The 2026 Kansas gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of Kansas. The primary elections took place on August 4, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Laura Kelly is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third consecutive term. This will be one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state that Donald Trump won in the 2024 presidential election and the only one of those states that Trump won by a double-digit margin.
Background Kansas has a long tradition of ticket-splitting at the gubernatorial level: despite the state's consistent support for Republican presidential nominees, Democratic candidates have won the governor's office for the majority of years since the late 1960s, reflecting a pattern of voters distinguishing between state executive and federal races.
This competitive tradition continued in the 2018 election, when Laura Kelly won the open seat in a favorable national environment during the 2018 midterms and benefited from widespread dissatisfaction with the outgoing administration of Sam Brownback, who had departed mid-term after being nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom in 2017. Kelly won re-election in 2022 on the strength of her own personal popularity, with the negative reaction to the overturning of Roe v. Wade providing additional tailwind, amplified by the presence of an abortion referendum on the ballot a few months prior.
Since her re-election, Kelly has seen a continued rise in personal popularity, and as of 2024 ranks among the ten most popular governors in the country, which some commentators have attributed to her frequent use of her veto powers and extensive travel across the state. While Democratic candidates have remained competitive at the gubernatorial level, the Republican Party has historically dominated Kansas in federal and legislative politics. After the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their 3-1 majority in Kansas's U.S. House delegation. Kansas has been represented in the U.S. Senate exclusively by Republicans since 1939. Both chambers of the Kansas Legislature also have Republican supermajorities. Since 1957, neither major political party has held the Kansas governor's office for longer than two consecutive terms, reflecting the ongoing competitiveness of the state's executive elections.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Cindy Holscher, state senator from the 8th district (2021–present) Running mate: KC Ohaebosim, state representative from the 89th district (2017–present) Eliminated in primary Ethan Corson, state senator from the 7th district (2021–present) Running mate: Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce (2023–present) Curt Skoog, mayor of Overland Park (2021–present) Running mate: Jennifer Bacani McKenny, physician
Withdrawn Marty Tuley, teacher (failed to find running mate)
Declined Matt All, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas (2018–present) Dinah Sykes, minority leader of the Kansas Senate (2021–present) (running for insurance commissioner) David Toland, lieutenant governor of Kansas (2021–present) (endorsed Corson)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof errorEthanCorsonCindyHolscherCurtSkoog Other UndecidedChange Research (D)June 11–15, 20261,022 (LV)± 3.0%10%37%7%2%44%Public Policy Polling (D)January 8–9, 2026699 (V)–9%33%——58%
Results
Republican primary Candidates Nominee Ty Masterson, president of the Kansas Senate (2021–present) from the 16th district (2009–present) Running mate: Jeff Klemp, state senator from the 5th district (2025–present) Eliminated in primary Charlotte O'Hara, former Johnson County commissioner (2021–2025) and former state representative from the 17th district (2011–2013) Running mate: Michelle Dombrosky, member of the Kansas State Board of Education Nick Reinecker, restaurant manager and husband of Katy Reinecker Running mate: Katy Reinecker, restaurant manager and wife of Nick Reinecker Stacy Rogers, consignment sale business owner Running mate: Michael Smith, former mayor of Lansing Philip Sarnecki, financial services executive Running mate: Joy Eakins, former Wichita Schools board member (2013–2018) Vicki Schmidt, Kansas insurance commissioner (2019–present) Running mate: Joe Newland, president of the Kansas Farm Bureau (2022–present) Scott Schwab, Kansas secretary of state (2019–present) Running mate: Ken Rahjes, state representative from the 110th district (2016–present) (previously ran for secretary of state)
Withdrawn Jeff Colyer, former governor (2018–2019) (endorsed Masterson) Joy Eakins, former Wichita Schools board member (2013–2018) (unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor with Sarnecki)
Declined Ron Estes, U.S. representatives from KS-04 (2017–present) Jake LaTurner, U.S. representatives from KS-02 (2021–2025) Dayton Moore, former Kansas City Royals executive (2006–2022) Ken Rahjes, state representative from the 110th district (2016–present) Jon Rolph, member of the Kansas Board of Regents (2019–present)
Endorsements
Results
General election Post-primary endorsements
Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political ReportOctober 1, 2026Decision Desk HQSeptember 23, 2026Fox NewsJuly 23, 2026Inside ElectionsOctober 1, 2026RealClearPoliticsSeptember 9, 2026Sabato's Crystal BallSeptember 29, 2026Silver Bulletin September 23, 2026
Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregation Datesadministered Datesupdated CindyHolscher (D) TyMasterson (R)Other/Undecided Margin270toWinSeptember 11 – October 4, 2026October 4, 202644.8%50.8%4.4%Masterson +6.0%RealClearPoliticsSeptember 8 – October 1, 2026October 4, 202643.7%50.3%6.0%Masterson +6.6%Silver Bulletinthrough September 30, 2026October 4, 202645.1%49.9%5.0%Masterson +4.8%Average44.5%50.3%5.2%Masterson +5.8%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof errorCindyHolscher (D)TyMasterson (R) UndecidedYouGovSeptember 24 – October 4, 20262,255 (LV)±3.2%44% 47%7%New York Times/Siena UniversitySeptember 22–30, 2026605 (LV)± 2.1%44%49%7%Wedgewood PollsSeptember 22–24, 2026500 (LV)± 4.4%48%52%Emerson CollegeSeptember 15–16, 2026750 (LV)± 3.6%44%51%6%Global Strategy Group (D)September 13–16, 2026800 (LV)± 3.5% 49%46%5%co/efficient (R)September 8–10, 2026915 (LV)± 3.2%43%51%6%Global Strategy Group (D)August 13–16, 2026600 (LV)± 4.0%47%46%7%
Results
See also Elections in Kansas Political party strength in Kansas Kansas Democratic Party Kansas Republican Party Government of Kansas 2026 United States Senate election in Kansas
2026 United States gubernatorial elections 2026 United States elections
Notes
Partisan clients
References
External links Official campaign websites Cindy Holscher (D) Ty Masterson (R)