August 29th , 2026 Len’s Political Note #835 Adam Hamilton Kansas US Senate
2026 General Election
We enter the home stretch. Election day is Tuesday, November 3. We are five days from September 3. The earliest early voting begins on September 18 in Idaho, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia. In Adam Hamilton’s Kansas, the law allows counties to begin early voting as much as 20 days before the general election. That would be October 14, 2026. Are there any counties that begin then? Kansans have to check with their county election offices.
In a system as diverse as this, as local as this, national interference in the election process would be extremely difficult. Those of you who are worried should keep on worrying. We have mail-in balloting to fight over. That’s a national issue. Meanwhile, focus on helping your candidate get elected.
Democrat and Preacher Adam Hamilton is a candidate for the US Senate for Kansans and for all of us. He is a Methodist, in the tradition of John Wesley.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, was an ordained Anglican Priest who, initially through outdoor preaching and subsequently in chapels, sought to bring large numbers back to Christianity through a focus on Biblical Christianity. The movement spread beyond Britain. A substantial growth of both Baptist and Methodist churches in the United States occurred during and after the Second Great Awakening Revivalist movement of the first half of the nineteenth century. By the twentieth century, Methodist churches had become establishment churches without altogether losing their movement roots. Among those revivalist elements was the capacity for a preacher to found his own church.
Twenty-five year old Adam Hamilton founded his Methodist Church of the Resurrection in 1990 with about 100 members. He would say it was founded with just four members, all in the family. The church is now approaching 25,000 members and has nine campuses – 4 in Kansas, 5 in Missouri. Adam Hamilton presides over the largest Methodist Church in the country, a church not quite as large as the largest evangelical churches, but is in their league.
In one important social and political way, Methodists are different from the Evangelical churches. The United Methodist Church’s response to Frequently Asked Questions says Methodists “were among the primary advocates for the abolition of slavery across the British Empire, the organization of labor unions to protect workers from dangerous working conditions, the ending of the debtors’ prison system, and the creation of new systems of care for poor children. Given this heritage, Methodists have continued to advocate for other social or political issues since that time – women’s suffrage, temperance, civil rights, health care and care for the environment…..”
Notwithstanding that description of stalwart support for progressive issues, a 2018 story in the Atlantic that addressed the divisions in the United Methodist Church about gay pastors and same sex marriage noted a Pew study which found Methodists were slightly more conservative than Americans were in general. An NPR local radio station, commenting on Adam Hamilton’s candidacy for the US Senate. said Methodist congregants and pastors were roughly evenly divided between the two major political parties.
When Adam Hamilton founded his church in 1990, according to that same radio station’s report, he intended to attract “thinking Christians” who were not engaged in religion. By 2018, when his Church of the Resurrection had grown to be quite large, though not as large as it is now, Adam Hamilton added his opinion about the Methodist issue of the moment. He said Christians who support gay marriage can do so without contradicting the common understanding of Christianity.
Adam Hamilton argued that the issue of gay marriage did not show up in scripture, that those on both sides of the argument were wrong to point to scripture as the basis for their views. He joined with a group of clergy and lay members to support efforts to allow local churches to decide for themselves the issue of gay marriage and gay pastors. He allowed that the “interpretation” of scripture could lead to different views of same sex marriage. His goal was to achieve an agreement that ensured pastors were neither compelled to officiate at gay marriages nor punished for doing so.
While this plan was criticized for moving the quarrels to local churches rather than settling them nationally and even internationally, it was a solution characteristic of Adam Hamilton’s interest in compromise and, what he would call, dignified treatment for “traditionalists” and progressives.
Adam Hamilton grew up in suburban Kansas City. His father’s family Kansas roots go back 150 years. They weren’t all preachers. Some were farmers. His mother’s family came to Kansas through the aerospace industry. His grandfather flew for TWA. Adam Hamilton met his wife when he was 14 years old. They married in 1982, three years before he graduated from college.
Adam Hamilton earned his BA from Oral Roberts University, his Master’s in Divinity from Southern Methodist University. While building his church, he authored thirty books. As part of Barack Obama’s second inauguration, he preached at the national prayer service. He was also appointed by Barack Obama to the Presidential Advisory Council on faith-based and neighborhood partnerships.
Adam Hamilton says he is running for the US Senate “because he believes we need to stop the chaos and corruption in Washington by actually listening, and bringing people together to solve problems.” He explains he is a Kansan who understands we are better when we work together.
His campaign platform is about the basics. His first priority is to protect Kansans from rising energy bills. He praises Republican Kansas Senator Jerry Moran for the proposed Trade (Tariff) Review Act. He supports the bipartisan efforts to stop the rapid growth of Data centers. His second priority is to protect Kansas seniors. In addition to protecting social security, he wants Medicare to support home care and not exclusively care in facilities or hospitals He wants Medicare to support vision and dental coverage/ And he wants greater efforts to put an end to scams and fraud against seniors. His third priority is to ensure there is affordable housing. He focuses on building materials tariffs, and regulations that limit the production of modular housing, as well as the problem of Corporations purchasing single family homes and turning them into rentals.
