U.S. Senate, Kansas · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Kansas U.S. Senate race?
Adam Hamilton has the strongest record in the Kansas U.S. Senate race. Adam Hamilton scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Roger Marshall at 59, as of October 6, 2026. Adam Hamilton's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Roger Marshall's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. David Graham (3 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.
Libertarian
David Graham
On the ballot as David C Graham
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Strongest record
Adam Hamilton
60 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
Republican · incumbent
Roger Marshall
59 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 40
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 56
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.
David Graham
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Adam Hamilton
- On the record2026-04
Changed his party registration from Republican to Democratic in April 2026, when he declared his Senate candidacy.
Source: CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026
- On the record2026-05-27
A primary rival faulted his church's handling of 2005 retreat abuse reports; court records show leaders did not first report to police, later reported the 2005 and 2006 incidents, and Hamilton was not present.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via Yahoo News, May 27, 2026, Kansas City Star via AOL, May 29, 2026
- On the record2026-09-28
His campaign aired an ad in which a former Marshall patient said she was arrested for missing a $50 payment; Marshall's lawyers called it defamatory, saying the arrest was for failing to appear in court.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via KCUR, Sept. 29, 2026, Kansas Reflector via LJWorld, Sept. 30, 2026
- On the record2026-09-19
Declined a second debate hosted by Nexstar that Marshall had accepted, then announced an Oct. 21 debate on FOX4.
Sources: Junction City Post, Sept. 20, 2026, Hays Post, Sept. 28, 2026
- Credit2026-09
Former Republican Gov. Bill Graves endorsed him for the Senate.
Source: CNN, Sept. 23, 2026
- Credit1990 to 2026
Founded the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in 1990; it is described as the largest United Methodist congregation in the country and reports more than 23,000 members.
Sources: CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026
Roger Marshall
- Mark against2021-09-28
Disclosed his dependent children's Feb. to July 2020 stock trades more than a year after the 45-day STOCK Act deadline, in a House report filed Sept. 28, 2021.
Sources: LegiStorm, Sept. 30, 2021, Business Insider via Yahoo Finance
- On the record2026-09
A New York Times review of court records found he sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills as a Great Bend obstetrician, and more than 80 were arrested after missing court dates.
Sources: KCUR, Sept. 8, 2026, CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026
- On the record2026-09-18
Kansas Reflector reported he has owned a Sarasota, Florida vacation home since 2019, sold his Great Bend home days after joining the Senate, and claims a Stafford County house as his home.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via Yahoo News, Sept. 18, 2026, Kansas City Star via Yahoo News
- On the record2026-09-28
His lawyers sent Adam Hamilton's campaign a cease-and-desist letter calling its ad about a former patient's 2011 arrest defamatory; the campaign kept the ad up.
- On the record2026-10-05
Tall Oaks Camp and Conference Center demanded his campaign pull an ad attacking Hamilton that used its photo of children without permission; the campaign said the ad was corrected.
- On the record2025-03-01
Ended an Oakley town hall early on March 1, 2025 after attendees shouted and booed; CBS News reported in 2026 that he has held no Kansas town hall since.
Sources: Kansas News Service via Johnson County Post, March 2, 2025, CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026
- On the record2021-01
Signed the Dec. 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief and voted Yea on the Senate objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.
Sources: GovTrack, Senate Vote 1, Jan. 6, 2021, GovTrack, Senate Vote 2, Jan. 7, 2021, U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief
- Credit2025
Was primary sponsor of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, one of six bills he sponsored that GovTrack counts as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, Roger Marshall
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Campaign committee Hamilton for Kansas has reports on file with the FEC from Feb. 26 to July 15, 2026. No FEC administrative fine and no official ethics finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00948901
Roger Marshall. Filed a House periodic transaction report on Sept. 28, 2021 for trades his dependent children made from Feb. 24 to July 8, 2020, more than a year past the 45-day STOCK Act deadline, as LegiStorm and Business Insider reported.
Sources: LegiStorm, Sept. 30, 2021, Business Insider via Yahoo Finance, House Clerk financial disclosure index, 2021 (periodic transaction report, Filing ID 8218371)
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Has repeatedly pledged not to support Chuck Schumer, his own party's Senate leader, for leader.
Source: CNN, Sept. 23, 2026
Roger Marshall. In September 2026 said he disagreed with President Trump's proposed $5,000 payment to every adult and opposed Trump's threatened ban on sales by Bombardier, which employs more than 1,200 people in Wichita.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, CNN, Sept. 23, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Debated Sen. Roger Marshall at the Kansas State Fair on Sept. 12, 2026 and held an 18-stop listening tour before announcing. Declined a Nexstar-hosted second debate; his campaign announced an Oct. 21 FOX4 debate.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, CNN, Sept. 23, 2026, Junction City Post, Sept. 20, 2026, Hays Post, Sept. 28, 2026
Roger Marshall. Debated Adam Hamilton at the Kansas State Fair on Sept. 12, 2026. Held an in-person town hall in Oakley in March 2025 and ended it early amid shouting; CBS News reports no Kansas town hall since 2025.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, KSNW via Yahoo News, March 2, 2025, CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Founding and senior pastor of the Church of the Resurrection since 1990, with no formal conduct finding found.
