Democratic voters weigh Gov. Laura Kelly’s endorsement of Kansas senator in gubernatorial primary

OLATHE — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly took her endorsement of Ethan Corson on the road Tuesday, speaking to a largely undecided crowd at a “Women for Ethan” event in Olathe ahead of the three-way Democratic primary for governor. 

“The people of Kansas have put their trust in me to always have their best interest in mind,” Kelly said. “Now I’m asking you and all Kansans, trust me one more time.” 

While nearly all attendees Kansas Reflector spoke to were undecided in the August primary, they said the Democratic governor’s backing of Corson gave his campaign weight. June Fischer, from Shawnee, is strongly leaning toward voting for Corson. 

“I think she’s been a great governor,” Fischer said. “I respect her, so I respect her endorsement.”

Corson and Cindy Holscher, a state senator from Overland Park, have been vying for the Democratic nomination for governor since last summer — July for Corson and June for Holscher. Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog dropped into the Democratic primary at the last minute, nearly a year after Holscher and three hours before the filing deadline.

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In a Democratic debate between Corson and Holscher, the senators took similar stances on policy issues — raising the minimum wage, expanding Medicaid, access to reproductive health care — but Holscher differentiated herself as “anti-establishment.” 

In response to Kelly’s endorsement at the “Women for Ethan event,” Holscher echoed that refrain: “It’s all tied to establishment.” 

“I think Gov. Kelly has been an outstanding governor, and I guess Cindy doesn’t think so,” Corson said. “I would remind folks that (Kelly) has been elected twice.”

In the early hours of his campaign, Skoog said that his City Hall approach to government, rather than Corson and Holscher’s Statehouse approach, is best. 

Holscher has criticized Corson for taking donations from the attorneys who represent a private prison company, CoreCivic, that is currently holding immigration detainees in Leavenworth. She also publicly disagreed with the governor on a number of bills, like the school cellphone ban. 

Holscher said President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Senate President Ty Masterson matters in the Republican primary.

“Democrats think differently,” Holscher said. “Democrats don’t like (the) establishment weighing in on elections. I think the biggest thing I have heard from people across the state is that primaries are for people, not politicians, to make decisions.” 

In 2025, Holscher said she was one of three Democrats — including Corson — who were essentially told by the Kelly administration not to run for governor, to give another, hand-selected candidate, a better opportunity. In response to that comment, Kelly’s chief of staff said Holscher had originally asked for Kelly’s endorsement. 

“I never thought of (Holscher) as anti-establishment,” said Kathryn Carnahan, an undecided voter from Prairie Village. “I’ve been to several of her rallies in the past, and she seemed like a pretty establishment Dem. So I’m not really sure how she’s conveying that at this point.”