 2018

###  Kris Kobach[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"The Kansas Way" - Republican Governors Association ad released September 7, 2018

## Noteworthy events[edit]

### Mike Pence[edit]

Vice President Mike Pence (R) headlined a rally in Kansas City on November 2, 2018, on behalf of Kobach and U.S. House candidates Vicky Hartzler (R), Kevin Yoder (R), Steve Watkins (R), and Sam Graves (R).[36]

### Donald Trump campaign appearance[edit]

President Donald Trump (R) appeared at a rally alongside Kobach in Topeka on October 6, 2018. At the rally, Trump praised Kobach's stance on immigration and said, "He’ll fight for you every single day...He doesn’t stop. He’ll protect your family, he’ll protect your children."[37][38] Click here for footage of the rally.

### Objection to the candidacy of Greg Orman[edit]

On August 20, 2018, Will Lawrence, the chief of staff of state Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley (D), filed an objection to the candidacy of businessman Greg Orman (I). The objection stated that the figures reported on Orman's nominating papers could not plausibly be accurate, pointing to an instance where an individual petition circulator recorded obtaining 1,000 signatures from 20 separate counties over the span of seven days and to an instance where multiple pages of petitions were notarized on the same date despite being collected on different dates. The objection also stated that several county election offices had failed to validate Orman's signatures ahead of the legal deadline.

Orman submitted just over 10,300 signatures alongside his nominating petitions, with 5,000 required to make the ballot. The Kansas Secretary of State's office found over 7,000 valid signatures in its initial review. The objection went to the State Objection Board, comprised of Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann (R), Attorney General Derek Schmidt (R), and Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R). Kobach, the Republican nominee, stated on August 16 that he would recuse himself from his oversight role in determining Orman's eligibility..[39]

The State Objection Board rejected the challenge to Orman's candidacy in a hearing on August 23, 2018.[40] In an interview following the hearing, Orman said, "What we've seen here today is nothing more than the Democrats trying to deny me access to the ballot because they don't want to give voters a real choice in November."[41]

## Debates and forums[edit]

* Kelly, Kobach, and Orman met for a debate in Wichita sponsored by KSN-TV on October 30, 2018. Click here for coverage of the debate.
* Kelly, Kobach, and Orman met for a debate in Overland Park sponsored by the Johnson County Bar Association on September 5, 2018. Click here for footage of the debate.
* Kelly, Kobach, and Orman met for a debate at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson on September 8, 2018.
* Click here for coverage from the Lawrence Journal-World.
* Click here for coverage from The Topeka Capital-Journal.
* Click here for coverage from The Wichita Eagle.

## Campaign themes[edit]

###  Laura Kelly[edit]

Kelly's campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Economy
After years of Governor Sam Brownback’s self-inflicted economic recession, Laura Kelly believes we need a new approach to jumpstart job growth in a rapidly changing economy.

Laura has long supported traditional engines that drive prosperity: public schools, job training, and infrastructure, but she also believes Kansas leaders must think more like entrepreneurs and less like politicians. We must innovate and make creative, strategic investments that plan for the jobs of the future.

Invest in Our Workforce
Laura Kelly has a vision of education that spans from early childhood to K-12 to college to the workforce. Business owners understand that great schools – and early learning and job training programs – are the key to a bright future and growing economy.

Laura will invest in higher education, including technical and trade schools, and job training programs so that all graduates in Kansas have the skills needed to enter the workforce. She will focus on promoting partnerships to ensure businesses can find the trained workers they need in their industry and schools (high schools and technical schools) are providing the skills training needed by our business community. That means investing in high school technical programs, community college certification programs, and college and university tuition relief.

Innovative Business Destination
During the last eight years, the Kansas economy has been stagnant and lagging behind many neighboring states.

Unfortunately, the Brownback-Colyer administration dismantled many cutting edge programs just to fill the fiscal hole they created. For example, the Kansas Bioscience Authority, which was designed to accelerate growth in the bioscience sector, was dismantled in order to pay for the disastrous tax cuts.

It is critical that Kansas look for new, creative ways to encourage growth in new industries. Laura will focus on making Kansas an innovative business destination and supporting new industries that leverage our state’s strengths to let us grow.

Infrastructure
In order to support and enhance the economic climate in Kansas, Laura Kelly will prioritize investment in roads and other infrastructure needs. She will work with our local communities to make roads in urban areas the best they can be to support area businesses, expand 4-lane highways in rural areas, and improve the digital infrastructure in Kansas (including broadband)

Encourage Rural Growth
In the last decade, only 17 of the 105 Kansas counties have grown in population – widening the gap between urban areas and rural communities. Laura Kelly is determined to change this and encourage growth and development in our rural communities.

To do this, Laura Kelly will focus on several areas of investment: healthcare, infrastructure, tourism and community specific investment.

A Welcoming Kansas
The past eight years under the Brownback-Colyer administration have tarnished the image of Kansas, leading to large amounts of out migration from the state. Laura Kelly wants to make Kansas a place where young people and families want to work and live. We do this by welcoming diverse people to our state and investing in our schools, creating high paying jobs, and making Kansas a business destination.

Good Government
Restoring Public Confidence in Kansas government
Laura Kelly has fought to improve transparency and increase accountability throughout her time in the Kansas legislature. From the crafting of the Brownback tax experiment to the privatization of KanCare to the Department of Children and Families, Kelly has stood up to the Brownback-Colyer Administration and demanded accountability.

In a Kelly Administration, Governor’s Cabinet members and staff of the Governor’s Office will be required to sign an ethical code of conduct that ensures the highest standards of integrity within the administration. She will also advocate for a series of lobbyist reforms, increase transparency of legislative proceedings and lower the cost to access Kansas open records.

Reinstituting the Equal Protection for State Workers
One of Laura Kelly’s first acts as governor will be to reinstate the Equal Protection Clause, which was put in place by Governor Kathleen Sebelius, to protect LGBTQ+ civil servants from discrimination. These protections were eliminated by Sam Brownback. Reinstating this protection is essential to make sure all state workers receive fair and equal treatment.

Reversing the Adoption Discrimination Bill
This year, Jeff Colyer signed a bill allowing adoption organizations that discriminate against families based on sexual orientation, religion and other things.

This is an irresponsible, shameful bill that allows for discrimination. It ignores the needs of our most vulnerable children. As governor, Laura will work to reverse this law and eliminate discrimination of any kind in Kansas.

Healthcare
All Kansans, no matter where they live, deserve accessible, affordable health care that works for them and their needs.

Due to cuts made by the Brownback-Colyer Administration and their failure to expand Medicaid, rural hospitals and clinics are struggling and even closing. This is hurting our communities and putting Kansan’s health at risk.

As governor, Laura Kelly will make sure Kansas families can get the healthcare they need.

Expand Medicaid
More than 150,000 Kansans have been left without healthcare coverage due to Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer’s failure to expand Medicaid. Not only that, hospitals and clinics across the state are at risk of closing. We can do better.

Laura Kelly has consistently supported expanding Medicaid to provide health coverage to more Kansas families. She also knows that expanding Medicaid will provide significant impact on our state’s economy and create thousands of jobs in the process.

As governor, Laura Kelly will advocate for and sign legislation to expand Medicaid in her first year.

Reform KanCare
Jeff Colyer’s decision to privatize Kansas’ Medicaid program, Kancare, to for-profit insurance companies outside of Kansas has put the health of thousands of Kansans at risk.

Laura Kelly will reform KanCare and ensure that our healthcare system is putting people, not profit, first. She will work with state agencies, community health groups and insurance companies to find the best plan to meet the needs of Kansans, and provide increased oversight and accountability into KanCare.

Protect Women's Reproductive Rights
Laura Kelly is a strong supporter of a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions and has been a vocal advocate for women’s rights. Laura also understands decisions that impact women’s lives – whether it’s healthcare, schools, childcare or jobs – shouldn’t just be made by a room full of men. That’s why her campaign for governor is endorsed by EMILY’s List – the nation’s largest resource for pro-choice women in politics.

As governor, Laura will make sure all Kansans have access to reproductive healthcare, including birth control.

Kansas Schools
Laura Kelly has a vision of education that spans from early childhood to K-12 to college to the workforce. Because every step along the way is important: a chance for Kansas to do right by our kids and their parents – or to let them down. And sadly, for the past seven years, Kansas has let them down.

It’s time to make our children – and their future – a top priority again. Parents, teachers and business owners get it. They know that great schools – and early learning programs – are the key to a bright future and growing economy.

Laura Kelly will be the Education Governor Kansans deserve.

Invest Early
In order for every Kansas child to succeed, they need access to good public schools. But more than that, they need strong early childhood programs that support both children and families, an accountable child welfare system to protect kids, and affordable, safe child care. We must invest early and put kids on the right path.

One of Laura’s proudest accomplishment is securing critical support for early childhood education programs. In 2009, she pushed for the creation and funding of the Early Childhood Block Grants to ensure that more kids enter kindergarten ready to learn. These programs help kids develop at an early age and impact their families for the better. And just this year, Laura demanded additional funding be added to the budget to support early childhood programs across the state.

Recently, Laura visited the Pittsburg Family Resource Center. The Center utilizes funds from the Early Childhood Block Grants, the community, and families to provide comprehensive early childhood education. They help prepare young kids socially, emotionally and cognitively to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Programs like this have a real impact on kids and families.

Teachers know better than anyone the impact early investment can have on kids going into kindergarten and the difference it can make in the years to come. When Laura Kelly is governor, Kansas will invest more in programs like this that benefit our children, improve our future work force, and prevent challenges later in life.

