2018 Kansas gubernatorial election


The 2018 Kansas gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next Governor of Kansas. Democratic nominee Laura Kelly won the election, defeating Republican nominee Kris Kobach and independent candidate Greg Orman.
Incumbent Republican Governor Sam Brownback was term-limited and could not seek reelection to a third consecutive term. On July 26, 2017, Brownback was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 24, 2018. Brownback resigned the governorship on January 31 and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer. Colyer was eligible to seek a full term and announced his candidacy prior to becoming Governor of Kansas. In the August 7 primary, Colyer ran against CPA and incumbent Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, Topeka doctor and 2006 Republican Kansas gubernatorial nominee Jim Barnett, and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
On August 7, 2018, Kobach defeated Colyer in the Republican gubernatorial primary by an initial margin of 191 votes, a lead that increased to 361 votes by August 14, although discrepancies in some counties needed resolution and provisional and absentee ballots may not have been counted in some counties. Colyer conceded the Republican nomination after the final votes were tallied, in which Kobach's margin grew slightly. Democratic State Senator Laura Kelly easily won the Democratic nomination. Businessman Greg Orman, who finished second as an independent in the 2014 U.S. Senate race against incumbent Republican Pat Roberts, also ran for governor as an independent candidate.
Given that Kansas is the only state which has no gubernatorial statutory qualifications whatsoever in its constitution, seven teenagers, including one who has never even been to the state of Kansas, ran for the office in this election cycle. A debate took place on September 5 between the three candidates that consistently polled above 5%. Polls in late August had Laura Kelly and Kris Kobach running close with Greg Orman polling in the single digits.
Laura Kelly's win continued a streak of party turnover for Governor of Kansas, as Kansas has not elected two consecutive governors of the same party since Republican William Avery succeeded fellow Republican John Anderson Jr. following the 1964 election, and neither major party has held the governorship for longer than eight consecutive years since Republican John McCuish left office in 1957.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Polling

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Polling

Hypothetical polling-------

Results

Independent candidates

Candidates

On the ballot

  • Rick Kloos
  • *Running mate: Nathaniel Kloos, son of Rick Kloos
  • Greg Orman, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
  • *Running mate: John Doll, state senator

    Failed to qualify

  • Ilan Cohen, high school student from Maryland
  • Aaron Coleman, college student
  • Max Correa, college student from North Carolina
  • Joe Larry Hunter, former inmate
  • Andy Maskin, New York City Advertiser
  • *Running mate: Scott Goodwin, Connecticut Advertiser
  • Victor Redko, McGill University student
  • Jared Rogers, University of Pennsylvania student
  • Nicholas Schrieber, college student from Delaware
  • *Running mate: Matthew Ueckermann, college student from Maryland
  • Conner Shelton, college student from Pennsylvania

    Libertarian convention

Candidates

Nominated

Predictions

Debates

Endorsements

Polling

Hypothetical polling------

;with Kris Kobach and Laura Kelly

Results

Maps

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