Kansas Governor Election 2026
Laura Kelly (D) is term-limited. Rating: Lean R.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Holscher | Democratic | State senator |
| Ty Masterson | Republican | Kansas Senate president |
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Cindy Holscher | Ty Masterson |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 6, 2026 | YouGov | 44% | 47% |
| October 3, 2026 | NYT/Siena | 44% | 49% |
Average of the 2 most recent polls: Cindy Holscher 44%, Ty Masterson 48%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Cindy Holscher (D)
- Supports abortion rights and opposed the 2022 amendment to limit them. (2026-10-05) source
- Supports Medicaid expansion, calling it the biggest help for rural hospitals. (2026-08-27) source
- Supports legalizing cannabis. (2026-08-27) source
- Helped repeal the Brownback income tax cuts; calls recent property tax bills gimmicks. (2026-10-05) source
- Wants stronger guardrails on data centers' water use, energy use and utility bills. (2026-08-27) source
Ty Masterson (R)
- Opposes Holscher's support for abortion rights; backed the 2022 amendment to limit them. (2026-10-05) source
- Opposes Medicaid expansion. (2026-08-27) source
- Opposes legalizing marijuana. (2026-10-05) source
- Calls property taxes a crisis and backs a cap on property tax growth. (2026-08-27) source
- Wants wind and solar to pay taxes comparable to other energy, saying policy shouldn't pick winners. (2026-08-27) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.