Democrat Cindy Holscher narrowly defeated Trump-backed Republican Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor’s race, NBC News projected Thursday, keeping the office in Democratic hands.
“Truly remarkable blue wave!” activist and author Amy Siskind wrote after the race was called. Holscher’s win brings the Democratic tally to 29 governorships, with Alaska’s race still uncalled.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper highlighted what the result means beyond Kansas, saying more than 75% of Americans now live in states with Democratic governors.
Holscher, a state senator, will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Trump carried Kansas by double digits in each of his three presidential runs and visited the state the weekend before Election Day to campaign with Masterson and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).
Both lost, with Democrat Adam Hamilton flipping Marshall’s Senate seat, NBC reported.
“Thank you, Kansas!” Holscher wrote on X. “It’s the honor of a lifetime to serve as your next Governor.”
Masterson, the Kansas Senate president, conceded the race and said he had called Holscher to congratulate her.
“This was a hard election for people who share our vision,” Masterson posted on X. “But I do believe in this state and in the people who live here, and that hasn’t changed.”