It’s really not rocket science: put kids on the right path at an early age – and keep them there. It’s how families succeed, it’s how our economy succeeds, and it’s how Kansas succeeds.

Because of Laura’s commitment and work on behalf of children, she recently received the 2018 Distinguished Service to Children Award and the Friend of Education Award.

Fund K-12 Schools
After growing up in a military family, Laura Kelly moved to Kansas for the promise of top-notch schools. And both her daughters got a world class education because of great schools and teachers. But in recent years, our schools have been put at risk.

Sam Brownback made the largest cut to Kansas schools in state history – resulting in larger class sizes, a shorter school week, and pay freezes for teachers. Laura Kelly fought back. She stood up for students, teachers and parents and worked to restore funding to our classrooms.

Laura helped lead the bipartisan effort to reverse the Brownback tax experiment and put Kansas on the road to recovery. She supported significant new investments in public schools to repair the damage done by Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer.

As governor, Laura Kelly will make our schools her top priority. Her vision for Kansas means our schools will have the resources to provide a great education to all our students – no matter where they live. Our kids will get all the support they need to learn and grow. And our teachers will finally get the respect and support they deserve.

Parents, teachers and business owners get it. They know that great schools – and early learning programs – are the key to a bright future and growing economy. Laura Kelly will be the Education Governor that Kansans deserve.

Support Technical, Higher Education
Laura Kelly has a vision of education that spans from early childhood to K-12 to college to the workforce. Because every step along the way is important: a chance for Kansas to do right by our kids and their parents – or to let them down. Technical education, job training, and higher education is a top priority for Laura.

Laura knows that there are many good paying jobs available that do not require a 4-year degree. She has been a strong supporter of job training and efforts to provide incentives to attend technical or trade schools. She will work to expand these opportunities as governor.

Due to cuts made by the Brownback-Colyer Administration, tuition has gone up at a faster rate. As a result, we are pricing students out of college. This year, Laura led the fight to restore funding to higher education. She will work with the Board of Regents to address the rise in tuition and provide relief for Kansas families.

Improve Student Mental Health
Laura Kelly’s lifelong mission has been to do right by kids. Right out of college, she went to work with troubled teens. Later, she worked with children struggling with mental health issues. And she has continued to be a champion for mental health ever since – especially when it comes to our children.

When cuts were made to public schools, psychologist and social workers were some of the first positions to be eliminated. That had a serious impact on students and their mental health. Laura knows that students must have access to quality mental health services in their schools.

Laura supports adding additional new psychologists and social workers to assist students. These positions are of the utmost importance. Laura recommends that these positions be hired by community mental health centers, safety net clinics, or other local behavioral health partners so that they are available year-round, even when school is not in session.

We must do more for our children – and mental health support is critical.

Public Safety
Passing common sense gun legislation
Whether in Lawrence, Kansas, or Parkland, Florida or anywhere else, our children shouldn’t be afraid to go to school. Parents shouldn’t fear dropping their kids off in the morning. And teachers shouldn’t feel threatened while in the classroom due to gun violence.

Laura Kelly has always been a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and believes Kansans have the right to purchase firearms to keep their families safe and hunt. But she also recognizes the need to take effective steps to keep our children and families safe. That’s why two years ago Laura Kelly voted to keep guns out of public hospitals, mental health centers and college campuses. She also voted for a bill that makes it illegal for anyone convicted of domestic violence to possess a gun.

Laura will work to implement common sense gun safeguards – like requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning bump stocks, and limiting access to the types of assault weapons that were designed for war. That’s why Moms Demand Action named her a Gun Sense Candidate this year. She will bring people together – law enforcement officials, school officials, mental health and public health experts, parents – to find common ground and meaningful solutions to this problem.

Funding Public Safety
Due to the Brownback experiment, funding to all areas of state government has been cut to the bone. That includes public safety. As a result, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and local law enforcement agencies have suffered and the safety of Kansans has been put at risk.

Using her budget expertise, Laura Kelly will stabilize the state’s budget and invest in public safety again. This will allow the KBI to once again provide investigative support to small communities or the highway patrol to fill current jobs to keep Kansans safe on roads all across the state.

Rural Prosperity
Laura Kelly: A Vision for Rural Prosperity
All Kansans should have access to a high quality of life, regardless of their zip code. Yet for too long, rural Kansas has been left behind – the majority of rural counties losing population nonstop since 1920. Making a bad situation worse, the policies of the Brownback-Colyer Administration have devastated many rural communities. We have seen healthcare facilities close; industries relocate; schools close or go to 4-day weeks; infrastructure projects delayed; and kids leave for metropolitan areas.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can and must do better.

The Kelly Administration will ensure that all Kansans have the opportunity to live, work, and play in thriving communities, whether it’s in Oberlin or Overland Park, Leoti or Lawrence, Garden City or Kansas City.

Rural economic development is about creatively leveraging local resources to create a quality of life in rural Kansas that is second to none.

An interconnected, strategic plan for rural economic development will be a hallmark of the Kelly Administration. This plan includes:

* Developing Rural housing
* Revitalizing Main Street corridors
* Investing in Rural Infrastructure
* Supporting Rural Hospitals and Medical Professional Recruitment
* Making State Government Work for Rural Kansas
* Incentivizing Active Tourism
* Supporting Agribusiness

Housing
Access to quality housing is a necessity for all Kansans, but in too many rural communities an aging and deteriorating housing stock is the reality. A lack of quality housing – and the resulting loss of population – creates a ripple effect on schools, businesses, and local governments. The Kelly Administration will focus on improving rural housing:

* Provide tax credits to encourage the development of upper-floor housing in rural downtowns. Main streets aren’t just the emotional hearts of small communities; they’re also part of the solution to rural housing needs. By incentivizing the construction of upper floor apartments on commercial corridors, local investors can breathe new life into historic buildings while bringing vitality back to main street. These new residents living upstairs can, in turn, help support small-scale retail uses in ground floor spaces that too often sit vacant today.
* Work with community foundations. Community foundations are vital to providing local solutions to local problems. They can and should take a leading role in working with state government, industry leaders and others to make targeted housing investments that are tailored to the specific needs of local communities. This could include using impact investing to finance new/rehab housing; supporting local building trades programs in high schools; and making targeted grants to conduct housing needs assessments.
* Encourage colleges to develop housing in downtown areas. Thousands of rural Kansas community college and university students live in student housing on campus. The Kelly Administration will incentivize partnerships between higher ed, local governments and private developers to construct new student housing in downtown corridors, rather than on campus, just as Pittsburg State University and the city of Pittsburg have done with the “Block 22” project.
* Develop new programs for community-based organizations to educate first-time homebuyers on the importance of building equity through homeownership; methods and programs to support saving for down payments; and methods to improve credit scores.

Main Street
Historic downtowns are the heart and soul of Kansas communities. Yet across our state these once-bustling corridors have suffered from years of disinvestment caused by retirements, population loss, and changes in shopping patterns. More broadly, access to basic services—like being able to go to a grocery store—has been eroded across our state. The Kelly Administration believes that rural downtowns can be brought back to life through a focus on three key strategies:

* Provide incentives for capital investments of at least $20,000 in structures on commercial corridors in communities of 25,000 or less.
* Recruit artists to rural Kansas. The creative sector is a powerful economic driver that has revitalized countless struggling urban neighborhoods, where artists are attracted to large, inexpensive live/work spaces. Rural communities have an abundance of these same spaces, but there’s been no coordinated effort to package and market these opportunities to artists seeking the next place to create. The Kelly Administration will coordinate state resources with local partners and private developers to ensure that artists are connected to places where they can live, work and become part of the community fabric.
* Support Rural Grocery Stores. Access to healthy food at fair prices is essential to quality of life. Yet across Kansas rural grocery stores are closing. The Kelly Administration will work with local economic development officials; community foundations; the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University; statewide philanthropies; and grocery store operators to ensure that healthy food is within reach of all Kansans.

Rural Infrastructure
All Kansans deserve and expect a first-class transportation system—especially those in rural areas – and digital infrastructure. Years of disinvestment by the Brownback-Colyer Administration has done tremendous damage to our state’s roads, with often disastrous effects on rural communities.

Notably, most of rural Kansas is eliminated from competing for new industry because nearly all new manufacturing prospects seeking sites require access to 4-lane highways. Simply put, the deck is unfairly stacked against rural Kansas without major new investments in transportation. Not only that, a lack of good broadband access in rural areas limits the ability to attract or expand businesses and impacts the resources available to our schools.

The Kelly Administration will get rural Kansas moving again by passing a major, 10-year transportation plan that makes broad investments in highways across Kansas, particularly in rural areas. They will also make expanding and improving broadband access in rural areas a priority.

* 10-year transportation plan that expands four lane highways in rural areas. The following are a few examples of important projects that still need to be completed (there are more):
* US 69 from Bourbon County line to Pittsburg
* US 75 from Holton to Sabetha
* US 50/400 from Dodge City to Cimarron
* K68 from Ottawa to Louisburg
* US 169 from Osawatomie to Coffeyville
* US 56 from McPherson to Great Bend
* US 54 from Pratt to Wichita
* Expand and Improve broadband access in rural communities. Working with the newly created Statewide Broadband Task Force to identify and address poor service areas. Improving broadband service will support businesses, enhance resources available to schools, and allow citizens to access telemedicine.

