Kansas Senate Rivals Distance Themselves from Party Leaders in Fiery Debate

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton repeatedly sought to distance themselves from the most unpopular elements of their respective parties during a contentious Kansas Senate debate.

The debate, which took place on Wednesday, saw both candidates battle over issues including President Donald Trump, immigration, and the war in Iran, in a race that could help determine control of the Senate. The candidates also addressed personal controversies that have fueled attack ads.

Marshall was questioned about a New York Times report that found his former medical practice sued over 700 patients for unpaid bills. He defended the practice by highlighting the millions of dollars in free care it provided annually, stating, "Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million of charity, but we also had a business. We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electric."

Hamilton addressed allegations concerning a volunteer at his church's summer camp who was accused of being a sexual predator. Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp after an initial investigation. "I should have checked to make sure that he wasn't going back. That was a mistake on my part," he said.

National Party Affiliations

The candidates spent a significant portion of the debate attempting to define each other by their national party affiliations. Marshall repeatedly warned that electing Hamilton would contribute to Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer gaining control of the Senate. Hamilton, in turn, sought to portray himself as an independent-minded Democrat willing to break with his party.

When shown footage of former President Donald Trump campaigning for Marshall and urging voters to "pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot," Marshall stated he would not necessarily support every part of Trump's agenda. He pointed to recent disagreements over immigration enforcement and beef imports. "Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right," Marshall joked. "And President Trump is not always right."

Despite this, Marshall emphasized his support for much of Trump's agenda and urged the former president's supporters to vote for him, saying, "We need the Trump voters to come out. If you want the Trump agenda to continue, if you want secure borders, if you want a strong military, if you want lower taxes, then you — and you voted for President Trump — you need to come out."

Hamilton faced similar scrutiny regarding his past support for Democrats and his campaign message of "leading from the middle." He explicitly broke with former President Joe Biden on immigration, stating, "The Biden policies when it came to the border were a disaster. I believe in strong and secure borders."

Hamilton also indicated he would not support Schumer for majority leader if Democrats gain control of the Senate.

Social Issues and Candidate Agreement

An unusual moment of agreement occurred when both candidates were asked about the number of genders. Marshall responded, "There's two. There's a boy and there's a girl." Hamilton stated, "There are two genders, male and female."

Hamilton later expressed his opposition to biological males competing against his 12-year-old granddaughter in sports, calling it "not a fair fight." He argued that decisions over athletic participation should generally be handled at the local level rather than by the federal government.

The Kansas contest has become an unexpectedly competitive Senate race in the closing weeks of the midterms. Marshall is seeking a second term in a state that has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 1932. Hamilton, a longtime pastor, has campaigned as a moderate Democrat.