Adam Hamilton is running against an incumbent – first term Senator Dr. Roger Marshall. Roger Marshall is in some trouble. Immediately upon Adam Hamilton gaining the nomination, analysts dropped Marshall’s Senate seat from Safe Republican to Likely Republican.
There are questions about Roger Marshall. For instance, does Marshall really live in Kansas? His home in Florida is much larger and more expensive than his Kansas home. He seems to spend as much time as he can in Florida, maybe more time than he spends in Kansas. He seems to find more and more Senate business that requires him to be in Florida. Do Kansas Republicans have any enthusiasm for Roger Marshall? The number of his donors from Kansas exceeds the number of his fingers and toes, but not by much. Turnout for the Republican primary was dismal. Perhaps Republicans assumed he had it wrapped up, though his opponent got 20% of the vote. Is Roger Marshall taking the race for granted? He raised $600,000 in the second quarter of 2026 to Adam Hamilton’s $3.6 Million. Is Roger Marshall really a doctor? Of course he is. He is the kind of doctor who does not criticize RFK Jr for his ridiculous views of medicine, including his views of vaccination.
Adam Hamilton could win this race. Two Democratic polls in July and August showed Marshall up by 4 points and by a single point. Even after a late start and a challenging primary, Adam Hamilton had $1.7 million on July 15. That is behind the incumbent who had $5.4 million on that date. DONATE to Adam Hamilton’s campaign. Cut into Marshall’s lead and make this election a win for Adam Hamilton.
The Democratic plan for winning a majority in the US Senate.
Democrats, including two independents, have 47 Senators to 51 for the Republicans. So long as the Vice President can vote and is a Republican, Democrats need to keep all of their Democratic seats Democratic and flip four Republican seats.
Keeping the Four Vulnerable Democratic seats Democratic.
Georgia: Democrat Jon Ossoff has to defeat Republican Congressman Mike Collins. The most recent polls, one in August and one in July had Jon Ossoff leading by 8 and 9 points. In the financial race, Jon Ossoff raised 98 million to Collins’s $7.4 million. On June 30, Jon Ossoff had $42.6 million to Collins’s $2.1 million. Jon Ossoff is winning this election. DONATE to add to his lead. See Len’s Political Note #713. Cook says the race Leans Democratic.
New Hampshire: Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas is running to replace the retiring Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. The most recent poll is from August, others are from June. Chris Pappas leads John Sununu in the August poll by 7 points. One of the June polls, funded by Republicans, had Chris Pappas up on Sununu by 1 point. The other June polls had Chris Pappas leading Sununu by 3, 3, and 6. Chris Pappas leads in the money race as well. He has raised $13.4 million to former one term US Senator John Sununu’s $3.7 million. Chris Pappas had on June 30 $5.2 million to Sununu’s $2.7 Million. Pappas is in the lead, but DONATE to his campaign. See Len’s Political Note #743. Cook says the race Leans Democratic
Minnesota. Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan won the primary decisively. She is running to replace retiring Democratic Senator Tina Smith. The most recent poll is from August. Peggy Flanagan led Republican activist and sports reporter Tafoya by 5 points. In a June poll, a generic Democratic led a generic Republican by 8 points. As for the financial race, Congresswoman Angie Craig, who lost in the primary to Peggy Flanagan, was ahead financially. Peggy Flanagan, having raised $6.5 million with $1.1 million available on July 22 was roughly tied with Tafoya, who has raised $5.3 million and had $1.4 million on July 22. DONATE to Peggy Flanagan. That money could make a difference. Cook says the race is Likely Democratic.
Michigan. County Medical Director Abdul El-Sayed won a narrow primary victory. With generous support from Haley Stevens who lost the primary Abdul El-Sayed may be alleviating fears that he is too far left and too dangerous to Israel to win the election. In four polls from August, one funded by Democrats and another funded by Republicans, Abdul El-Sayed leads by 1,3,6, and 7 points. In one Fox News poll in August, Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers led by 6 points. The financial race is a stand-off. Abdul El-Sayed has raised $14.5 million and had $2.6 million on July 15. Mike Rogers raised $10.9 million and had $4.5 million on July 15. Democrats chose the anti-establishment candidate in the primary. No Republican candidate is more establishment oriented than former lobbyist and radio host Mike Rogers, who flipped his view on the 2020 election and now falsely claims Trump may have won and points to voting irregularities in his own 2022 Senate race loss. DONATE to Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign. Cook says the race is a Toss-up.