Strengthening Rural Hospitals
Every Kansan deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of their zip code. Yet rural communities have suffered disproportionately under the Brownback-Colyer Administration’s refusal to expand Medicaid. The result has been hospital closures; nursing home closures; and huge uncompensated care burdens that fall on local taxpayers. The Kelly Administration will focus its rural healthcare efforts on:

* Strengthening Rural Hospitals by first expanding Medicaid, which is essential to the survival of rural hospitals and the communities they serve. It is also vital to expand the Community Service Tax Credits program to ensure that hospitals have the resources they need to purchase high quality medical equipment.
* Supporting Recruitment of Medical Providers. Western Kansas has shown that cooperation between communities in the recruitment of medical providers can improve both recruitment and retention rates. The Kelly Administration will help expand this promising model statewide by working with regions facing waves of retiring providers where one hospital or practice can’t support a new provider alone, but multiple communities that share that provider can.

Building a Mobile State Government
For generations, rural Kansans have been able to access core government services relatively close to home: renewing drivers’ licenses; applying for food benefits; even talking to a local KDOT official about snow removal on the highway. Brownback-Colyer cut Kansans off from THEIR state government by closing KDOT offices, DMV stations, and DCF offices across rural Kansas. These closures not only make life difficult for residents needing to access key government services, but they have devastated rural economies—and families—with unnecessary layoffs of dedicated public servants. The Kelly Administration will reconnect rural communities to their state government by:

* Restoring key government services in rural communities impacted by Brownback-Colyer cuts. Wherever possible the Kelly Administration will restore rural DCF and KDOT services in rural communities. If possible, they will re-open shuttered offices. If it is not possible, the Administration will focus on creating partnerships with local communities so staff from state agencies can hold regular office hours through office sharing or a mobile office approach to government services.
* Establishing the Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP). The severity of the challenges facing rural Kansas, and the magnitude of the opportunity in these communities, demands a major overhaul of the way state government serves rural areas. The ORP would be charged with ensuring that investments by state agencies are aligned with the needs of rural communities; marketing and promoting rural Kansas as a place to live, work and visit; and developing ongoing policy priorities to ensure that rural Kansans are served by their state government.

Manufacturing
Rural Kansans are legendary for their work ethic, ingenuity and ability to solve problems, which is why scores of manufacturers still call rural Kansas home. But their continued presence is threatened by a lack of access to young people with the skills needed in today’s economy, and Brownback-Colyer’s dismantling of the Kansas Department of Commerce, which has left the agency and its local economic development partners with almost no tools to recruit or retain manufacturers. The Kelly Administration will put a laser-like focus on growing the manufacturing sector in rural Kansas by:

* Building a highly skilled labor pool.We must invest in career and technical education that leverages creative partnerships between employers, USDs and higher education to grow and retain talented young people interested in manufacturing.
* Facilitating Retention and Recruitment Efforts. Encouraging expansion and capital investment by manufacturers is vitally important, and it requires smart tools if we are to be successful in a highly competitive national and international recruitment environment. The Kelly Administration will focus on renewal and rebuilding of the state’s economic development tools and expertise in order to grow advanced manufacturing in Kansas. These new tools will be available to both existing and new manufacturers and the creation of the tools will be informed by a strong public/private partnership.

Active Tourism
Kansas has unrivaled natural beauty. Rural Kansans are in closest contact with this beauty and stand to benefit most from a coordinated effort to market the state to tourists seeking hunting, fishing, cycling, hiking and agri-tourism opportunities – as well as unique shopping, dining and lodging experiences – in our state’s small towns. The Kelly Administration is committed to supporting Active Tourism efforts including:

* Supporting new investments in overnight lodging in designated rural areas including hotels, inns, cabins, Airbnbs, and bed and breakfasts;
* Supporting new investments by businesses providing services to tourists including outfitters; bike rental and repair; wineries and breweries; shuttle services; conference facilities; and farm stands.
* Prioritizing state investments in the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to enhance community linkages to the state’s natural assets, including lakes and trails.

Agribusiness
Agriculture is the lifeblood of our state, and is central to our identity as Kansans. The Kelly Administration will focus intently on ensuring that the state’s immediate and long-term agricultural needs are addressed:

* Water. The 2015 Long Term Vision for the Future of the Water Supply in Kansas laid out a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to managing our state’s most precious and vital natural resource. Unfortunately, most of the Vision’s recommendations have not been implemented. The Kelly Administration will develop a plan to prioritize funding for key elements of the Vision in partnership with local and regional partners. This will include not only a focus on water quantity, but also on ensuring that emerging issues of water quality are being addressed.
* Corporate Farming. Kansas needlessly got a black eye from the Brownback-Colyer fiasco in Tonganoxie, where a lack of transparency and preparation left residents angry, Tyson angry, and our state losing a massive investment. We can do better, by acknowledging that corporate farming is an important part of our agricultural sector and that our state needs reasonable regulations to balance the interests of communities and corporate farms. Corporate interests and local communities need predictability and clarity around whether residents will support both corporate farms and stand-alone processing operations, and whether these communities have the infrastructure and growers required to support these operations. The Kelly Administration will direct state agencies to be meaningful partners in working with local communities seeking corporate farming and/or processing operations to evaluate their readiness—water and wastewater infrastructure, housing, schools—so that communities are prepared to compete successfully for corporate farms, and so corporate interests have predictability and know what they’re getting when they select a community.
* Supporting Local Producers. Farmers growing produce for sale to their communities should have easy access to local markets, as well support in expanding the size and scale of their operations to meet the needs of larger-scale buyers. The Kelly Administration will work to eliminate red tape keeping local producers from selling at farmers’ markets, as well as eliminating barriers to selling to local school districts, nursing homes and supermarkets.[42]

|  ”

|
|

—Laura Kelly for Kansas[43]

###  Kris Kobach[edit]

Kobach's campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Jobs
Donald Trump’s historic election and the resulting economic boom has created vasts sums of wealth and thousands of jobs for American workers–and Kansas is no exception. As governor, I will take the same low tax, low regulation policies that have fired up the American economic engine and bring them to Kansas

My running mate Wink Hartman, has created tens of thousands of jobs, during his time as an entrepreneur. Wink Harman and I have a plan to keep Kansas moving forward. By keeping taxes and regulatory burdens low, we can unleash the power of entrepreneurs and job creators to bring high-paying jobs to hard-working Kansans. Under our leadership, we will bring manufacturing jobs back to Kansas. By supporting vocational education programs and ensuring Kansas has a skilled labor force to take advantage of economic growth.

Education
I support public education and believe we must focus on connecting students to fulfilling careers. Currently, only 53 cents of every tax dollar that is sent to our schools goes to classrooms.1 The rest gets swallowed up by administrators, and other programs that don’t directly benefit Kansas students. As Governor, we will direct more of the money into classrooms for things like teacher pay, books, and computers. My plan would ensure 75 percent of education funding is spent in the classroom.

By properly investing in our children’s future, we can build a brighter, better future for Kansas students. That starts with preparing our children for jobs in the 21st century. By developing new partnerships with trade schools and other job training programs, we can ensure our children have the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

End the Culture of Corruption, Enact Term Limits
Topeka has a culture of corruption. Part of the problem is that some in Topeka have just been there too long. How long? One leader of the opposition party has been there since Gerald Ford was President. Others have merely exchanged their legislative badges for lobbyist badges and are busy cashing in on the offices Kansans entrusted them with. This is wrong. We need term limits for all legislative and statewide elected officials.

Spending and Taxes
While state spending was increasing, my office reduced its budget from $7 million to $4.7 million. We didn’t do that by cutting services, in fact we took on additional responsibilities. We did this by modernizing our office procedures, utilizing electronic communications, and modeling our office after the private sector.

In addition to cutting wasteful spending, I will fight stealth tax hikes from property appraisal increases so entrepreneurs can invest in their communities again. I’m proposing capping property tax appraisals so that no one person’s property can increase in value more than 2 percent in a year and limit appraisals to every 2-3 years, giving homeowners stability in the amount of taxes they can expect to pay on their property. Limiting the amount of money that property owners have to pay to the government opens up money that can be invested in new business and construction projects across Kansas.

Illegal Immigration
Strong borders are essential to our nation and to our State. They are essential to fighting terrorism, essential to fighting crime, and essential to protecting American workers. And the only way to combat a problem as severe as a lawless immigration system is to have action at both the federal and the state level.

Unfortunately, Kansas has become the sanctuary state of the Midwest. We are the only state in the 5-state area that has done nothing to discourage illegal immigration.

This hurts Kansas taxpayers. This puts Kansans’ jobs at risk. And it puts Kansans’ lives at risk. We can solve this problem in Kansas. But it takes leadership and political will. I’ll get the job done.

Life
As a husband and father of five daughters, I know there is nothing more precious than the life of a child. Thanks to the tireless work of pro-life advocates, Kansas has taken significant steps in recent years to safeguard and protect the lives of the unborn. As Governor, I will do everything in my power to protect, preserve and enhance the culture of life in Kansas. It is of utmost importance to me personally to safeguard innocent human life from conception until natural death.

The 2nd Amendment
I'm a gun owner, a sportsman and an avid hunter. I’m also a husband and father. Self-defense is one of our most basic human rights. Yet anti-gun forces have been working overtime to restrict your right to keep and bear arms. Allowing citizens to protect themselves and their families is a Constitutional right that is bestowed on every American. As Governor, I will fight to safeguard and defend your right to keep and bear arms.[42]

|  ”

|
|

—Kansans for Kobach[44]

###  Greg Orman[edit]

Orman's campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Making Government Work For The People Again
To lead Kansas into the future, Greg Orman will employ a collaborative and open approach that ensures our government is working for the people, not special interests or national party agendas.

Greg will leave behind the political animosity and partisan gridlock that has been holding us back for far too long. We need to focus on the right things—the things that will move the needle in making life better for all Kansans—and work on them in the right way to spur the innovation required to create better outcomes and lasting results. In order to do this, he will focus on fair elections with full transparency, a common sense approach to governing, and a culture of involvement, innovation, and problem-solving.

