The first challenger for Kansas governor has thrown his hat into the ring. Current Kansas Secretary of State, Scott Schwab, says he will run for the spot in the 2026 election. With Governor Laura Kelly’s second and final term ending in 2026, expect to see more candidates announcing soon.
Schwab will run as a Republican. He says Kansas needs to return to the values and principles that have always fueled us and added that he has a proven conservative record and a servant’s heart. In a media release, Schwab says he champions election integrity bills, including a law that required voters to show ID at the polls, promoted business growth, and worked to reduce regulatory overreach.
Schwab was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2002. He won his first term as Kansas Secretary of State in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Although he is the first to publicly announce his candidacy, Senate President Yy Masterson, a Republican from Andover, is also expected to run.
