Democrat Cindy Holscher wins Kansas governor's race, defeating Ty Masterson

47h ← 2d

Summary

Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher defeated Republican Ty Masterson in the 2026 Kansas governor's race, keeping the office in her party's hands.
The race call came on November 12, 2026, two days after Holscher declared victory, following days of counting provisional ballots.
Holscher will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, the first Democrat elected to succeed a fellow Democrat in Kansas history.
Republicans outspent Democrats more than 3-to-1 in the race; the Republican Governors Association put $19 million into advertising.
Holscher campaigned on a moratorium on new AI data centers, expanded Medicaid, school funding, and legalizing cannabis.
Kansas was seen as Republicans' best chance to flip a governor's office in 2026, a state where Trump won by roughly 16 points in 2024.

Reactions

Ty Masterson said in a statement it 'looks like we will come up just short' and called it a hard election for people who share their vision.
Masterson said he had called Holscher to congratulate her.
In a victory video, Holscher said Kansans want to keep the state moving forward and that the work of preparing to lead has already begun.
Laura Kelly said after the election she was more confident that Holscher will be a good governor.
The Republican Governors Association attacked Holscher as an extreme liberal in $19 million of television and digital advertising.
A cable news guest called the result part of a rolling blue wave and forecast Democrats will now spend resources in states they had passed over.

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Cindy Holscher wins in Kansas, holding governor's office for Democratsnpr.org· 47h
NPR reports that, per an Associated Press race call, Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher defeated Republican Ty Masterson to hold the Kansas governor's office for her party, succeeding term-limited Laura Kelly. The article cites Holscher's populist campaign tying Masterson to the repealed Brownback tax cut, Masterson's Trump endorsement, and their pledges on schools, taxes, and data centers.
Democrat Cindy Holscher elected Kansas’ next governor, extending blue wave winsdailykos.com· 47h
The Associated Press reports that Democrat Cindy Holscher won Kansas' governorship, defeating Republican Ty Masterson to keep the office in her party's hands and extend a wave of Democratic victories that gave Democrats a majority of US governorships for the first time in two decades. Holscher, who made a moratorium on new AI data centers a campaign cornerstone, says the work of preparing to lead has already begun.
BREAKING ELECTION ALERT: Democrat WINS governor's race in DEEP-RED Kansasyoutube.com· 2d
MS NOW's breaking alert reports, per an Associated Press projection, that Democrat Cindy Holscher will be Kansas's next governor, defeating Republican Ty Masterson and holding the office for her party, with a Democrat also headed to the US Senate in the same election. Guest Michelle credits affordability worries and displeasure with Donald Trump, calls the result part of a rolling blue wave, and says people should kick the tires on their politicians.
Cindy Holscher wins election for Kansas governor, extending Democrats' wave of victoriespbs.org· 2d
An Associated Press article reports that state senator Cindy Holscher has been elected Kansas' next governor, defeating Republican Ty Masterson and keeping the office in Democratic hands as Democrats won a majority of U.S. governorships for the first time in two decades. She promised to halt new AI data centers and says "the work of preparing to lead has already begun."
Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher wins governor's race, NBC News projectsnbcnews.com· 2d
NBC News projects that Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher has narrowly won Kansas' governor's race, defeating Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson, who was backed by President Donald Trump. She will succeed two-term Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and NBC says the win extends the Democratic Party's hold on the office in a red state.
The Blue Wave Isn't Over. Dems Just Won The Governor's Race In Kansas.huffpost.com· 2d
HuffPost publishes an Associated Press report on Democrat Cindy Holscher, a Kansas state senator, defeating Republican Senate president Ty Masterson to win the Kansas governor's race after the AP called it Thursday, two days after her victory declaration. Democrats had already won a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades, and pastor Adam Hamilton and Chris Mann also won statewide, with Hamilton taking a Kansas Senate seat for the first time since 1932.
Holscher Wins Kansas Governor Race, Retaining Seat for Democratsnytimes.com· 2d
The New York Times reports that Cindy Holscher, a lawmaker from suburban Kansas City, narrowly defeated Republican Ty Masterson, the Kansas Senate president, to become Kansas governor and keep the office in Democratic hands for a third straight term. Democrats also broke the Republican supermajority in the state House, unseated Attorney General Kris W. Kobach, and, with Adam Hamilton's Senate win, claimed their first Senate race there since the 1930s.
Cindy Holscher wins in Kansas, holding governor's office for Democratsnpr.org· 2d
An NPR article reports that Democratic state Senator Cindy Holscher won the Kansas governor's race, defeating Republican Ty Masterson after days of counting provisional ballots and keeping the office for her party in a state that leans Republican. Holscher tied Masterson to the Brownback-era tax cut that led to budget crises, opposed his school voucher backing, and campaigned on fighting "sweetheart deals" for billionaires, while Masterson, endorsed by Trump, called her "the most radical, liberal, socialist Democrat ever."
Democrat Cindy Holscher defeats Republican Ty Masterson in Kansas governor’s racenbcnews.com· 2d
NBC News projects that Kansas Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher narrowly won the governor's race, defeating Trump-backed Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson to succeed two-term Gov. Laura Kelly. Holscher campaigned for a statewide moratorium on new data centers and tied Masterson to Trump, and per AdImpact won despite a nearly 3-to-1 Republican ad spending advantage.
Democrat Cindy Holscher is elected Kansas' next governor, extending her party's wave of victoriesapnews.com· 2d
Democrat Cindy Holscher has been elected Kansas' next governor, defeating Republican Ty Masterson despite Republicans outspending Democrats more than 3-to-1, and extending Democrats' majority of U.S. governorships for the first time in two decades. She will succeed term-limited Laura Kelly, having made a moratorium on new AI data centers a campaign cornerstone, while Adam Hamilton won a Kansas Senate seat and Chris Mann ousted Attorney General Kris Kobach.
Cindy Holscher wins Kansas governor’s mansion, keeping it in Democrats’ handsthehill.com· 2d
The Hill reports that Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat, defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Senate President Ty Masterson with just over 50 percent of the vote to win the governor's office being vacated by term-limited Laura Kelly. Holscher, who beat Ethan Corson in a divisive primary, campaigned on expanding Medicaid, more special education funding, and a moratorium on data centers.
Three-quarters of Americans will have Democratic governors with Holscher projected to win in Kansas | CNN Politicscnn.com· 2d
CNN projects Democrat Cindy Holscher will defeat Republican Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor's race, meaning more than 75% of Americans will have a Democratic governor. Among the claims it reports: Trump called the Iran war's higher costs a small price and said he'd consider it a defeat if the "Iran crazies" still hold power, while Rep. Robert Garcia, set to chair the House Oversight Committee, said the White House is trying to intimidate Democrats.

Background newest first

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