Greg’s promise to the people of Kansas is that the Governor’s office will no longer be walled off from the public—it will no longer only be open to people who agree with the Governor, but will actively work to involve all Kansans.

Greg will institute office hours and expand citizen advocates while ensuring equal representation of women on Governor-appointed boards. In fact, he will make all appointments merit-based with individuals of any political stripe who are committed to transparency and collaboration.

In an effort to increase transparency in the legislative process, Greg will end the process of introducing bills anonymously—Kansans deserve to know who’s introducing legislation so that they can examine the motives behind a bill: Greg won’t sign any bill placed on his desk that doesn’t have an author attached. There will also be increased transparency in legislative committees and agency proceedings, all major votes in all committees will be recorded, and committee meetings will be available online, especially when public testimony is being offered.

Additionally, Greg will propose legislation to prohibit lawmakers, appointed officials and senior staff members from registering as a lobbyist for three years after leaving office. Public service shouldn’t be a stepping stone to a high-paying career lobbying your former colleagues. This prohibition will apply fully to the senior level appointees in his administration. Greg will end the practice of lobbyists contributing to or bundling contributions to give to lawmakers. Lobbyists can provide helpful insight, but they shouldn’t be able to buy votes with campaign contributions.

One of Orman’s signature issues is openness in government. He said he plans to make Kansas government “the most transparent, effective, and accountable government in the nation.”

Voter Rights
Greg will work to make elections fairer, create more electoral competition, and establish greater accountability of elected officials to serve the needs of voters.

Our goal should be to encourage as many Kansans as possible to participate in our elections, which is the lifeblood of our democracy. But we also want to ensure the integrity of our election process so that only those eligible to vote do so.

When Greg ran for the United States Senate in 2014, the response to the campaign was to try to modify the laws to make it more difficult for Independents to run and win. Instead of looking inward and saying, “how do we do more to earn the votes of Kansans," partisans were saying, “how do we rig the rules to avoid accountability."

And they’re at it again in 2018!

Greg supports same-day voter registration to encourage more eligible Kansas voters to go to the polls. Any candidate who believes in her or his message, qualifications, and intentions should want as many people voting as possible.

The voter ID law that was used by the Kansas secretary of state to suppress votes was supported by the vast majority of our legislature, including other gubernatorial candidates; and both major parties have been using tactics for decades to try rig elections for their advantage so that they can avoid true accountability to voters.

This is not acceptable–the right to vote is a pillar of American democracy. Any suppression cannot be tolerated.

Economic Development
If we want to protect our way of life, provide for an increasingly dependent population, and create the jobs and opportunities that keep our kids here, we have to approach things very differently. Greg Orman has spent the last 27 years growing businesses and helping them chart a positive path to the future through proactive strategies. Working with cities, counties, and institutions across the state, Greg can build on this experience to grow the Kansas economy by creating the right environment, making the right investments, and eliminating barriers to job creation and economic growth.

It’s the government’s responsibility to create an environment that’s conducive to private sector growth. In order to do so, Kansas needs a proactive economic development strategy that leverages our state’s strengths–geographic location, wind and solar resources, leadership in agriculture–and addresses regional obstacles to growth, while ensuring that corporate, educational and state resources are fully aligned and creating opportunities for Kansas and its citizens.

Developing the state’s workforce is vital to the success of our economy and protecting our quality of life—and we need to focus on all issues keeping parts of the population from being fully engaged in the economy. This will include initiatives such creating better pathways to technical education, including loan funds for certificate programs and support for public/private partnerships in technical education, as well as building a coordinated program to encourage military personnel who serve in Kansas to stay in Kansas.

Finally, Greg will work hard make sure the nation sees the true Kansas—a leader, a state that is welcoming to all, and a place where our children are inspired to build their lives.

Budget
Through a combination of ideology, stubbornness, and neglect, the Brownback administration blew a hole in the Kansas budget and threatened the existence of the basic infrastructure all Kansans depend on from our schools to our hospitals, institutions that are the cornerstones of our many communities. This fiscal irresponsibility in pursuit of lower taxes without the commensurate cuts to actual spending resulted in underfunded pensions, depleted transportation trusts funds and attempts to sell assets like the tobacco settlement dollars. This reckless, politically-driven experiment put all of Kansas at risk, making our state a cautionary example for the entire nation.

Greg believes that managing the budget responsibility goes far beyond the simplistic argument that has been focused on how much or how little to spend. The real challenge is balancing the budget in a way that doesn’t mortgage the future to pay for the present. We need to make smart decisions that make the government more efficient and effective. This means evaluating programs through the lens of outcomes and making sure we are measuring results—if something works, we should scale it, and if not, we should move to test something else. The core metric needs to be job creation and the quality of those jobs.

Greg will focus on results for the people of Kansas, results that are sustainable in the context of a changing world where competitive benchmarks are rising daily. He will invest in and reshape our economic engines, creating high-quality jobs that allow our state the freedom to invest in critical resources that preserve our way of life.

Taxes
The Brownback tax plan was a mistake. It was not the “shot of adrenaline in the arm of the Kansas economy” that Brownback said it would be; as a result, Kansas’ economy has lagged significantly behind neighboring states. Unfortunately, it took the state getting to a point of crisis before the legislature came together to repeal that plan.

The plan led to significant increases in property taxes as the burden to provide services and resources shifted from Topeka to local governments. Many Kansans have told Greg that they are being priced out of their homes as a result of the Brownback tax plan. Farmers feel equally burdened with rising property taxes and lower incomes.

The tax plan was patently unfair. That’s why Greg led and supported the efforts of Save Kansas Coalition—including initiatives like Mainstream Coalition, Reroute the Roadmap, and Women for Kansas—which was instrumental in reclaiming Kansas from further damage.

As Governor, Greg would oppose efforts to rewrite the law pursued toward the end of last legislative session. (This law would redirect additional revenues as a result of federal income tax changes from the state to individuals, largely favoring the wealthiest.) Greg believes we should maintain a stable tax policy until we fully understand the financial impact of repealing the Brownback tax plan and have addressed the funding needs of a number of our agencies that have been starved for resources the past several years.

Greg Orman on Brownback’s legacy: “He will be most remembered for his failed tax policy.”

Renewable Energy
Greg will work hard to build on the state’s natural advantages and make Kansas a national leader in wind and solar.

We have abundant wind and solar resources. We are currently the fifth leading producer of wind energy in the country, but given our wind resources we could be second only to Texas if we fully leveraged those resources. Likewise, we have abundant sunshine in Western Kansas.

Fully developing these resources, however, will require us to expand markets for renewable electricity. Currently, we have excess renewable power due to the intermittency of wind energy and its location relative to where we demand electricity. The net result of this has been higher energy costs as we continue to pay for renewable energy capacity that isn’t fully utilized. So, the key to optimizing the economic opportunities associated with these resources is to build more demand for it.

To foster this increase in demand, Greg will evaluate creating an interconnect between Kansas and Mountain West to allow us to export renewable energy into Colorado; he will give our electric utilities the freedom to enter into renewable only electric tariffs with their customers; and he will evaluate the creation of massive electric semi recharging stations to reinforce our leadership in transportation and logistics and create demand for off-peak wind energy.

With clean energy, Doll added that southwest Kansas would need to be ahead of the game and be innovative and open up markets.

Transportation
Kansas should be the distribution and intermodal manufacturing capital of America. We are at the geographic center of the United States at a time when our economy is quickly moving from a brick-and-mortar economy to a digital economy. We’re already seeing some progress in this area, but could dramatically accelerate growth with the right policies. We also have three Class 1 railroads that travel through Kansas—the largest short haul railroad in America is headquartered in Pittsburg. Finally, we have access to low cost manufacturing inputs in the form of agricultural products and renewable energy.

To leverage this geographical strength, Greg will look to add $80 million a year to our infrastructure spending over the next four years. His priorities will include the full expansion of I-69 to 4 lanes and, in southwest Kansas, Hwy 54, 400, and 81 expansion. The state should target funding to regions willing to enter into local regulatory compacts to streamline the permitting process. Kansas has seen the impacts of a state highway fund depleted to pay for the failed Brownback tax plan. Repairs to key infrastructure have been ignored, and new transportation projects that would drive economic expansion have been put on hold. Funding should be protected.

Additionally, we should enter into local regulatory compacts to streamline the permitting and regulatory processes at the local level; and we will establish job functions within the Department of Commerce to specifically recruit internet and manufacturing companies that will clearly benefit from the geographic centrality of Kansas and the other advantages described above.

Orman says to build Great Bend and the rest of Kansas, the state needs to focus on its major strength—distribution

Industrial Hemp
Greg will do everything in his power to help our agriculture sector thrive, including passing legislation that gives farmers the freedom to farm industrial hemp as soon as the federal government changes the law. Allowing farmers the freedom to choose an additional cash crop makes all the sense in the world.

Industrial hemp uses half the water of wheat, producing significantly more profit per acre, and has thousands of uses including the production of paper, textiles, and construction materials. Senator John Doll has been a leading advocate for giving farmers the freedom to farm industrial hemp. As federal law evolves to allow for the commercial production of hemp, Kansas needs to be a leader in creating tools that allow us to quickly capitalize on this opportunity: production facilities for hemp-based products will be built to accommodate this anticipated change in federal law—Greg wants to ensure that many of those facilities get built in Kansas.

Education
Greg Orman fully recognizes the invaluable contribution that these selfless and dedicated teachers and instructors make—both Greg’s running mate, Senator John Doll, and Greg’s wife, Sybil Orman, have been career educators and coaches.

