President Donald Trump endorses Kansas Senate president in GOP campaign for governor

TOPEKA  — President Donald Trump endorsed Senate President Ty Masterson on Sunday in the Republican primary for Kansas governor.

Trump posted to Truth Social the 20-year member of the Kansas Legislature was a “fantastic candidate” and would perform well in the state Trump carried in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

“Ty Masterson has my complete and total endorsement to be the next governor of Kansas,” Trump said.

Masterson lavished praised on Trump in a statement and expressed how honored he was to receive the president’s blessing given a crowded field of Republican candidates for governor.

“President Trump transformed our country by fighting for secure borders, lower taxes, American energy dominance and putting working families first,” Masterson said. “In Kansas, I’ve taken that same approach — leading the fight to cut taxes, stand up to the left’s agenda and defend our values.”

There is a presumption the Trump endorsement would provide leverage for Masterson heading into the Aug. 4 primary. The boost for Masterson came on heels of a difficult 2026 legislative session in which Republicans were unable to comply with Trump’s demand to redraw Kansas congressional districts to favor Republican candidates and couldn’t pass into law a bill addressing the GOP’s top priority of moderating property taxes.

Competition for the Trump recommendation had been at the center of the 2026 GOP campaign for governor as Masterson worked to curry favor with the president along with former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab and others.

In the 2018 governor’s race, Trump endorsed then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who went on to narrowly defeat Colyer in that GOP primary. However, Kobach lost the 2018 general election to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who went on to win reelection in 2022.

In the 2026 campaign for governor, Colyer has pointed to Trump’s praise for him eight years ago during a campaign stop in Topeka that was organized to help Kobach defeat Kelly. In that speech, Trump declared Colyer a “man of incredible integrity and class.”

Others in this year’s GOP field of gubernatorial candidates are Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, businessman Philip Sarnecki as well as Charlotte O’Hara, Joy Eakins and Stacy Rogers.

The top Democrats seeking the nomination for governor are state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher, both of Johnson County. Corson has been endorsed by Kelly and former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, also a Democrat.

In response to Trump’s selection of Masterson, Corson spokesperson Glynnis Harvey said Corson devoted his campaign to issues Kansas voters cared about while Masterson “spent last year auditioning for Donald Trump.” Corson’s campaign is about lowering consumer costs, protecting abortion rights and making certain Kansans have access to quality healthcare, she said.

“Trump’s policies have made life harder on Kansans across our state, from driving up costs on farmers, healthcare and at the gas pump,” Harvey said.

Meanwhile, Kansas Democratic Party Chair Jeanna Repass said Masterson prevailed in a “humiliating contest to see who can bow lowest to Donald Trump.”

“Ty Masterson has made his priorities clear. He will put Donald Trump’s political agenda ahead of Kansas families every single time,” Repass said.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican noted as an “America First patriot” in Trump’s statement on Masterson, also endorsed Masterson’s campaign for governor on Sunday. Marshall said he anticipated campaigning with Masterson and was convinced he was a “tremendous addition” to the GOP ballot.