The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the four
U.S. representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from the
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
, one from each of the state's four
congressional districts
Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...
.
The state congressional delegation changed from a 4–0 Republican majority to a 3–1 Republican majority, the first time the Democrats held a house seat in the state since
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
.
Overview
Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas by district:
District 1
The first district is one of the largest geographically in the nation, encompassing more than half of the area of the state. It is located in western and northern Kansas, and includes the cities of
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
and
Salina.
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Roger Marshall won this district in 2016 by defeating the incumbent Congressman,
Tim Huelskamp
Timothy Alan Huelskamp (; born November 11, 1968) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2017. Huelskamp, a member of the Republican Party, was rated the least bipartisan member of the House during the 114th ...
, in the Republican primary 57% to 43% and winning the general election.
Republican primary
Tim Huelskamp filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on October 17, 2016, to run for this seat in 2018.
Huelskamp made no announcement about whether he is considering a potential rematch with Marshall, but sent a fundraising email attacking Marshall and soliciting donations.
[ On June 29, 2017, it was announced that Huelskamp had accepted a position with ]The Heartland Institute
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian public policy think tank known for its rejection of both the scientific consensus on climate change and the negative health impacts of smoking.
Founded in 1984, it worked wit ...
, a conservative think tank in Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a municipality in Cook County with a small portion in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about northwest of the city's downtown. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 77,676. Per the ...
.
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Roger Marshall, incumbent U.S. Representative
=Eliminated in primary
=
*Nick Reinecker
=Declined
=
*Tim Huelskamp
Timothy Alan Huelskamp (; born November 11, 1968) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2017. Huelskamp, a member of the Republican Party, was rated the least bipartisan member of the House during the 114th ...
, former U.S. Representative
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Alan LaPolice, former school administrator, Republican candidate for this seat in 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
and an Independent candidate in 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
.
Primary results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Results
District 2
This district is located in eastern Kansas and is anchored by the state capital, Topeka
Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
. It also includes the city of Lawrence
Lawrence may refer to:
Education Colleges and universities
* Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States
* Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States
Preparator ...
. Incumbent Republican Lynn Jenkins
Lynn Haag Jenkins (born June 10, 1963) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as the U.S. representative for , in office from 2009 to 2019. She previously served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2003 to 2008, in the Kansas House of Repre ...
had represented the district since 2009. She had beaten former six-term District congressman Jim Ryun
James Ronald Ryun (born April 29, 1947) is an American former Republican politician and Olympic track and field athlete, who at his peak was widely considered the world's top middle-distance runner. He won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the ...
in the primary, and incumbent Democrat, Nancy Boyda
Nancy Boyda (born August 2, 1955) is an American chemist and politician. She is a former Democratic U.S. Representative for . On November 4, 2008, Boyda was defeated for re-election to a second term by Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins.
...
, in the general election. Jenkins was re-elected with 61% of the vote in 2016.
Republican primary
Campaign
Jenkins had considered running for governor instead of re-election, but decided to retire and not run for any office in 2018.
Army veteran Steve Watkins led the Republican primary campaign, securing the endorsement of current President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. However, his background and residency were challenged by fellow Republicans, citing inaccuracies in claims on his website and in his campaign, as well as his absence from the district.
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Steve Watkins, army veteran, dog racer and engineer
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Vernon Fields, Basehor City Councilman
* Steve Fitzgerald, state senator
* Kevin Jones, state representative
* Doug Mays, former Kansas House speaker
* Dennis Pyle
Dennis D. Pyle (born February 4, 1961) in Hiawatha, Kansas is an independent member of the Kansas Senate, representing the 1st district since 2005. He ran for governor of Kansas in the 2022 election.
Legislative career
Pyle was a member of ...
, state senator
* Caryn Tyson, state senator
=Withdrawn
=
* Matt Bevens
* Tyler Tannahill
Endorsements
Primary results
Democratic primary
Former Kansas State House Minority Leader and 2014 gubernatorial nominee Paul Davis ran unopposed. When Davis ran against incumbent governor Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American attorney, politician, diplomat, and member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party who served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Fr ...
in 2014, he had carried the 2nd district.
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Paul Davis, former Minority Leader of the Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...
and nominee for Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
in 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
=Withdrawn
=
* Nathan Schmidt
Primary results
Libertarian primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Kelly Standley, business developer
General election
Endorsements
Debates
Complete video of debate
October 18, 2018
Polling
Predictions
Results
District 3
The district is based in the Kansas City metropolitan area
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...
and surrounding suburbs in eastern Kansas. Cities include Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
and Overland Park
Overland Park ( ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, Kansas, it is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the most populous suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. ...
. Incumbent Republican Kevin Yoder
Kevin Wayne Yoder (born January 8, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, Yoder was the Kansas State Representative for the 20th distr ...
had represented the district since 2011. Yoder was re-elected with 51% of the vote in 2016. Yoder lost to his Democratic challenger, attorney Sharice Davids
Sharice Lynnette Davids (; born May 22, 1980) is an American attorney, former mixed martial artist, and politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents a district that includes mos ...
