Kansas Senate rivals distance themselves from party leaders in fiery debate
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton repeatedly sought to distance themselves from the most unpopular elements of their respective parties during a contentious Kansas Senate debate Wednesday night.
The debate opened on a personal note, with both candidates pressed over controversies that have fueled attack ads in the closing weeks of the campaign. Marshall was questioned about a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills. The Republican defended the practice while emphasizing the millions of dollars in free care his practice provided.
Hamilton, meanwhile, was questioned about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church's summer camp alleged to have been a sexual predator. Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp after an initial investigation.
Party distancing
The candidates spent much of the debate trying to define each other by their respective national parties. Marshall repeatedly warned that electing Hamilton would help hand control of the Senate to Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, while Hamilton sought to portray himself as an independent-minded Democrat willing to break with his party.
That divide came into focus when the moderator played footage of Trump campaigning for Marshall in Kansas earlier this week and telling voters to 'pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot.' Asked whether that meant he would support every part of Trump's agenda, Marshall said no and pointed to recent disagreements involving immigration enforcement in southwest Kansas and beef imports.
Nevertheless, Marshall emphasized his support for much of Trump's agenda and urged the president's supporters to turn out for him.
Hamilton faced a similar challenge when moderators pressed him over his past support for Democrats and his campaign message of 'leading from the middle.' The Democratic nominee explicitly broke with former President Joe Biden over immigration.
Hamilton also said he would not support Schumer for majority leader if Democrats win control of the Senate.
Uncommon agreement
The debate did produce an unusual moment of agreement when both candidates were asked how many genders there are.
There's two. There's a boy and there's a girl.
There are two genders, male and female.
Hamilton later said he did not want biological males competing against his 12-year-old granddaughter in sports, calling it 'not a fair fight,' while arguing that decisions over athletic participation should generally be handled locally rather than by the federal government.
Competitive race
The Kansas contest has emerged as an unexpectedly competitive Senate race in the closing weeks of the midterms. Marshall is seeking a second term in a state that has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 1932, while Hamilton, a longtime pastor, has campaigned as a moderate Democrat.
Trump traveled to Kansas Monday to campaign for Marshall as Republicans work to defend the seat with control of the Senate at stake.
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