Former Kansas Gov. Bill Graves, a Republican who led the state for two terms, has crossed party lines to endorse Democrat Adam Hamilton in the state's U.S. Senate race, delivering a sharp rebuke to incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
In a video shared by Hamilton's campaign on social media, Graves said the country is "facing increasing partisan gridlock and division" and argued it is "time Kansas does something different" by electing Hamilton, a Methodist minister and senior pastor of the Church of the Resurrection.
"For the last six years, Senator Roger Marshall has turned his back on Kansas," Graves said. "In contrast, Adam Hamilton stands as a bulwark of kindness, humility and service to others. It is for those reasons, and many more, that I believe Kansas should send Adam Hamilton to the U.S. Senate."
Graves, 73, served as Kansas's secretary of state for eight years before becoming governor in 1995, a position he held until 2003. His endorsement is not a one-off break with his party: He previously backed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in both her 2018 and 2022 campaigns, both of which she won.
Hamilton, who leads one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the country, is seeking to become the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932. His opponent, Marshall, is a first-term obstetrician who has aligned closely with the conservative wing of the GOP.
The race is an uphill climb for Hamilton. The Cook Political Report rates it as "likely Republican," and The Hill's polling partner, Decision Desk HQ, gave Marshall roughly an 80 percent chance of victory as of Monday. Fundraising also favors the incumbent: Marshall had nearly $5.4 million on hand at the end of June, compared with less than $1.8 million for Hamilton, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Graves's endorsement could inject a note of bipartisanship into a contest that has largely been defined by national partisan trends. His criticism of Marshall echoes broader concerns about gridlock in Washington, a theme that some polling suggests resonates with voters ahead of the midterms.
Marshall's campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Graves's endorsement.
Political analysts note that high-profile Republican endorsements of Democrats are rare but can matter in close races, though Kansas's deep-red lean makes a Hamilton victory a long shot. Still, Graves's decision to back Hamilton underscores the former governor's willingness to break with his party, a trait that has defined his post-governorship political identity.
Hamilton has sought to position himself as a moderate consensus-builder, emphasizing his pastoral experience and focus on unity. His campaign hopes that Graves's backing will help sway independent and moderate Republican voters, particularly in a state where Donald Trump remains popular.
The Senate race is one of several where Democrats are hoping to defy expectations, though national handicappers remain skeptical. As the campaign enters its final stretch, both candidates are likely to intensify their efforts to define the race on their own terms.
