Kansas Senate Race Tops $84 Million in Ad Spend
Outside groups drive record-breaking costs in the contest between Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton.
By Sakura McCarthy ·
The U.S. Senate race in Kansas has become the most expensive election in state history.
Spending between the two major-party candidates has surpassed $84.5 million. This figure dwarfs the previous state record of $49.1 million set in 2020 when Roger Marshall first ran for the seat. AdImpact, an ad tracking firm, confirmed the new total.
Republican incumbent Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton and Libertarian David Graham in Tuesday’s election. Hamilton is a pastor based in the Kansas City area. The contest has drawn national attention as parties fight for control of the Senate. The 2026 cycle is also the costliest on record across the country.
Campaigns have been aggressive since the August primary. Marshall’s team aired ads referencing a child sex abuse incident at Hamilton’s youth camp two decades ago. Hamilton’s team attacked Marshall’s ties to Florida and his history of medical debt collection as an OB-GYN in central Kansas.
Direct campaign spending shows a large gap. Hamilton’s campaign has spent over $16 million this season. Marshall’s campaign has spent just over $6 million. Federal records from October 14 support these figures. Outside groups have accounted for the majority of total spending. This represents a 3,332% increase compared to the 2022 Kansas Senate election.
Outside groups have spent more than $27 million supporting Marshall, with at least $8.5 million more planned. They have spent more than $34 million backing Hamilton, with $14 million more expected. The Senate Leadership Fund is the top spender for Marshall, having directed at least $11 million to the state after moving money from North Carolina. The People over Politics Action Fund is the largest group spending against Marshall, with over $11 million invested.
Other key players include Lower Costs Now, which has spent nearly $6 million against Marshall and $4.5 million for Hamilton. Main Street Fund, formed on primary day, has spent nearly $4.6 million against Hamilton as of October 21. Funding for the latter came from other Republican-affiliated and pro-Trump PACs.
Source: KCUR 89.3