Greg will work hard to ensure that local communities, boards and educators are able to focus on increased student performance and closing achievement gaps rather than on the constant fear of funding cuts or how to create an eleventh-hour budget. Greg will treat the education interests of Kansas families, children, and communities as a public good of the greatest value. Because we invest in public education, Kansas will be the place where future generations chose to live, work and raise their families.

Greg will embrace innovation across the system, creating an outcome-based innovation model while establishing a culture that identifies best practices within and outside the state and shares them broadly with teachers who are, in turn, recognized for these innovations—he will focus on opportunities to improve outcomes and productivity through the use of technology.

Preparing students for a career in Kansas will be our most critical task. Greg will work hard to give all children the necessary skill set for a competitive world—including career and technical education.

Additionally, keeping education talent in Kansas is crucial—but the state is experiencing difficulty in recruiting teachers given low pay levels in Kansas where average teacher pay is $41k per year versus a national average of $58k. Greg will provide competitive salaries and benefits and ensure that KPERS has the resources to honor its current and future obligations. And Greg will support the state's outstanding teachers' colleges by working to reduce the shortage of STEM, special education and specialty discipline educators with student loan forgiveness programs to reward those teachers who choose to work in the schools of greatest need.

Finally, Greg will ensure that our schools are safe by working with the Kansas Department of Education as the agency to serve as clearinghouse for safety, security best practices and resources; additionally, we will foster coordination between the education community, law enforcement and social services in identifying and abating risks.

Orman said improving K-12 education requires innovative solutions, which he would rather focus on than considering any constitutional amendment

Q&A: Independent candidate for Kansas governor Greg Orman discusses student issues, policy, Brownback

School Finance Reform
Greg will tackle the critical task of bringing Kansas education to adequate funding levels in 2019 and beyond as our Constitution requires. He will also be focused on making sure property taxes remain fair and equitable throughout the state, and will lead the legislature to ensure compliance.

The Courts have often cautioned–and again as recently as June 25–against allowing local option budgets from getting too large to maintain equalization. From what we have observed, we are not certain all legislators fully understand property tax equity. Some appear not to know that a mill is not a mill in different locations across our state. One mill in the richest school district might buy a jumbo jet, while one mill in the poorest district might afford an annual subscription to Scientific American. While an exaggeration, it illustrates the issue that could again get the legislature crosswise with the Constitution if we do not work to maintain a fine balance. Greg will remain vigilant and respect the court’s caution.

Tensions rising around school funding

Local Control of Public Education
Kansans highly value local control—the Kansas Constitution says public schools are to be maintained, developed, and operated by locally elected school boards—and it will remain a main tenant of education policy in an Orman administration. As a practical matter, the state cannot intimately manage every school in Kansas nor would we want it to. Local school boards have up-close, hands-on knowledge of their schools and are best equipped to make decisions that serve the local education community. Currently Topeka looks to local school boards for innovations and successes and failures for all districts to learn from—Greg believes this to be a system that works well

Public Tax Credits for Private Education
Greg recognizes that private schools play an important role in education. But he will not divert taxpayer dollars to subsidize private school tuitions. It’s never in the best interest of Kansas to fund private schools at the expense of public education.

Kansas, as reflected in its Constitution, has always valued education as a necessary public good. The tax credits are a work-around to rob the public good for a few. This kind of logic could lead someone to ask for a property tax credit from the municipal park system to pay for a private club membership. A contribution to a private school scholarship fund is an act of charity and generosity; as such, donors should receive a charitable gift deduction.

Healthcare
Access to affordable healthcare is one the most critical issues facing Kansans. Since 1991, Kansas has gone from being the eighth healthiest state in the nation to the 25th in 2017. This decline has occurred through Democrat and Republican administrations. In short, we have been failing Kansans in the area of health policy for over two decades.

Greg Orman believes that we must prioritize addressing care gaps in Kansas—there are roughly 240,000 Kansans who aren’t covered by health insurance. Regardless of the reason, coverage gaps lead to higher system wide costs as patients get care in the wrong place (the ER) for the wrong reason (chronic conditions) at the wrong time (too late). If we address these care gaps, we can improve the health of Kansans, improve our economy, and help people live fruitful, productive lives in Kansas.

Greg will also give responsible Medicaid expansion the full support of the Governor’s office. Without Medicaid expansion, we send a terrible message to hard working Kansans who don’t make a lot of money: we tell them if they get sick, they should quit their job—that’s the wrong message. We need to be building pathways so that people can improve their lives and contribute more, not throw up obstacles. A $12 an hour job in Kansas without health insurance is much less desirable than a $12 an hour job in one of the 33 states that have expanded Medicaid.

As Greg has traveled the state and spoken to the administrators at many of the regional hospitals, it has become clear that the state’s healthcare infrastructure in the state is on the brink of failing financially. Medicaid expansion would help shore up our healthcare infrastructure that so many Kansans rely on for care.

We can expand Medicaid in a responsible way and ensure some level of patient participation in the costs as their incomes rise. This will also allow us move to a population health approach that keeps people healthy instead of simply taking care of them when they’re sick. The net result should be significantly expanded coverage with very little cost to the state of Kansas.

Greg will veto any efforts to take away Medicare from Kansans.

“I think we send a terrible message to those that are working but not making high incomes in Kansas, and that’s, ‘If you get sick, quit your job, because it may be the only way you can afford health care,’ ” Orman said.

Women's Health
Greg supports access to women’s reproductive healthcare services consistent with the current law because he will not go back to a time when women did these procedures in unsafe or unsanitary environments.

We cannot abandon women. These are tough choices that are not made lightly. We need to help them through, either way. This is an issue where partisanship tends to mask the common ground that exists. All sides on this issue would like to see fewer abortions. The question is how do we get there.

In order to reduce the number of abortions we need to look at the root causes. And the root causes are access to contraception, economic issues and education. In Colorado, young people who came into family planning clinics were given the option of long run contraception; as a result, they saw the abortion rate over five years decline by 35% among that group of people.

Greg understands this is a big issue for a lot of people—and he understands that a lot of people who are pro-life come to that position out of a place of love and caring and faith—especially where state funding of non-abortion services at Planned Parenthood is concerned; but he also knows we are not going to reduce the number of abortions by making it more difficult for women to get contraceptives and health care services.

All of Kansas
Greg Orman will support economic development in rural Kansas. The state of Kansas has a long track record of agricultural leadership and rural Kansas has historically been a backbone of the state economy. Rural Kansas has also been a backbone of the family culture in Kansas and offered an unmatched quality of life to its citizens—rural Kansas is a treasure that offers people the ability to build a special life for themselves and their families.

Unfortunately, rural Kansas has struggled in recent years as the agricultural landscape has evolved and as an increasing number of Kansans have migrated to urban areas or out of state. This migration is threatening the financial stability of rural areas as it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain basic services as population levels drop. These problems will not be solved by merely defaulting to the typical political “fixes” of tax cuts and subsidies which are very blunt instruments. Rural Kansas needs—and deserves—greater focus in supporting it in building its economy.

Luckily, rural Kansas has numerous assets that it can use to build its economy through growing current industries and creating new industries. Doing this will support rural Kansans with jobs and will help pay for the basic infrastructure needed to support their quality of life. In addition, we must also innovate to improve the delivery of basic services and housing for rural Kansans that will be required to retain and attract workers to rural Kansas. Rural Kansas has the opportunity to participate in our changing economy and to prosper while also maintaining the quality of life and values that make it unique.

For Kansas to succeed, rural Kansas must succeed
Greg will eliminate barriers to agricultural production and profitability for Kansas farmers and support them in ensuring that they have adequate water resources. The Kansas agricultural sector is an example for the nation but we need to do everything in power to support it in building its leadership position and ensuring that it has the resources—particularly water—required to flourish

He will also ensure that the digital and innovation infrastructure is in place to support new industries, enabling rural Kansas to become a hub for digitally based companies. The digital economy offers a unique opportunity for rural Kansas since it opens the door for work to be performed remotely. We need to ensure that we are fully equipped to take advantage of this opportunity and encourage new businesses in these areas.

Additionally, he will leverage our natural advantages in wind and solar. Kansas has the opportunity to leverage its resources to lead in solar and wind. To achieve this, we need to focus on enabling our supply of solar and wind both from a generation and a transmission and distribution standpoint and explore opportunities to spur demand of this power.

Finally, he will ensure that the social infrastructure is in place to support rural Kansas. If we cannot sustain and improve the quality of life in rural Kansas, then we will not have the workforce needed to capture the economic development opportunities that it has before it. We need to create solutions in a number of areas ranging from solving the rural housing gap to explore using new technologies to support the efficient delivery of basic services such as education and healthcare. By doing this, we can ensure that rural Kansas never has to forego opportunities for lack of talent to pursue them.

Second Amendment
Greg Orman is a gun owner and certainly doesn’t want to impede the rights of his fellow Kansans to own or purchase guns. But he also believes that we can proudly bear our arms and have responsible firearm laws. The safety of our children and citizens doesn’t have to be at odds with gun ownership—it doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. Greg believes we should revisit the question of what arms Americans are entitled to bear; in doing so, Greg would repeat the assertions of Brian Mast, the Republican congressman and veteran from Florida: “The Second Amendment is unimpeachable. I accept, however, that it does not guarantee that every civilian can bear any and all arms.”

Greg would work to strengthen our background check system. As the NRA has suggested, plugging the holes in our mental health and law enforcement reporting systems would be a good start. That would be in vain, however, if the same person could simply buy a weapon in a private transaction without a background check. As a gun owner, Greg passed a background check—it’s a simple process, takes a few minutes, and didn’t impede his second amendment rights. The people who are denied gun ownership because of a background check have generally either been judged to be mentally ill, convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than a year in prison, dishonorably discharged from the military, or subject to a domestic abuse restraining order.

