Two of Kansas’ biggest races came together Saturday at the Kansas State Fair, where candidates for governor and U.S. Senate offered voters sharply different views of the state and country — and a loud, partisan crowd made sure its views were heard, too.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Ty Masterson and Democrat Cindy Holscher clashed over taxes, abortion, data centers and public education. Later, Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton battled over President Donald Trump, tariffs, agriculture and whether Kansas’ elected officials are standing up for the state.
At both debates, boos, chants and heckling frequently competed with the candidates for attention.
Taxes, Schools and Abortion
Masterson, the Kansas Senate president, portrayed Holscher as an extreme liberal who would expand government spending. Holscher countered that Masterson has helped lead the Legislature for years and should be held responsible for many of the affordability problems he now promises to fix.
Their sharpest divide may have been over taxes and the role of government.
Masterson said his approach would be pro-business, pro-agriculture and pro-oil and gas, arguing economic growth is the way to make Kansas more affordable. Holscher said years of tax breaks favoring corporations and wealthy interests have shifted too much of the burden onto working families and homeowners.
When Holscher argued the state should invest more in public schools to reduce pressure on local property taxes, Masterson accused her of believing more government spending was the answer to affordability.
The crowd repeatedly inserted itself into the exchange. Holscher supporters carried signs mocking Masterson’s Wichita State University job, while Masterson supporters displayed “Cue Card Cindy” signs. At several points, boos nearly drowned out Masterson.
Abortion produced one of the loudest moments.
Holscher pointed to Kansas voters’ rejection of previous constitutional changes and argued Masterson would continue efforts to restrict abortion rights. Masterson said Kansans want fewer abortions and restrictions on late-term and taxpayer-funded abortions. When he characterized abortion as an “80-20 issue,” some in the crowd responded with chants of “liar.”
The two also split over data centers. Holscher, who has called for a temporary moratorium, accused Masterson of being too eager to welcome large developments. Masterson said local communities should make those decisions and argued the projects could generate property tax revenue.
On education, Masterson defended private-school vouchers as a way to give students alternatives to failing schools. Holscher tied him to past state cuts to public education and said those policies contributed to the problems he now cites.
Trump, Health Care and Marshall’s Medical Practice
The Senate debate was equally combative, with Trump and Marshall’s record before entering Congress providing some of its sharpest exchanges.
Marshall defended much of Trump’s agenda while emphasizing his work on agriculture and Kansas jobs. Hamilton repeatedly argued that a senator’s first responsibility should be to Kansas, even when that means breaking with a president of the same party.
But one of the loudest confrontations came when Marshall was questioned about a New York Times investigation published just days before the debate examining how his medical practice pursued patients for unpaid bills.
The Times, after reviewing Kansas court records, reported that Marshall or the Great Bend OB-GYN practice he owned or co-owned sued more than 700 patients over medical debt. The unpaid bills ranged from $101 to several thousand dollars, patients were routinely charged 18% annual interest, and some had wages or bank accounts garnished. In 81 cases, patients were arrested after missing court appearances related to the lawsuits. Marshall’s lawyers also sought warrants in at least 13 additional cases, according to the Times.
Marshall defended the practice during the debate, saying those were “common, common business practices” and that his office would wait as long as a year before sending someone to collections. He also called the Times investigation a “hit job” and said his practice provided compassionate care, including treatment for people who could not afford to pay. As he answered, members of the crowd broke into chants of “Shame on you.”
Marshall’s campaign has also said judges — not doctors — issued the arrest warrants and that he treated patients regardless of their ability to pay. The Times reported, however, that attorneys representing Marshall repeatedly asked courts to issue warrants when patients failed to appear.
Agriculture provided another sharp divide. Marshall accused Hamilton of being hostile to agriculture, cattle producers and the oil and gas industry. Hamilton attacked Trump administration tariffs and its decision to import beef from Mexico, calling the move harmful to Kansas cattle producers. Marshall blamed drought, a historically small cattle herd and government regulation for the industry’s problems.
The candidates also sparred over where they spend their time after questions about vacation homes outside Kansas. Marshall owns property in Florida; Hamilton has a vacation home in the Missouri Ozarks.
As Marshall defended his Kansas residency, people in the audience shouted and chanted, “You don’t live here.”
Marshall and Hamilton also differed on health care, food assistance, immigration, the national debt and the direction of the country. Libertarian candidate David Graham, who will also appear on the Nov. 3 ballot, was not invited to participate and watched from the bleachers.