Republican Senator Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton clashed over the economy, foreign policy and their parties’ leadership during a closely watched Kansas Senate debate, with the result potentially affecting control of the US Senate.
Marshall, who is seeking to retain the seat for the Republican Party, warned that his defeat could help Democrats take control of the chamber. “My opponent’s going to say anything he can to lie to get into that office and give control to Chuck Schumer,” he said.
Hamilton, a megachurch pastor, presented himself as a moderate and independent-minded Democrat, promising to work across party lines. He also sought to reassure conservative voters that he would not automatically support the Democratic leadership.
Hamilton said he would not vote for Mr Schumer to become majority leader if Democrats won the Senate, and described the Biden administration’s border policies as a “disaster”. Discussing transgender participation in sport, he said: “I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don’t want biological men or boys competing against her that could harm her.”
Marshall responded that Hamilton was attempting to disguise views that were further to the left, questioning whether he would remain independent once in Washington. “He can tell us one thing, but let’s see what his actions would be like,” he said.
Senate candidates clash over Iran war and tariffs
The candidates also differed sharply over the war in Iran, rising fuel prices and President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
Hamilton said the decision to go to war with Iran had been wrong and called for the US to withdraw. He said he would try to “force” Mr Trump to end the conflict, as high petrol prices and tariffs put pressure on Kansas farms.
Marshall said he wanted the war to end as soon as possible but argued that Iran could not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. He characterised Hamilton’s position as “war through weakness, as opposed to peace through strength”.
The Republican senator attributed rising diesel costs primarily to the war in Ukraine, saying production had fallen as a result. But he acknowledged that a reported plan for the US to purchase Russian diesel “doesn’t sound like a great idea”, adding that he would support it if it brought Russia to the negotiating table and ended the war.
Hamilton accused Mr Trump’s tariffs of creating chaos and uncertainty, while Marshall said they had produced a “manufacturing renaissance”. Marshall also said he did not always agree with the president, citing opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Kansas and to a short-term waiver on beef imports, which he said had harmed farmers.
Immigration was another point of conflict. Hamilton described ICE practices as “militarized” and “politicized”, while Marshall said the debate should begin with securing the border and accused Democrats of wanting weaker enforcement.
Personal controversies feature in Kansas Senate debate
The debate also addressed controversies surrounding both candidates. Marshall was questioned about a report concerning his former medical practice and claims that patients, including people facing financial difficulties, were pursued for medical debts and in some cases arrested.
He said he and his practice had done everything possible to care for patients, noting that many received free treatment. He acknowledged that some debts had been referred to collection agencies, but described this as relatively rare and standard in the medical industry.
Hamilton faced questions about his church’s handling of a child sex abuse incident at a youth summer camp in 2005. He said the church later changed its policy and ultimately helped secure the perpetrator’s imprisonment, but admitted: “I should have checked to make sure that he wasn’t going back (to the youth camp). That was a mistake on my part.”
A spokesperson for Hamilton’s United Methodist Church said the incident had been handled as well as those involved knew how to handle it at the time.
Polling has pointed to a tight contest, while early voting in Kansas has surged to levels election officials said were comparable with the 2024 presidential election. Millions of dollars have been spent on advertisements attacking both candidates.
The race could depend in part on Republicans willing to cross party lines. At least 100 Kansas Republican leaders, including former governors and state officials, have endorsed Hamilton, as has Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary under Mr Trump.
Other Republican voters have said they are voting early to help preserve their party’s control of the Senate. Wichita voter Tim Higgins said he supported Marshall because it was important to maintain the country’s progress since the presidential election.
Former Republican state representative Terrie Huntington, who is backing Hamilton, said the contest was instead being driven by economic concerns, with both rural and urban Kansas struggling and voters looking for change.