Greg believes that we need to re-institute training for individuals that want a concealed carry permit in Kansas. Firearm safety is an important issue to gun owners and non-gun owners alike. The idea that someone can a carry a concealed weapon without a minutes training in Kansas is a clear example of legislators putting politics ahead of public safety.

Finally, Greg would consider raising the age for purchases of military-style semi-automatic rifles to 21 and require additional screening for such purchases; he would also work to stop the sale of bump stocks, high-capacity magazines and any other accessory that allows legal firearms to be easily converted into weapons of mass murder.

Medical Cannabis
Greg Orman supports legalizing cannabis for medicinal use. It’s time for Topeka to wake up and put Kansans' needs ahead of the pharmaceutical industry.

This is a humanitarian issue. We shouldn't have people at their most vulnerable feeling like criminals. We shouldn't have people treating the effects of chemotherapy feeling like they're breaking the law.

Medical cannabis has been proven effective in treating the symptoms from conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, and arthritis, as well as pain management.

Greg will give providers authorized to prescribe Schedule II narcotics the freedom to prescribe marijuana as a tool to fight opioid dependence. Greg would also call for the passage of the Kansas Safe Access Act to allow Kansans to use legally prescribed medical marijuana. States that allow physicians to prescribe medical cannabis as part of pain-management protocols—and allow citizens to use it—see statistically lower rates of opioid use disorder.[42]

|  ”

|
|

—Orman for Kansas[45]

## Social media[edit]

### Twitter accounts[edit]

Tweets by Laura Kelly Tweets by Kris Kobach Tweets by Greg Orman

### Facebook accounts[edit]

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.
Laura Kelly
Kris Kobach
Greg Orman

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Kansas. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Kansas with 56.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 36.1 percent. In presidential elections between 1864 and 2016, Kansas voted Republican 84.21 percent of the time and Democratic 15.78 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Kansas voted Republican all five times.[46]

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Kansas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[47][48]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 29 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 21.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 34 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 20.9 points. Clinton won six districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 32.8 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 91 out of 125 state House districts in Kansas with an average margin of victory of 35.5 points. Trump won 11 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District |  Obama |  Romney |  2012 Margin |  Clinton |  Trump |  2016 Margin |  Party Control
1  |  34.52%  |  63.35%  | R+28.8  |  23.35%  |  71.63%  | R+48.3  | R
2  |  39.77%  |  57.53%  | R+17.8  |  27.77%  |  66.50%  | R+38.7  | D
3  |  46.36%  |  51.22%  | R+4.9  |  38.05%  |  54.82%  | R+16.8  | D
4  |  30.10%  |  67.41%  | R+37.3  |  20.25%  |  74.79%  | R+54.5  | R
5  |  32.25%  |  65.27%  | R+33  |  23.45%  |  69.48%  | R+46  | R
6  |  29.97%  |  68.18%  | R+38.2  |  26.18%  |  67.84%  | R+41.7  | R
7  |  37.56%  |  60.32%  | R+22.8  |  27.74%  |  66.71%  | R+39  | R
8  |  29.85%  |  68.98%  | R+39.1  |  39.07%  |  55.47%  | R+16.4  | R
9  |  34.83%  |  62.80%  | R+28  |  26.84%  |  66.79%  | R+39.9  | R
10  |  56.98%  |  40.00%  | D+17  |  56.46%  |  35.14%  | D+21.3  | D
11  |  30.79%  |  66.61%  | R+35.8  |  24.48%  |  70.05%  | R+45.6  | R
12  |  22.13%  |  75.66%  | R+53.5  |  16.45%  |  78.95%  | R+62.5  | R
13  |  22.55%  |  75.21%  | R+52.7  |  16.51%  |  77.88%  | R+61.4  | R
14  |  35.33%  |  63.12%  | R+27.8  |  40.81%  |  52.23%  | R+11.4  | R
15  |  41.90%  |  55.57%  | R+13.7  |  42.04%  |  48.78%  | R+6.7  | R
16  |  42.20%  |  56.14%  | R+13.9  |  47.32%  |  45.91%  | D+1.4  | D
17  |  41.27%  |  56.85%  | R+15.6  |  47.24%  |  45.90%  | D+1.3  | R
18  |  43.81%  |  54.18%  | R+10.4  |  45.07%  |  47.41%  | R+2.3  | D
19  |  44.88%  |  53.47%  | R+8.6  |  53.76%  |  39.96%  | D+13.8  | R
20  |  37.95%  |  60.61%  | R+22.7  |  48.15%  |  46.37%  | D+1.8  | R
21  |  50.02%  |  48.02%  | D+2  |  57.77%  |  35.71%  | D+22.1  | D
22  |  52.33%  |  44.57%  | D+7.8  |  52.46%  |  38.89%  | D+13.6  | D
23  |  49.29%  |  48.38%  | D+0.9  |  51.80%  |  40.42%  | D+11.4  | R
24  |  53.41%  |  43.84%  | D+9.6  |  54.71%  |  37.19%  | D+17.5  | D
25  |  50.47%  |  47.54%  | D+2.9  |  59.32%  |  33.38%  | D+25.9  | R
26  |  32.80%  |  65.25%  | R+32.4  |  33.61%  |  58.71%  | R+25.1  | R
27  |  29.93%  |  68.57%  | R+38.6  |  36.38%  |  57.73%  | R+21.4  | R
28  |  31.83%  |  66.95%  | R+35.1  |  42.47%  |  52.42%  | R+9.9  | R
29  |  44.53%  |  53.59%  | R+9.1  |  49.08%  |  44.00%  | D+5.1  | D
30  |  43.67%  |  54.04%  | R+10.4  |  47.90%  |  44.60%  | D+3.3  | R
31  |  68.34%  |  29.12%  | D+39.2  |  64.49%  |  28.46%  | D+36  | D
32  |  70.85%  |  26.33%  | D+44.5  |  69.13%  |  24.93%  | D+44.2  | D
33  |  53.07%  |  44.74%  | D+8.3  |  46.77%  |  46.81%  | R+0  | D
34  |  87.52%  |  11.61%  | D+75.9  |  82.15%  |  14.18%  | D+68  | D
35  |  83.97%  |  14.71%  | D+69.3  |  79.07%  |  17.21%  | D+61.9  | D
36  |  57.58%  |  41.19%  | D+16.4  |  54.32%  |  40.28%  | D+14  | D
37  |  60.83%  |  36.66%  | D+24.2  |  53.70%  |  39.94%  | D+13.8  | D
38  |  34.73%  |  63.29%  | R+28.6  |  30.42%  |  63.22%  | R+32.8  | R
39  |  35.39%  |  62.94%  | R+27.5  |  39.04%  |  53.11%  | R+14.1  | R
40  |  40.75%  |  57.27%  | R+16.5  |  38.32%  |  53.56%  | R+15.2  | D
41  |  46.66%  |  50.70%  | R+4  |  39.81%  |  50.78%  | R+11  | D
42  |  36.18%  |  61.14%  | R+25  |  31.04%  |  61.02%  | R+30  | R
43  |  34.15%  |  63.16%  | R+29  |  31.41%  |  59.98%  | R+28.6  | R
44  |  62.77%  |  34.89%  | D+27.9  |  67.49%  |  25.53%  | D+42  | D
45  |  54.91%  |  42.82%  | D+12.1  |  59.16%  |  33.32%  | D+25.8  | R
46  |  77.64%  |  19.20%  | D+58.4  |  76.44%  |  14.71%  | D+61.7  | D
47  |  38.18%  |  59.43%  | R+21.3  |  31.44%  |  61.94%  | R+30.5  | R
48  |  36.29%  |  62.51%  | R+26.2  |  45.15%  |  48.99%  | R+3.8  | R
49  |  38.40%  |  59.65%  | R+21.3  |  42.61%  |  49.98%  | R+7.4  | R
50  |  37.85%  |  59.91%  | R+22.1  |  32.39%  |  60.99%  | R+28.6  | R
51  |  28.55%  |  68.80%  | R+40.3  |  24.87%  |  67.57%  | R+42.7  | R
52  |  38.48%  |  59.83%  | R+21.4  |  41.24%  |  52.33%  | R+11.1  | R
53  |  49.46%  |  48.55%  | D+0.9  |  48.48%  |  44.69%  | D+3.8  | D
54  |  36.08%  |  61.42%  | R+25.3  |  31.53%  |  61.19%  | R+29.7  | R
55  |  58.75%  |  38.23%  | D+20.5  |  56.22%  |  35.86%  | D+20.4  | D
56  |  50.35%  |  47.61%  | D+2.7  |  47.52%  |  45.37%  | D+2.1  | D
57  |  60.24%  |  37.08%  | D+23.2  |  52.56%  |  40.10%  | D+12.5  | D
58  |  68.89%  |  28.89%  | D+40  |  62.81%  |  30.95%  | D+31.9  | D
59  |  34.91%  |  62.26%  | R+27.3  |  27.17%  |  65.34%  | R+38.2  | R
60  |  44.81%  |  52.89%  | R+8.1  |  41.23%  |  50.34%  | R+9.1  | R
61  |  28.37%  |  68.24%  | R+39.9  |  21.25%  |  72.95%  | R+51.7  | R
62  |  23.43%  |  74.47%  | R+51  |  17.38%  |  77.05%  | R+59.7  | R
63  |  35.08%  |  62.22%  | R+27.1  |  26.76%  |  66.59%  | R+39.8  | R
64  |  25.27%  |  72.77%  | R+47.5  |  20.43%  |  73.29%  | R+52.9  | R
65  |  43.74%  |  54.05%  | R+10.3  |  34.93%  |  58.47%  | R+23.5  | R
66  |  50.12%  |  46.43%  | D+3.7  |  51.05%  |  38.79%  | D+12.3  | D
67  |  40.06%  |  57.80%  | R+17.7  |  42.63%  |  49.20%  | R+6.6  | R
68  |  34.43%  |  63.50%  | R+29.1  |  29.68%  |  63.68%  | R+34  | R
69  |  35.59%  |  61.03%  | R+25.4  |  30.21%  |  60.42%  | R+30.2  | R
70  |  23.84%  |  73.94%  | R+50.1  |  19.14%  |  74.53%  | R+55.4  | R
71  |  32.78%  |  64.93%  | R+32.1  |  30.30%  |  61.66%  | R+31.4  | R
72  |  40.72%  |  57.33%  | R+16.6  |  36.99%  |  55.92%  | R+18.9  | D
73  |  26.35%  |  71.50%  | R+45.2  |  22.73%  |  70.59%  | R+47.9  | R
74  |  29.70%  |  67.81%  | R+38.1  |  26.47%  |  66.27%  | R+39.8  | R
75  |  30.67%  |  66.90%  | R+36.2  |  24.51%  |  69.40%  | R+44.9  | R
76  |  30.91%  |  66.27%  | R+35.4  |  24.82%  |  68.60%  | R+43.8  | R
77  |  27.21%  |  70.71%  | R+43.5  |  22.92%  |  70.69%  | R+47.8  | R
78  |  34.61%  |  63.40%  | R+28.8  |  38.30%  |  53.87%  | R+15.6  | R
79  |  32.96%  |  65.00%  | R+32  |  28.05%  |  65.25%  | R+37.2  | D
80  |  35.06%  |  62.13%  | R+27.1  |  26.70%  |  67.44%  | R+40.7  | R
81  |  33.84%  |  63.99%  | R+30.2  |  31.03%  |  61.27%  | R+30.2  | R
82  |  30.06%  |  67.52%  | R+37.5  |  26.99%  |  65.38%  | R+38.4  | R
83  |  54.37%  |  43.11%  | D+11.3  |  51.85%  |  39.65%  | D+12.2  | D
84  |  70.84%  |  26.86%  | D+44  |  68.69%  |  24.53%  | D+44.2  | D
85  |  34.31%  |  63.97%  | R+29.7  |  37.32%  |  56.24%  | R+18.9  | R
86  |  53.12%  |  43.21%  | D+9.9  |  48.15%  |  43.40%  | D+4.7  | D
87  |  37.57%  |  60.74%  | R+23.2  |  40.94%  |  52.41%  | R+11.5  | R
88  |  49.69%  |  48.03%  | D+1.7  |  47.67%  |  44.31%  | D+3.4  | D
89  |  61.51%  |  37.13%  | D+24.4  |  59.18%  |  34.73%  | D+24.4  | D
90  |  24.03%  |  73.80%  | R+49.8  |  22.19%  |  71.68%  | R+49.5  | R
91  |  30.91%  |  66.80%  | R+35.9  |  29.71%  |  63.58%  | R+33.9  | R
92  |  50.33%  |  46.78%  | D+3.5  |  49.74%  |  42.40%  | D+7.3  | D
93  |  27.30%  |  70.28%  | R+43  |  21.81%  |  71.39%  | R+49.6  | R
94  |  29.42%  |  68.69%  | R+39.3  |  29.97%  |  63.69%  | R+33.7  | R
95  |  47.49%  |  49.01%  | R+1.5  |  43.07%  |  48.91%  | R+5.8  | D
96  |  46.56%  |  50.44%  | R+3.9  |  39.83%  |  52.31%  | R+12.5  | D
97  |  36.12%  |  61.26%  | R+25.1  |  30.50%  |  61.72%  | R+31.2  | R
98  |  40.62%  |  56.26%  | R+15.6  |  33.41%  |  58.84%  | R+25.4  | D
99  |  26.09%  |  72.26%  | R+46.2  |  28.46%  |  64.66%  | R+36.2  | R
100  |  31.22%  |  66.92%  | R+35.7  |  31.69%  |  61.73%  | R+30  | R
101  |  23.17%  |  75.00%  | R+51.8  |  21.32%  |  72.49%  | R+51.2  | R
102  |  44.74%  |  51.67%  | R+6.9  |  36.80%  |  53.97%  | R+17.2  | D
103  |  64.24%  |  33.10%  | D+31.1  |  59.09%  |  33.27%  | D+25.8  | D
104  |  31.01%  |  67.13%  | R+36.1  |  29.17%  |  64.11%  | R+34.9  | R
105  |  37.77%  |  59.32%  | R+21.5  |  36.00%  |  56.30%  | R+20.3  | R
106  |  23.27%  |  74.50%  | R+51.2  |  18.06%  |  76.25%  | R+58.2  | R
107  |  21.11%  |  76.29%  | R+55.2  |  16.89%  |  77.37%  | R+60.5  | R
108  |  28.23%  |  68.87%  | R+40.6  |  24.51%  |  68.39%  | R+43.9  | R
109  |  18.44%  |  79.59%  | R+61.2  |  14.04%  |  81.00%  | R+67  | R
110  |  17.45%  |  80.37%  | R+62.9  |  13.13%  |  82.19%  | R+69.1  | R
111  |  26.84%  |  71.10%  | R+44.3  |  24.33%  |  69.49%  | R+45.2  | D
112  |  23.09%  |  75.31%  | R+52.2  |  19.09%  |  75.85%  | R+56.8  | R
113  |  24.26%  |  73.83%  | R+49.6  |  18.44%  |  76.06%  | R+57.6  | R
114  |  26.19%  |  71.17%  | R+45  |  20.18%  |  73.85%  | R+53.7  | R
115  |  19.36%  |  78.60%  | R+59.2  |  15.93%  |  78.96%  | R+63  | R
116  |  24.38%  |  73.12%  | R+48.7  |  16.94%  |  76.79%  | R+59.8  | R
117  |  20.29%  |  78.08%  | R+57.8  |  15.14%  |  79.76%  | R+64.6  | R
118  |  14.70%  |  83.44%  | R+68.7  |  11.38%  |  84.39%  | R+73  | R
119  |  35.54%  |  62.75%  | R+27.2  |  33.22%  |  61.23%  | R+28  | R
120  |  17.37%  |  80.09%  | R+62.7  |  12.51%  |  82.46%  | R+70  | R
121  |  34.73%  |  63.15%  | R+28.4  |  37.99%  |  54.71%  | R+16.7  | R
122  |  21.80%  |  76.17%  | R+54.4  |  20.40%  |  74.49%  | R+54.1  | R
123  |  32.30%  |  65.78%  | R+33.5  |  35.21%  |  58.47%  | R+23.3  | R
124  |  16.22%  |  82.22%  | R+66  |  15.64%  |  79.80%  | R+64.2  | R
125  |  29.14%  |  69.53%  | R+40.4  |  32.81%  |  62.26%  | R+29.4  | R
Total |  38.08%  |  59.72%  | R+21.6  |  36.28%  |  57.01%  | R+20.7  |  \-
Source: Daily Kos