Roger Marshall. Two House terms and one Senate term, after a career as an obstetrician in Great Bend, with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. No public record found.
Roger Marshall. Voted Yea on the Jan. 6, 2021 Senate objection to Arizona's electors and the Jan. 7, 2021 objection to Pennsylvania's electors, after signing the Dec. 2020 Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus brief as a representative.
Sources: GovTrack, Senate Vote 1, Jan. 6, 2021, GovTrack, Senate Vote 2, Jan. 7, 2021, U.S. Supreme Court docket No. 155, Original, amicus brief filed Dec. 11, 2020
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Founded the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in 1990; the church reports more than 23,000 members and nine locations. No government service.
Source: CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026
Roger Marshall. U.S. senator since 2021 after two terms in the U.S. House (2017 to 2021).
Source: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
David Graham. Positions published in a Libertarian Party of Kansas candidate interview, in general terms: criminal justice reform, reducing the size of government, eliminating taxes and ending subsidies.
Adam Hamilton. Published campaign themes in Ballotpedia's survey on affordability, health care costs and seniors, mostly in general terms.
Roger Marshall. Chairs two Senate subcommittees, on agricultural conservation and on primary health and retirement security, and sits on the Finance, Budget, Agriculture and HELP committees.
Source: GovTrack, Roger Marshall
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
David Graham. Answered a Libertarian Party of Kansas candidate interview. Kansas News Service found no active campaign website and got no response to its request; he has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Libertarian Party of Kansas, candidate interviews, Kansas News Service via The Lawrence Times, July 27, 2026, Ballotpedia, David Graham (Kansas)
Adam Hamilton. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, debated his opponent in September 2026 and held an 18-stop listening tour.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Hamilton (Kansas), Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, CNN, Sept. 23, 2026
Roger Marshall. Debated his opponent in September 2026, held public town halls and publishes an issue-by-issue record on his campaign site. Did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, Ballotpedia, Roger Marshall
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
David Graham. Lives in Overland Park.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, Sept. 12, 2026, Kansas News Service via The Lawrence Times, July 27, 2026
Adam Hamilton. Born in Prairie Village and a fifth-generation Kansan; has led a Leawood-based church since 1990. FEC by-state totals through July 15, 2026 show 70 percent ($2,335,486 of $3,338,140) of contributions from Kansas.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Hamilton (Kansas), CNN, Sept. 23, 2026, FEC candidate page, contributions by state
Roger Marshall. Practiced medicine in Great Bend for decades and claims a Stafford County house as home; owns a Sarasota, Florida vacation home since 2019. About 25 percent ($938,683 of $3,805,446) of FEC by-state contributions came from Kansas.
Sources: Kansas Reflector via Yahoo News, Sept. 18, 2026, KCUR, Sept. 8, 2026, FEC candidate page, contributions by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Founded and leads a church that reports more than 23,000 members across nine locations. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC with no administrative fine found.
Sources: CBS News, Sept. 30, 2026, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00948901
Roger Marshall. Campaign committee Kansans for Marshall has reports on file with the FEC through July 15, 2026, and no FEC administrative fine was found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00576173
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. No public record found.
Roger Marshall. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates him Meets Expectations in the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.750 against a benchmark of 0.852). GovTrack counts six enacted bills as primary sponsor, including the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking Senate dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, Roger Marshall
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. No public record found.
Roger Marshall. Missed 74 of 2,544 roll call votes, 2.9 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026 across the House and Senate.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. No public record found.
Roger Marshall. News reports document in-person town halls in Kansas, including Oakley in March 2025. His Senate office site blocked automated access, so office locations and casework were not confirmed.
Sources: KSNW via Yahoo News, March 2, 2025, Kansas News Service via Johnson County Post, March 2, 2025
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. Endorsed by former Republican Gov. Bill Graves.
Source: CNN, Sept. 23, 2026
Roger Marshall. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index, 118th Congress first session (2023): score -0.33861, ranked 57 of 98 senators.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, 2023 Senate scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
David Graham. No public record found.
Adam Hamilton. No public record found.
Roger Marshall. 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 U.S. Senate race?
Adam Hamilton has the strongest record in the Kansas U.S. Senate race. Adam Hamilton scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Roger Marshall at 59, as of October 6, 2026. Adam Hamilton's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Roger Marshall's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. David Graham (3 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 the Kansas U.S. Senate race in 2026?
David Graham (Libertarian), Adam Hamilton (Democratic), Roger Marshall (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is David Graham a good candidate for U.S. Senate?
David Graham has public evidence on 3 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 Adam Hamilton a good candidate for U.S. Senate?
Adam Hamilton scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Roger Marshall a good candidate for U.S. Senate?
Roger Marshall scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 40 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 56 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.