Governor of Kansas · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Kansas governor's race?
Ty Masterson has the strongest record in the Kansas governor's race. Ty Masterson scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Cindy Holscher at 65, as of October 6, 2026. Ty Masterson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cindy Holscher's highest marks are relevant experience and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Cindy Holscher
Running mate: KC Ohaebosim
65 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 67
Republican
Strongest record
Ty Masterson
Running mate: Jeff Klemp (ballot: Jeffrey Klemp)
66 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 63
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.
Cindy Holscher
- On the record2026-08-04
Won the Democratic primary for governor over Sen. Ethan Corson, whom Gov. Kelly had endorsed.
- On the record2026-09-18
Committed to two televised debates that her opponent declined.
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026
- On the record2025-08-01
Said Gov. Kelly's chief of staff tried to leverage future support for her vote on House Bill 2045; she voted no, and the chief of staff denied it.
- Credit2023-04-17
Championed a law removing the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse; the Legislature passed it unanimously and the governor signed it.
Sources: Kansas City Star via Yahoo News, April 17, 2023, KSHB
Ty Masterson
- On the record2026-08
A former state senator's complaint that he campaigned during Wichita State University work time was dismissed by the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission before the Aug. 4 primary.
Sources: KWCH, Aug. 11, 2026, KWCH, Aug. 14, 2026
- On the record2026
Directs GoCreate at Wichita State University; public records show his salary there rose to $217,350 for 2026, and he took leave Aug. 17 to campaign.
Source: KWCH, Aug. 14, 2026
- On the record2026-09-18
Declined two televised governor debates set for Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 after the Sept. 12 State Fair debate.
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026
- Credit2024-06-18
As Senate president, helped negotiate with Gov. Laura Kelly a $2 billion tax cut that passed the Senate 34-4 and House 121-2.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via Salina Post, June 18, 2024, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, April 4, 2024
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Cindy Holscher. State campaign finance reports for 2025 and 2026 are on file with the Secretary of State. No Public Disclosure Commission finding found.
Source: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Ty Masterson. State campaign finance reports for 2025 and 2026 are on file with the Secretary of State. A July 2026 complaint alleging he campaigned on Wichita State time was dismissed by the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission.
Sources: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle, KWCH, Aug. 11, 2026
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Cindy Holscher. Voted against 2025's House Bill 2045, which passed with bipartisan votes and was signed by Gov. Laura Kelly, and said the governor's chief of staff pressed her on the vote; the chief of staff denied forceful intervention.
Ty Masterson. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Cindy Holscher. Debated Ty Masterson on Sept. 12, 2026, committed to two more televised debates that he declined, and reports holding 80 town halls in 2025.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026, Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026
Ty Masterson. Debated Cindy Holscher at the Kansas State Fair on Sept. 12, 2026 and appeared with her at forums; declined two televised debates set for Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Cindy Holscher. Ten years in the Kansas Legislature with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Ty Masterson. Has led the Kansas Senate as president since 2021 and served in the Legislature since 2005 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Cindy Holscher. Took the oath as a state representative and state senator; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Ty Masterson. Took the oath as a state representative and state senator; no official finding of misuse of office and no formal role in rejecting certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ty Masterson
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Cindy Holscher. Kansas House 2017 to 2021 and Kansas Senate since 2021.
Ty Masterson. Kansas House (District 99), Kansas Senate since 2009 and Senate president since 2021; earlier on the Andover City Council.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ty Masterson, Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Cindy Holscher. Ranking minority member of the Senate Public Health and Welfare and Government Efficiency committees; proposes full state funding of special education to ease property taxes.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cindy Holscher, Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026
Ty Masterson. Senate president (an elected chamber leadership post, E5) who chairs the Organization, Calendar and Rules Committee and the Legislative Coordinating Council; released a property tax plan, the Homeowners Bill of Rights.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ty Masterson, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Cindy Holscher. Debated her opponent, held listening tours and town halls, and publishes priorities on her campaign site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026, Ballotpedia, Cindy Holscher, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026
Ty Masterson. Debated his opponent, appeared at candidate forums and published a property tax plan. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 18, 2026, Ballotpedia, Ty Masterson
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Cindy Holscher. Born in Missouri; lives in Overland Park, where she raised her family, and has represented Johnson County in the Legislature since 2017.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cindy Holscher, Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026
Ty Masterson. Born in El Dorado, Kansas, and lives in Andover, where he served on the city council.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ty Masterson, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Cindy Holscher. State campaign finance reports are on file with no penalty found; prior career at Sprint.
Source: Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
Ty Masterson. Directs GoCreate, a Wichita State University makerspace, and has state campaign reports on file. No campaign finance penalty found.
Sources: KWCH, Aug. 14, 2026, Kansas Secretary of State, statewide campaign finance filings, 2026 cycle
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Cindy Holscher. Championed a 2023 law removing the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse and extending the civil filing window; the Legislature passed it unanimously and Gov. Kelly signed it.
Ty Masterson. As Senate president, presided over passage of a roughly $2 billion income and property tax cut negotiated with Gov. Laura Kelly in a June 2024 special session (Senate 34-4, House 121-2).
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Cindy Holscher. No public record found.
Ty Masterson. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Cindy Holscher. Reports conducting listening tours outside her district since joining the Legislature and 80 town halls in 2025.
Ty Masterson. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Cindy Holscher. Filed the child sexual abuse statute of limitations bill alongside Republican Rep. Mike Schreiber; it passed unanimously. Helped build the bipartisan coalition that repealed the 2012 Brownback tax law in 2017.
Sources: KSHB, Kansas City Star via Yahoo News, April 17, 2023, Kansas Reflector, via Yahoo News, Oct. 5, 2026
Ty Masterson. Negotiated the 2024 tax package with Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly; it passed both chambers with large bipartisan margins.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, April 4, 2024, Kansas Reflector via Salina Post, June 18, 2024
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Cindy Holscher. No public record found.
Ty Masterson. 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 the Kansas governor's race?
Ty Masterson has the strongest record in the Kansas governor's race. Ty Masterson scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Cindy Holscher at 65, as of October 6, 2026. Ty Masterson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Cindy Holscher's highest marks are relevant experience and accountability. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Kansas governor's race in 2026?
Cindy Holscher (Democratic), Ty Masterson (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Cindy Holscher a good candidate for Governor?
Cindy Holscher scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 67 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Ty Masterson a good candidate for Governor?
Ty Masterson scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 63 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.