## Election history[edit]

### 2014[edit]

See also: Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014
Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Kansas, 2014

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Sam Brownback/Jeff Colyer Incumbent | 49.8% | 433,196
| Democratic  |  Paul Davis/Jill Docking | 46.1% | 401,100
| Libertarian  |  Keen Umbehr/Josh Umbehr | 4% | 35,206
Total Votes | 869,502
Election results via Kansas Secretary of State

### 2010[edit]

See also: Kansas gubernatorial election, 2010
Kansas Governor, 2010

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Sam Brownback | 63.3% | 530,760
| Democratic  |  Tom Holland | 32.2% | 270,166
| Libertarian  |  Andrew P. Gray | 2.7% | 22,460
| Reform Party  |  Ken Cannon | 1.8% | 15,397
| Write-in  |  Heath Charles Morris  | 0% | 7
Total Votes | 838,790
Election results via Kansas Secretary of State

## Wave election analysis[edit]

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to gubernatorial elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 11 gubernatorial waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

Gubernatorial wave elections

Year | President | Party | Election type | Gubernatorial seats change | Elections analyzed[49]
1970 | Nixon | R | First midterm | -12 | 35
1922 | Harding | R | First midterm | -11 | 33
1932 | Hoover | R | Presidential | -10 | 35
1920 | Wilson | D | Presidential | -10 | 36
1994 | Clinton | D | First midterm | -10 | 36
1930 | Hoover | R | First midterm | -9 | 33
1938 | Roosevelt | D | Second midterm | -9 | 33
1966 | Johnson | D | First midterm[50] | -9 | 35
1954 | Eisenhower | R | First midterm | -8 | 33
1982 | Reagan | R | First midterm | -7 | 36
2010 | Obama | D | First midterm | -7 | 33

## State profile[edit]

Demographic data for Kansas

| Kansas| U.S.
Total population:| 2,906,721| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 81,759| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 85.2%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 5.8%| 12.6%
Asian:| 2.6%| 5.1%
Native American:| 0.8%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 3.3%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 11.2%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 90.2%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 31%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $52,205| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 15%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kansas.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

### Presidential voting pattern[edit]

See also: Presidential voting trends in Kansas

Kansas voted Republican in all five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016.

More Kansas coverage on Ballotpedia

* Elections in Kansas
* United States congressional delegations from Kansas
* Public policy in Kansas
* Influencers in Kansas
* Kansas fact checks
* More...

