Vance, Trump make unusual Kansas push amid tight Senate race
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Vice President Vance was back in Kansas on Monday, marking the state's third visit from either Vance or President Trump in a little over a month.
Why it matters: The visits come amid heightened political pressure in Kansas, where the Cook Political Report shifted the Senate race to a toss-up in early October.
- The state hasn't elected a Democratic senator for 94 years.
The big picture: Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton are each at around 46% in a RealClearPolitics average of polls through Oct. 14.
- Hamilton, a Methodist pastor from the KC metro billed as a moderate Democrat, is trying to win the seat from the Trump-backed incumbent who won in 2020 by more than 11 points.
Zoom in: Trump and Vance have said during their recent Kansas visits that Hamilton represents the far left. Trump played on past wins by likening a vote for Marshall to a vote for himself.
- Hamilton represents "left-wing radicalism dressed in the skin suit of our religion," Vance said during a September speech in Olathe.
- "I'm asking you to pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot," Trump said at a Wichita event earlier this month, adding that Marshall stands against "communists controlling the United States Senate."
What they're saying: The visits are "highly unusual," Don Haider-Markel, a longtime political science professor and researcher at the University of Kansas, tells Axios.
- "This midterm election is especially dire for Republicans," he says, adding that the visits suggest that the Trump administration is "really worried about the low enthusiasm levels" among voters.
Follow the money: The race has become the most expensive in state history, with nearly $85 million in total ad spending from candidates and outside groups, according to AdImpact.
- Hamilton's fundraising outpaced Marshall's as of Oct. 16, $11 million to $800,000.
- Millions in PAC and super PAC funds have since flooded the state with ads for a final push.
Friction point: The report points to heightened dissatisfaction with high fertilizer and oil prices as a result of the Iran war and unpopular tariff policies affecting the state's beef industry.
What's next: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Kansas polls are open 7am to 7pm. Early voting is underway.