The 2018 Kansas gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Kansas.
Incumbent Republican governor Sam Brownback was term-limited and could not seek 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;[2][3] he resigned the governorship on January 31 and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer.[4] 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,[5] 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.[6][7][8] Colyer conceded the Republican nomination after the final votes were tallied, in which Kobach's margin grew slightly.[9] State Senator Laura Kelly easily won the Democratic nomination[10] and won the general election, assuming office on January 14, 2019. Businessman Greg Orman, who finished second as an independent in the 2014 U.S. Senate race against incumbent Republican Pat Roberts, ran for governor as an independent candidate.[11]
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.[12] A debate took place on September 5 between the three candidates that consistently polled above 5%.[13] Polls in late August had Kelly and Kobach running close with Orman polling in the single digits.[14]
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 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.[15]
This is the last Governor election in the country where a incumbent Governor lost re-nomination.
^Shorman, Jonathan (November 30, 2018). "Kansas voter turnout was 'surprisingly high,' Kobach says". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
^Sullivan, Sean; Zauzmer, Julie (January 24, 2018). "Pence forced to break tie over nomination of Brownback for religious freedom post". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^Heilman, Nick Viviani and Matt. "Gov. Sam Brownback's last day in office is Jan. 31". Archived from the original on January 28, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
^Smith, Mitch; Fortin, Jacey (July 26, 2017). "Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas Will Be Nominated as Religious Ambassador". The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
^"Unofficial Kansas Election Results". ent.sos.ks.gov. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
^Woodall, Hunter; Vockrodt, Steve; Lowry, Bryan. "Kris Kobach continues to build his lead after Johnson County ballots tallied". Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
^Kris Kobach, Trump ally and Kan. secretary of state, recuses himself from vote counting in his own GOP primary vs. Gov. Jeff Colyer, The Washington Post, Amy B. Wang and Felicia Sonmez, August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
^Viviani, Melissa Brunner; Nick. "More discrepancies found in Kobach-Colyer vote totals". www.wibw.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Feuerborn, Mark (August 14, 2018). "Colyer concedes to Kobach a week after Kansas GOP primary". KSNT.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
^Live results for the Kansas primary elections Kris Kobach is challenging incumbent Jeff Colyer in the GOP primary for governor., Vox (website), Ella Nilsen and Li Zhou, August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
^Rucker, Philip (November 4, 2014). "Battle for the Senate: How the GOP did it". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
^Woodall, Hunter (September 28, 2017). "As third teen joins Kansas governor race, consider this: No rule says a dog can't run". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
^"Gov Debate 2018 - Johnson County Bar Association". www.jocobar.org.
^"New Poll Shows "Dead Heat" in Race for Kansas Governor | Under The Dome KS".
^Without a clear primary winner, the Kansas GOP might be at a disadvantage. The Washington Post. 10 August 2018.
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