Democrats are ahead as they protect the four vulnerable seats. To gain control of the US Senate, they will need to win those four seats and to flip four more Republican seats. Here are the seats that were in their original plan.
North Carolina: Former Attorney General and Governor Roy Cooper, running for the seat to be vacated by retiring Republican Tom Tillis, has succeeded in four statewide elections, twice for Attorney General and twice for Governor. He is running against the against former state and national Republican Party head Michael Whatley. In four August polls, two of them funded by Democrats, Roy Cooper leads by 5, 7, 9 and 13 points. Roy Cooper has an equally substantial lead in the financial race. He raised $35 million and had $20.7 million available on June 30. Whatley raised $11.7 million and had $3.5 million available on June 30. Despite North Carolina’s reluctance to send Democrats to Washington, Roy Cooper appears to be on his way to flipping this seat. DONATE if you want to confirm that victory. See Len’s Political Note #744. Cook says the race leans Democratic.
Maine: After the Democrats had an excruciating experience with initial nominee and political novice Graham Platner, former Senate President Troy Jackson demonstrated organizational mastery as he gained the near-unanimous Democratic convention nomination. A poor speaker and not at all charismatic, his organizational abilities may prove to be enough against incumbent Susan Collins. Mainers have figured out that she demonstrates independence only when her vote does not matter. Troy Jackson has been leading in polls in August by 2 and 4 points. In July, two polls had the two candidates even In other polls, Jackson led by 3 and 4 points while Collins led by 4, 9, and 11. If Troy Jackson is to win, he will have to do so while losing the financial race. A latecomer to this election, Troy Jackson does not yet made a financial report for his race. Susan Collins raised $21.1 million and had $11 million available on June 30. DONATE to Troy Jackson. Every dollar helps. See Len’s Political Note #827. Cooks says the race is a Toss-up.
Ohio: Former three-term US Senator Sherrod Brown returned to politics at Chuck Schumer’s urging to run again in Ohio after losing in 2024. Sherrod Brown led former Lt. Governor and appointed US Senator Jon Husted in August polls by 4, 4, and 8 points. Sherrod Brown leads in the financial race, too. He raised $38.6 million and had $16.2 million on June 30. Husted raised $14.4 million and had $9.4 million on June 30. Ohio had grown more and more Republican. A Democratic win would have to be in the face of that Republican shift. DONATE to Sherrod Brown’s campaign. Money can make a difference. See Len’s Political Note #750. Cook says the race is a Toss-up.
Alaska: Former Congresswoman Mary Peltola, after deciding whether she would run for the House, for Governor, or for the Senate, she gave Senator Chuck Schumer another victory. She chose to run for the Senate. Both August polls calculated the effect of ranked choice. Each had Mary Peltola winning – by 2 points in one, by 6 points in the other. Mary Peltola also leads Sullivan in the total amount of campaign funds raised by $18.5 million to $11.7 million, However, she trails him in the funds available on July 29 $4.6 million to $7.3 million. DONATE to Mary Peltola’s campaign. If she and Minnesota’s Peggy Flanagan are both elected, they would be the first Native American women elected to the US Senate. See Len’s Political Note #785. Cook says the race is a Toss-up.
Democrats have leads in their goal to flip their initially targeted four seats, but, except for North Carolina, the leads are fragile. Fortunately, there are more seats Democrats did not initially target. In the best of all possible worlds, Democrats flip the targeted four and flip four more. If that were to happen, Democrats achieve a 55 to 45 majority.
Texas: State Rep and Presbyterian seminarian James Talarico is running a strong campaign against Ken Paxton focusing on the Texas Attorney General’s corruption. In six polls from July, James Talarico is leading by 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, and 5 points. In one poll from August, Paxton is leading by a point. James Talarico is leading the financial race by a larger margin. He raised $68.6 million and had $21.5 million available on June 30. Paxton raised $9.2 million and had $1.7 million available on June 30. DONATE to James Talarico’scampaign. Donations will make a difference, See Len’s Political Note #795. Cook says the race is a Toss-up.
South Carolina: Pediatrician Annie Andrews began her campaign against Lindsey Graham. After Lindsey Graham’s death, the primary’s first round, and the fun-off, Annie Andrews is running against either his sister Darline Graham Nordone. A July poll funded by Annie Andrews found her trailing a generic Republican by 8, and Ralph Norman, who lost the run-off, by 1. Darline Graham Nordone was not yet in the race, but Annie Andrews trailed Linsdey Graham by 2 points in a June poll. Darline Graham Nordone entered the race too late to submit an FEC report. If she has access to her late brother’s campaign funds, he had $2.3 million as of June 30. Annie Andrews had raised $10.8 million and had $4.1 million remaining on June 30. This is a competitive race in my opinion, even though Cook says the race is solidly Republican. DONATE to Annie Andrews’ campaign. See Len’s Political Note #800.
