U.S. House, Kansas 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Kansas's 2nd Congressional District?
Derek Schmidt has the strongest record in Kansas's 2nd Congressional District. Derek Schmidt scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Don Coover at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Derek Schmidt's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Don Coover's highest marks are roots in the constituency. John Hauer (4 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Don Coover
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Libertarian
John Hauer
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Derek Schmidt
68 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Don Coover
- On the recordbefore 2025
Was a registered Republican for most of his life before running as a Democrat, and describes himself as middle of the road.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
- CreditArmy service
Graduated from West Point and served about ten years in the Army, rising to captain, then returned as an Army veterinarian.
Sources: Yahoo News, July 27, 2026, KCUR, July 17, 2026
John Hauer
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Derek Schmidt
- On the record2022
Former Republican U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, his former employer, co-chaired his first attorney general campaign but endorsed his Democratic opponent for governor in 2022.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
- On the record2020-12-09
As attorney general signed the Missouri-led brief of 17 states supporting Texas's Supreme Court suit against Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin over the 2020 election.
Sources: U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief of Missouri et al., KCUR, July 17, 2026
- On the record2001 to 2023
Served in the Kansas Senate from 2001 to 2011, six years as majority leader, then three terms as attorney general.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
- Credit2025-12-18
Provisions of his bill on veterans' access to care at Defense Department facilities were enacted in the FY2026 defense authorization.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Don Coover. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC from Aug. 18, 2025 to July 15, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00917088
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. House financial disclosure for 2025 filed Aug. 13, 2026. No periodic transaction reports, House Ethics finding or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure index, 2025 annual report, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00877373
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Don Coover. About ten years as an Army officer, then a veterinary and ranching career, with no formal conduct finding found.
Source: Yahoo News, July 27, 2026
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. Ten years in the Kansas Senate, 12 years as attorney general and a House term, with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Don Coover. Served as a U.S. Army officer, rising to captain, with no official finding of misuse found.
Source: Yahoo News, July 27, 2026
John Hauer. Served in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2009, including two deployments to Iraq, with no official finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John Hauer, KCUR, July 17, 2026
Derek Schmidt. As attorney general, signed the Dec. 2020 brief of 17 states supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania; Kansas was an amicus, not a party. No objection vote in his House term and no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief of Missouri et al., Dec. 9, 2020, GovTrack, Derek Schmidt
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Don Coover. West Point graduate and Army officer for about ten years; now runs a beef cattle genetics company, a ranch and a livestock veterinary practice. No elected office.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. Kansas Senate 2001 to 2011, including six years as majority leader; Kansas attorney general 2011 to 2023; U.S. representative since 2025.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Don Coover. Campaign positions focus on affordability, tariffs and agriculture, rural hospitals and the national debt, in general terms.
John Hauer. Positions on a smaller federal government, ending the income tax and closing foreign bases, in general terms.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
Derek Schmidt. Serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Small Business committees; his office and campaign publish issue positions.
Sources: Yahoo News, July 27, 2026, KCUR, July 17, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Don Coover. Explains his reasons and positions on his campaign site and in news interviews. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, Don Coover
John Hauer. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and gave an interview to KCUR.
Source: Ballotpedia, John Hauer
Derek Schmidt. Publishes a newsletter and issue pages on his office site, and campaign issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, Ballotpedia, Derek Schmidt
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Don Coover. Born and raised in rural southeast Kansas and runs a ranch near Galesburg. FEC by-state totals through July 15, 2026 show about 83 percent ($395,399 of $478,100) of itemized contributions from Kansas.
Sources: Campaign site, KCUR, July 17, 2026, FEC candidate page, contributions by state
John Hauer. Based in Topeka.
Source: KCUR, July 17, 2026
Derek Schmidt. From Independence, Kansas, where he graduated from high school. FEC by-state totals through July 15, 2026 show about 85 percent ($778,965 of $912,587) of contributions from Kansas.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Derek Schmidt, KCUR, July 17, 2026, FEC candidate page, contributions by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Don Coover. Runs a cattle genetics company, ranch and veterinary practice; campaign reports are on file with the FEC with no administrative fine found.
Sources: Yahoo News, July 27, 2026, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00917088
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, with no FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00877373
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. Provisions of his H.R. 6595 on veterans' care at Defense Department facilities were enacted in the FY2026 defense authorization signed Dec. 18, 2025. No Center for Effective Lawmaking score yet (first term).
Sources: GovTrack, Derek Schmidt, GovTrack, H.R. 6595 (119th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. Missed 5 of 676 roll call votes, 0.7 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. District offices in Topeka and Pittsburg; offers help with federal agencies.
Source: Office site
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Don Coover. No public record found.
John Hauer. No public record found.
Derek Schmidt. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Kansas's 2nd Congressional District?
Derek Schmidt has the strongest record in Kansas's 2nd Congressional District. Derek Schmidt scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Don Coover at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Derek Schmidt's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Don Coover's highest marks are roots in the constituency. John Hauer (4 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Kansas's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Don Coover (Democratic), John Hauer (Libertarian), Derek Schmidt (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Don Coover a good candidate for Congress?
Don Coover scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is John Hauer a good candidate for Congress?
John Hauer has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Derek Schmidt a good candidate for Congress?
Derek Schmidt scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Kansas race scored, and the Kansas 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.