A brutal string of humiliations cracked this Republican's glass jaw

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, has taken it on the chin repeatedly over the past week.

He wants another term in the Senate, but first he has to make it through an increasingly fraught election season.

First, his campaign apparently shared an AI-generated graphic of Kansas showing its 105 counties in — curious positions. Also, there weren’t 105 of them. His challenger, Overland Park Democrat Adam Hamilton, quickly made hay of the situation.

“Spend enough time in Florida and you might forget what Kansas looks like,” the Hamilton campaign posted Friday.

Then President Donald Trump threatened Canadian aerospace company Bombardier on Monday.

“NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren’t good enough!” he proclaimed via Truth Social, ignoring the fact that more than 1,000 Americans work at Bombardier facilities in — whoops — Wichita.

Marshall posted on social media that he had the problem well in hand: “I’m going to fight to keep Bombardier’s over 1,200 Kansas jobs. I’ve already taken that concern inside the Oval Office.”

Notably, the incumbent senator didn’t mention the person who put those jobs at risk. That would be Trump.

Finally, the New York Times posted a story Tuesday analyzing “Doc” Marshall’s medical career. Turns out, he “filed lawsuits against more than 700 patients with outstanding bills during his decades-long career as an obstetrician-gynecologist, according to a New York Times analysis of Kansas court records.”

According to the Times, 81 patients were arrested for missing their court dates. Marshall charged up to 18% interest rates for medical debt repayment.

Whew!

Each story hit a different nerve. The AI-generated state map suggested a sloppy campaign apparatus, one peppered with junior staffers who don’t comprehend the pride Kansans take in their state. Trump’s Bombardier threats underscored the extent to which Marshall has chained his political fortunes to those of the president. Let’s not forget that Marshall’s first vote in the U.S. Senate was to reject Joe Biden’s presidential win.

Finally, the medical billing story struck at the very core of Marshall’s biography. He has been at pains to present himself as a mild-mannered obstetrician-gynecologist, a small-town doctor representing the rural folk of Kansas. Turns out, he wanted to be paid. The Times story includes wrenching references to women who lost pregnancies and needed additional surgery.

Rural health care costs money. But Kansas also hasn’t expanded Medicaid services, and Marshall has steadfastly opposed the Affordable Care Act. Did he just prefer his patients poor and indebted to him?

Marshall can’t help but look worse for wear. I’m sure those in the Hamilton campaign have celebrated accordingly. (Keep that champagne in the icebox for now, kids. There’s a lot of time left).

This is what happens after decades of dominance by a single political party and erosion of news media influence. Vetting Kansas politicians takes time, energy and attention. Marshall had an enormous glass jaw that didn’t come into focus until he faced a competitive race. We’ve seen shoddy campaign work and Trumpy outbursts before. The lawsuits in question happened years ago.

But we’re only now putting the pieces together.

We’ve seen the same pattern play out in the governor’s race. State Senate President Ty Masterson, the Republican nominee, finally faced wide scrutiny for his “no-show job” at Wichita State University as the primary approached. He officially went on leave last month. I’d written about the dubious arrangement for years, but elections have a way of clarifying the mind.

Even the most polished and charismatic candidates should face scrutiny from reporters and opposing campaign operatives. It doesn’t matter how powerful their party or financial backers might be. Every candidate should answer tough questions and respond to tough stories. They should run, address fair criticism, and let voters choose.

Marshall has lingered far too long in the shadow of Trump. The time has arrived for the good doctor to step into the sunlight, taking responsibility for the past and outlining a positive vision for the future.

If he can’t manage that, I’m sure Hamilton’s campaign would like a word.

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. His first book, “Opinionated: Kansas Journalists Who Proved Why Commentary Matters — Then and Now,” comes out Sept. 29 from the University Press of Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com.