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kansas governor election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Kansas gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 - Google News

## See also[edit]

Kansas government:

* Kansas state executive offices
* Kansas State Legislature
* Kansas courts

Elections:

* Kansas state executive official elections, 2018
* Gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2018
* Attorney General elections, 2018
* Secretary of State elections, 2018
* State executive official elections, 2018, 2017, 2016

Ballotpedia exclusives:

* State executives compensation
* State of the state addresses
* Trifecta control of state government

|
|

## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

|

* Governor of Kansas official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Lawrence Journal-World, "Former Colyer campaign manager joins Orman campaign," August 27, 2018
2. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Kansas race for governor poses a complex math problem with crowded ballot," August 19, 2018
3. ↑ Laura Kelly for Kansas, "Meet Laura Kelly," accessed September 19, 2018
4. ↑ Youtube ,"Laura Kelly 2018 Democratic Primary Kansas Governor TV Ad #1," July 14, 2018
5. ↑ Laura Kelly for Kansas, "Home," accessed September 19, 2018
6. ↑ Kris Kobach for Governor, "Home," accessed September 19, 2018
7. ↑ Kris Kobach for Governor, "My Story," accessed September 19, 2018
8. ↑ Orman for Kansas, "Home," accessed September 19, 2018
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Orman for Kansas, "8 Reasons to Support Independent Greg Orman for Governor," accessed September 19, 2018
10. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
11. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
12. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
13. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
14. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "The Star endorses the one clear choice for Kansas governor," October 31, 2018
15. ↑ Fox News, "Trump's Kris Kobach endorsement rocks Kansas governor's race," August 7, 2018
16. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Former GOP governor of Kansas endorses Democrat Laura Kelly over Kris Kobach," September 5, 2018
17. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Another former GOP governor of Kansas just endorsed Dem Laura Kelly over Kris Kobach," October 18, 2018
18. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "GOP stalwart Nancy Kassebaum picks Democrat Laura Kelly over Kris Kobach," September 18, 2018
19. ↑ Orman for Kansas, "Steve Baccus, Chairman of Governor Jeff Colyer’s Campaign Endorses and Joins Greg Orman Team," August 27, 2018
20. ↑ The Topeka Capital-Journal, "Firefighters council backs Kris Kobach for Kansas governor," August 31, 2018
21. ↑ Brewer for Kansas, "Endorsements," accessed June 14, 2018
22. ↑ Laura Kelly for Kansas, "News," accessed June 10, 2018
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 The Kansas City Star, "Former Democratic Govs. Sebelius, Carlin at odds in 2018 race for Kansas governor," March 30, 2018
24. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Planned Parenthood group endorses state Sen. Laura Kelly for Kansas governor," accessed July 13, 2018
25. ↑ KOAM TV, "Kansas Governor Wins Endorsement Of Former Primary Rival," April 25, 2018
26. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Kobach jumps the gun on anti-abortion group’s endorsement — which also goes to Colyer," accessed June 29, 2018
27. ↑ The Emporia Gazette, "Longbine endorses Colyer," July 10, 2018
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 The Wichita Eagle, "Wichita mayor, chamber PAC, county commission chair all back Colyer in GOP primary," accessed July 13, 2018
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Lawrence Journal-World, "NRA backs Colyer over Kobach in Kansas race for governor," July 16, 2018
30. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Dole endorses Colyer in GOP primary for Kansas governor," accessed July 31, 2018
31. ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," August 6, 2018
32. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Senate president Wagle endorses Kobach in official email. Is it an ethics violation?" July 25, 2018
33. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Wichita businessman drops campaign for governor, endorses Kobach," February 21, 2018
34. ↑ Lawrence Journal-World, Kobach gets help from Trump Jr. in Kansas governor’s race," October 16, 2017
35. ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Kobach jumps the gun on anti-abortion group’s endorsement — which also goes to Colyer," accessed June 29, 2018
36. ↑ KWCH 12, "WATCH LIVE: VP Mike Pence speaks at rally in Kansas City," November 2, 2018
37. ↑ Breitbart, "Trump Rallies for Kris Kobach: He’ll Be a ‘Great, Great Governor’ and ‘Tireless Champion for Border Security’," October 6, 2018
38. ↑ Think Progress, "Kris Kobach rallied with Trump, and the anti-immigrant remarks were plentiful," October 7, 2018
39. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Greg Orman faces challenge over thousands of petition signatures," August 20, 2018
40. ↑ KWCH, "Kansas independent Orman will stay on the ballot," August 23, 2018
41. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Greg Orman talks to reporters on challenge to his candidacy for governor," August 23, 2018
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
43. ↑ Laura Kelly for Kansas, "Issues," accessed September 18, 2018
44. ↑ Kris Kobach for Governor, "On the Issues," accessed September 18, 2018
45. ↑ Orman for Kansas, "Issues," accessed September 18, 2018
46. ↑ 270towin.com, "Kansas," accessed June 1, 2017
47. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
48. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
49. ↑ The number of gubernatorial seats up for election varies, with as many as 36 seats and as few as 12 seats being up in a single even-numbered year.
50. ↑ Lyndon Johnson's (D) first term began in November 1963 after the death of President John F. Kennedy (D), who was first elected in 1960. Before Johnson had his first midterm in 1966, he was re-elected president in 1964.

v • e

Governors

Current Governors|

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Puerto Rico • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections|

2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features|

States with gubernatorial term limits • Election of lieutenant governors • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • States with gubernatorial recall provisions • Gubernatorial impeachment procedures • Comparison of gubernatorial salaries • Comparison of lieutenant gubernatorial salaries • Residences of the American governors

v • e

Lieutenant Governors

Current Lieutenant Governors|

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin

* * *

Elections|

2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features|

States with gubernatorial term limits • Election of lieutenant governors • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • States with gubernatorial recall provisions • Gubernatorial impeachment procedures • Comparison of lieutenant gubernatorial salaries

* * *

v • e

State of Kansas
Topeka (capital)

|

Elections |

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2021 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government |

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

v • e

2018 state executive official elections

Governor|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Hawaii • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Mexico • New York • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Vermont • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Lieutenant Governor|

Alabama • Alaska • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Hawaii • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • New York • Ohio • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Vermont • Wisconsin

Attorney General|

Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • New York • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Vermont • Wisconsin

Secretary of State|

Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Louisiana • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • North Dakota • Ohio • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Vermont • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Treasurer|

Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delware • Florida • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Massachusetts • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • Ohio • Oklahoma • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Vermont • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Auditor|

Alabama • Arkansas • Delaware • Indiana • Iowa • Massachusetts • Minnesota • Missouri • Nebraska • New Mexico • Ohio • Oklahoma • South Dakota • Vermont • Wyoming

Comptroller|

California • Connecticut • Idaho • Illinois • Maryland • Nevada • New York • South Carolina • Texas

Education officials|

Alabama (board of education) • Arizona (superintendent) • California (superintendent) • Colorado (board of education) • Colorado (board of regents) • District of Columbia (board of education) • Georgia (superintendent) • Idaho (superintendent) • Kansas (board of education) • Michigan (board of education) • Michigan (board of regents) • Nebraska (board of education) • Nebraska (board of regents) • Nevada (board of regents) • New Mexico (education commission) • Ohio (board of education) • Oklahoma (superintendent) • South Carolina (superintendent) • Texas (board of education) • Utah (board of education) • Wyoming (superintendent)

Commissioners|

Alabama (agriculture) • Alabama (public service) • Arizona (mine inspector) • Arizona (public service) • Arkansas (public lands) • California (board of equalization) • California (insurance) • Florida (agriculture) • Georgia (agriculture) • Georgia (insurance) • Georgia (labor) • Georgia (public service) • Iowa (agriculture) • Kansas (insurance) • Louisiana (public service) • Montana (public service) • Nebraska (public service) • New Mexico (public lands) • New Mexico (public service) • North Dakota (agriculture) • North Dakota (public service) • North Dakota (tax) • Oklahoma (insurance) • Oklahoma (labor) • Oklahoma (public service) • Oregon (labor) • South Carolina (agriculture) • South Dakota (public lands) • South Dakota (public service) • Texas (agriculture) • Texas (public lands) • Texas (railroad)

v • e

State executive offices

Offices|

Governor • Lt. Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Schools • Insurance Commissioner • Controller • Agriculture Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commissioner

States|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections|

2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features|

Chart of state executive officers • Compensation • Gubernatorial power comparison • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • Irregular office changes • State executive officials serving in home states • State government trifectas • State of the state addresses • Term limits

v • e

Ballotpedia

About|

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

* * *

Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy

Communications: Kayla Harris • Megan Brown • Mary Dunne • Sarah Groat • Lauren Nemerovski
External Relations: Alison Prange • Sara Key • Kari Berger • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Lauren Dixon • Kelly Rindfleisch • Sara Horton • Elizabeth Brown
Policy: Christopher Nelson • Caitlin Styrsky • Molly Byrne • Katharine Frey • Jace Lington • Jimmy McAllister
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Tech Manager • Ryan Burch • Michael Cella • Kirsten Corrao • Margaret Kearney • Tom Reitz

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

* * *

Editorial|

Geoff Pallay, Editor-in-Chief • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Josh Altic, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Jerrick Adams • Victoria Antram • Dave Beaudoin • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Ryan Byrne • Kate Carsella • Kelly Coyle • Megan Feeney • Tyler King • Doug Kronaizl • Amee LaTour • David Luchs • Brittony Maag • Andrew McNair • Jackie Mitchell • Elisabeth Moore • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Paul Rader • Ethan Rice • Abbey Smith • Janie Valentine • Caitlin Vanden Boom • Joel Williams • Corinne Wolyniec • Samuel Wonacott • Mercedes Yanora