Chris Mann claims Kansas attorney general win, but count incomplete

Democrat Chris Mann declared victory for the Kansas attorney general seat on Tuesday, even though the Associated Press had not yet called the race.

Unofficial results showed Mann leading his Republican opponent, Kris Kobach. Kobach had not issued a statement or made public comments about the results by early Wednesday morning. The final outcome may depend on mailed ballots, which historically lean Democratic in the state.

Mann is a former police officer who became a prosecutor after a drunk driver struck him during a traffic stop in 2002. He positioned his campaign as a focus on the duties of the office rather than media theatrics. Mann earned the endorsement of the Kansas State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police. It was the first time that group endorsed the Democratic candidate since 2002.

Kobach is a well-known and polarizing figure who attracted national attention to the race. He narrowly defeated Mann in the last election. Kobach’s campaign centered on Kansas’ record-low crime rates under his leadership. He also targeted Mann’s national profile and media savvy.

Mann outpaced Kobach in fundraising, a trend seen among other Democrats in major Kansas races. Kobach faced criticism for appearing to accept donations higher than state limits. His campaign attributed some of those donations to married couples.

The party holding the White House often loses ground in midterm elections. Sagging polling numbers for President Donald Trump encouraged Democrats to compete for the office. Trump and Vice President JD Vance each visited Kansas twice, partly due to the tight U.S. Senate race.

Trump and Kobach are aligned on concerns about alleged voter fraud. Trump appointed Kobach to a voter fraud commission during his first term. When Trump visited the state recently, he brought Kobach on stage in Salina. Trump called Kobach a long-time friend and stated that he had endorsed him for years.

Kobach previously served as secretary of state starting in 2011. He pushed a law requiring Kansans to prove citizenship to register to vote, which courts later blocked. He ran for governor in 2018 and lost to Democrat Laura Kelly. He won the attorney general office in 2022.

During his campaign, Kobach touted his legal work against Biden-era laws. He challenged a Title IX rule that replaced the word sex with gender. He also led a lawsuit against Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools over students socially transitioning without parental knowledge. He worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to challenge in-state tuition for non-citizens who grew up in Kansas.

Mann said in a statement that he was proud to have earned the trust of many Kansans. He pledged to show up for the people of Kansas every day and to hold bad actors accountable.