, who became one of the first Native American women ever elected to Congress.
Republican primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
* Kevin Yoder
Kevin Wayne Yoder (born January 8, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, Yoder was the Kansas State Representative for the 20th distr ...
, incumbent representative
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Trevor Keegan
* Joe Myers
Primary results
Democratic primary
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Sharice Davids
Sharice Lynnette Davids (; born May 22, 1980) is an American attorney, former mixed martial artist, and politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents a district that includes mos ...
, attorney, mixed martial artist, and former White House Fellow
The White House Fellows program is a federal fellowship program established via Executive Order by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964, based upon a suggestion from John W. Gardner, then the president of Carnegie Corp ...
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Mike McCamon, businessman
* Tom Niermann, teacher
* Jay Sidie, financial counselor and nominee for this seat in 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
* Brent Welder, attorney
* Sylvia Williams, former financial services manager
=Withdrawn
=
* Chris Haulmark (dropped out to run for the Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...
)
* Reggie Marselus, retired union official and candidate for this seat in 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
& 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
* Joe McConnell, businessman and Iraq War veteran[
* Andrea Ramsey, attorney and former healthcare executive][
]
Endorsements
Polling
Primary results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Predictions
Results
District 4
The fourth district is based in southern Kansas, including Wichita and the surrounding suburbs. Incumbent Republican Ron Estes
Ronald Gene Estes ( ; born July 19, 1956) is an American politician, engineer, and farmer who has been the U.S. representative for since April 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2011 to 2017.
A fif ...
has represented the district since 2017. Estes was elected with 52.5% of the vote in 2017.
Prior to Estes, Mike Pompeo
Michael Richard Pompeo (; born December 30, 1963) is an American politician, diplomat, and businessman who served under President Donald Trump as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2017 to 2018 and as the 70th United State ...
represented the district. Pompeo had been nominated as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA) is a statutory office () that functions as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which in turn is a part of the United States Intelligence Community.
Beginning February 2017, the D ...
in the Donald Trump administration. After Pompeo was confirmed, a special election was held for the remainder of Pompeo's term. Ron Estes
Ronald Gene Estes ( ; born July 19, 1956) is an American politician, engineer, and farmer who has been the U.S. representative for since April 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2011 to 2017.
A fif ...
won the special election on April 11, 2017.
Republican primary
The Republican Party selected a nominee during a Republican Party primary election which took place on August 7, 2018. The Republican primary was open to registered voters who were either unaffiliated or registered as Republicans.
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*Ron Estes
Ronald Gene Estes ( ; born July 19, 1956) is an American politician, engineer, and farmer who has been the U.S. representative for since April 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2011 to 2017.
A fif ...
, incumbent U.S. Representative
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Ron M. Estes (different candidate with similar name), high level manager at Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
for 40 years including working on the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ...
project
=Declined
=
* Susan Wagle, Kansas Senate President
Campaign
Because there were two Republican candidates named Ron Estes, the names appeared on the ballot as "Rep. Ron Estes" and "Ron M. Estes", which some criticized as breaking state law that prohibits identifying an incumbent on the ballot.
Primary results
Democratic primary
The Democratic Party selected a nominee during a Democratic Party primary election that took place on August 7, 2018. The primary was open to registered voters who were either unaffiliated or registered as Democrats.
Candidates
=Nominee
=
*James Thompson, civil rights attorney, military veteran and nominee for this seat in 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
=Eliminated in primary
=
* Laura Lombard, businesswoman and CEO of ImEpik (online workforce training services)
Campaign
Senator Bernie Sanders
Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...
and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of th ...
campaigned for Democrat James Thompson on July 20, 2018, after the national Democratic party would not support him. Laura Lombard criticized the state's decision to list incumbent Ron Estes as "Rep. Ron Estes" on the ballot, because she believes it breaks state laws which prohibit a candidate from being identified as an incumbent on the ballot.
Endorsements
Primary results
General election
Endorsements
Polling
Results
References
External links
Candidates
at Vote Smart
Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected officials in si ...
Candidates
at Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...
Campaign finance
at FEC
Campaign finance
at OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that tracks data on campaign finance and lobbying. It was created from a merger of the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) and the National Institute on Money in Politics (NIMP). ...
;Official campaign websites of first district candidates
Alan LaPolice (D) for Congress
Roger Marshall (R) for Congress
;Official campaign websites of second district candidates
Paul Davis (D) for Congress
Steve Watkins (R) for Congress
;Official campaign websites of third district candidates
Sharice Davids (D) for Congress
Kevin Yoder (R) for Congress
;Official campaign websites of fourth district candidates
Ron Estes (R) for Congress
James Thompson (D) for Congress
{{2018 United States elections
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...