Iowa: State Rep and former Paralympian Josh Turek won his primary handily against a nationally-known State Senator who is a same sex marriage proponent. Now Josh Turek is running against Congresswoman and former television news anchor Ashley Hinson. In an August poll sponsored by a conservative media group, Josh Turek trailed by 3 points. He trails in the financial race. Josh Turek raised $6.3 million and had $2.4 million remaining on June 30. Ashley Hinson, who had no. primary, raised $10.2 million and had $6.7 million remaining on June 30. Josh Turek has a challenge, but not an impossible one. DONATE. He could flip this seat. See Len’s Political Note #817. Cook says this race is a Toss-up.
Kansas: Mega church Pastor and Democrat Adam Hamilton running against the incumbent Republican. As noted above: Two Democratic polls, one in July and one in August showed Marshall up by 4 points and by a single point. Even after a late start and a challenging primary, Adam Hamilton had $1.7 million on July 15. That is behind the incumbent who had $5.4 million on that date. DONATE to Adam Hamilton’s campaign. Cook says the race is a Toss-up.
Of the four races in the section above, flipping two Republican seats would be a huge success.
Below, there are two categories of longshots worth investing in. Independents from the mid- and northwest. African-American Democrats and Democraatic women from the Southeast. Flipping even one of these seats would be a huge success.
Arkansas: Farmer and blogger Hallie Shoffner (a white woman) opposes Incumbent Tom Cotton. Imaginative and positive, she is worth some support. There are two polls from August. Cotton leads one by 16. Hallie Shoffner leads the other by 3. A July poll in which Cotton leads by 3 points might be the most realistic and gives Hallie Shoffner a shot. DONATE to her campaign. See Len’s Political Note #786. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Florida: Activist and State Rep Angie Nixon (A Black woman) upset Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary. A poll in July might have been a clue to the coming upset. The incumbent Ashley Moody led Angie Nixon by 8 points and Vindman by 10. Angie Nixon got an enormous response from just a little bit of money. She will need resources to orchestrate another upset. DONATE to Angie Nixon’s campaign. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Idaho: Entrepreneur and former tank commander Todd Achilles (A white man and an independent) opposes 83 year-old incumbent Jim Risch. An August poll funded by Todd Achilles showed him leading Risch by 5 points in a head-to-head race. A head-to-head race has become realistic because the Democrat has withdrawn in Todd Achilles’ favor. DONATE to Todd Achilles campaign. A big donor might make a big difference. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear’s appointee to head the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and Community Involvement, the founder of the movement From the Hood to the Holler, Charles Booker (A Black man). There are no recent polls. DONATE to Charles Booker’s campaign as he opposes extremist Republican Congressman Andy Barr. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Louisiana: Farmer Jamie Davis (A Black man) is an indefatigable politician running against Congresswoman Julia Letlow. She emerged from the vicious primary and run-off to gain the Republican nomination. There are no polls for a contest between Jamie Davis and Julia Letlow. DONATE to Jamie Davis’s campaign. See Len’s Political Note #823. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Mississippi: Scott Colom (A Black man), the District Attorney in a majority white district, is running against the unpopular incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. There are no polls. DONATE to Scott Colom’s campaign. See Len’s Political Note #764. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Montana: First in his class at West Point, former President of the University of Montana, Seth Bodnar (A white man and an independent) might win if the Democratic nominee withdrew from the race against Republican switcheroo nominee former US Attorney Kurt Alme. (The incumbent withdrew his candidacy in favor of Kurt Alme at the last minute when no other Republican had time to collect signatures to run.) An August poll finds Alme and Bodnar even in a head-to-head race; Alme leading by 15 with the Democrat and Seth Bodnar in the race, and Alme leading by 14 if Alme and only the Democrat are in the race. The Democratic nominee Alina Bankhead is adamant she will not withdraw. A negative campaign focused on Bankhead might have the same effect as creating a head-to-head race with Alme. DONATE to Seth Bodnar’s campaign. See Len’s Political Note #797. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
Nebraska: Labor leader Dan Osborn (A white man and an independent) came within six points of winning in 2024. This time, the Democratic nominee withdrew in his favor in his race against Republican incumbent multimillionaire Pete Ricketts. There are no recent polls. DONATE to Dan Osborn’s campaign. See Len’s Political Note #765. Cook says the race is Likely Republican.
South Dakota Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, attorney, sometime park ranger, Brian Bengs. (A white man and an independent) is running against incumbent Mike Rounds. The Democratic nominee withdrew in his favor. Although a May poll found Bengs within 4 points in a head-to-head race, a poll in July by the Republican Senate campaign found Brian Bengs trailing the incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds by 23 points. DONATE to Brian Bengs’ campaign. See Len’s Political Note #774. Cook says the race is Solidly Republican.
For each of these long shot candidates, money could them into serious contenders.
