TOPEKA, Kan. — In the recent election, Republicans were hopeful that a former Kansas attorney general would successfully reclaim an open U.S. House seat, while simultaneously facing a tougher task in attempting to unseat the lone Democrat in the state’s congressional roster.
Republican Derek Schmidt was vying for the 2nd Congressional District seat, previously occupied by retiring two-term Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner. Schmidt, who has served three terms as the state’s attorney general, was coming off a narrow defeat in the 2022 gubernatorial race and was up against Nancy Boyda, who was making her own return to politics as the last Democrat to serve in that seat.
In the Kansas City area, Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids faced Republican Prasanth Reddy, a physician and former vice president of two medical research firms. This district is primarily made up of suburban voters who have had a history of supporting Davids.
In the two other congressional districts in Kansas, Republican Reps. Tracey Mann and Ron Estes were anticipated to win their re-election bids with relative ease.
Historically, Democrats had success in the 2nd District, though not since Boyda’s brief two-year term ended with her loss in 2008. LaTurner won his two terms by around 15 percentage points, and had he chosen to run again, he likely would have won comfortably; however, he decided in April to step back to spend more time with his family.
Schmidt, whose demeanor is often sociable, began his political career under moderate Republicans like U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker and Gov. Bill Graves. Despite this background, he has encountered a degree of skepticism from the hard-right faction of the party. Nonetheless, Schmidt captured a decisive victory in a five-person primary, aided in part by endorsements from former President Donald Trump via social media, highlighting him as an “America First Patriot.”
In the 3rd District, Davids drew significant national attention when she ousted the Republican incumbent in 2018, making history as a Native American, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a former mixed martial arts fighter. Republicans often attempt to categorize her within the most progressive members of Congress. Her strong backing for abortion rights resonates in her district, while she also markets herself as a pragmatic centrist who is pro-business.
A critical factor for a successful campaign in the 3rd District is the suburban area of Johnson County, the largest county in the state. Since Trump’s 2016 presidential victory, his influence has diminished in that region, to the detriment of Republican candidates, while Davids has seen an increase in her victory margins.
The 1st District, represented by Mann, includes the more liberal area of Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas, though that influence does not offset the GOP’s dominance in the larger surrounding region. Mann, a former lieutenant governor, has successfully secured his seat in previous elections.
Mann’s Democratic challenger, Paul Buskirk, is an academic counselor and a mentor to student athletes at the University of Kansas.
The 4th District, which centers around Estes’ hometown of Wichita, is represented by him as a former two-term state treasurer. He has held the seat since he won a special election in 2017 to replace Mike Pompeo, who was appointed by Trump as CIA director before he became the U.S. secretary of state.
Estes is opposed in this election by Esau Freeman, a painter and union representative known for his advocacy for the legalization of marijuana.