2018 Kansas elections
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Kansas elections
| country = Kansas
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2016 Kansas elections
| previous_year = 2016
| election_date = November 6, 2018
| next_election = 2020 Kansas elections
| next_year = 2020
| registered =
| turnout =
}}
{{ElectionsKS}}
A general election was held in the state of Kansas on November 6, 2018. Primary elections were held on August 7, 2018.
Voters elected all six executive officers, the lower house of the state legislature, and all of the state's delegations to the U.S. House.
U.S. House of Representatives
{{main|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas}}
Kansas elected four U.S. representatives, one for each congressional districts. In 2018, the delegation's Republican majority changed from 4–0 to 3–1, the first time Democrats had held a seat in the state since 2010.
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan=2 | District
! style="width:190px;" colspan=2 | Republican nominee ! style="width:190px;" colspan=2 | Democratic nominee ! style="width:190px;" colspan=2 | Libertarian nominee |
|---|
| colspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}};" |
! colspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}};" | ! colspan=2 style="background:{{party color|Libertarian Party (US)}};" | |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | {{ushr|KS|1|District 1}}
| Roger Marshall (i) | style="width:40px; text-align:right;" | 68.15 | Alan LaPolice | style="width:40px; text-align:right;" | 31.85 | | style="width:40px; | |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | {{ushr|KS|2|District 2}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 47.64 | style="text-align:right;" | 46.80 | Kelly Standley | style="text-align:right;" | 5.57 |
| {{party shading/Democratic}} | {{ushr|KS|3|District 3}}
| Kevin Yoder (i) | style="text-align:right;" | 43.91 | style="text-align:right;" | 53.57 | Chris Clemmons | style="text-align:right;" | 2.52 |
| {{party shading/Republican}} | {{ushr|KS|4|District 4}}
| Ron Estes (i) | style="text-align:right;" | 59.44 | James Thompson | style="text-align:right;" | 40.56 | | |
Governor and lieutenant governor
{{main|2018 Kansas gubernatorial election}}
Incumbent Republicans Jeff Colyer and Tracey Mann lost their party's renomination in a tight primary election won by Secretary of State Kris Kobach and businessman Wink Hartman by a margin of around 0.1 percent.{{cite web|title=Kansas Primary Election Results|work=Kansas Secretary of State|url=https://ent.sos.ks.gov|access-date=August 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814222950/https://ent.sos.ks.gov/|archive-date=August 14, 2018|url-status=dead}} Democrats nominated state senators Laura Kelly and Lynn Rogers, with businessman Greg Orman and state senator John Doll joining the race as independents.{{cite web |work=The Kansas City Star|title=Independent Greg Orman reshuffles the race for Kansas governor |date=December 6, 2017|url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article188367594.html |access-date=December 10, 2017|first1=Bryan|last1=Lowry|first2=Jonathan |last2=Shorman}} Polls leading up to the election had Kobach and Kelly running close, leading to many news outlets predicting a tossup election.
Kelly won the election, beating Kobach by five percentage points. Kelly became the oldest governor in Kansas history, taking office at the age of 68.{{cite web|url=https://theactiveage.com/kelly-is-states-oldest-governor-again/|work=The Active Age|title=Kelly is the state's oldest governor - again|date=December 1, 2022|access-date=December 27, 2022}}
{{Election box begin |title=2018 Kansas gubernatorial election[http://www.kssos.org/elections/18elec/2018_General_Election_Official_Votes_Cast.pdf Kansas Secretary of State. 2018 General Election Official Vote Totals]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Laura Kelly {{small|/ Lynn Rogers}}
|votes = 506,727
|percentage = 48.01
|change = {{gain}} 1.88
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Kris Kobach {{small|/ Wink Hartman}}
|votes = 453,645
|percentage = 42.98
|change = {{loss}} 6.84
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Independent (US)
|candidate = Greg Orman {{small|/ John Doll}}
|votes = 68,590
|percentage = 6.50
|change =
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Libertarian Party (US)
|candidate = Jeff Caldwell {{small|/ Mary Gerlt}}
|votes = 20,020
|percentage = 1.90
|change = {{gain}} 2.15
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Independent (US)
|candidate = Rick Kloos {{small|/ Nathaniel Kloos}}
|votes = 6,584
|percentage = 0.62
|change =
}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,055,566
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}{{Election box gain with party link no swing
|winner = Democratic Party (US)
|loser = Republican Party (US)
}}{{Election box end}}
Secretary of state
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Kansas Secretary of State election
| country = Kansas
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2014 Kansas Secretary of State election
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election = 2022 Kansas Secretary of State election
| next_year = 2022
| election_date = November 6, 2018
| image1 = File:Scott Schwab official photo (cropped).jpg
| nominee1 = Scott Schwab
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 549,416
| percentage1 = 52.6%
| image2 = File:3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Brian McClendon
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 458,142
| percentage2 = 43.9%
| map_image = {{switcher |270px |County results |270px |Congressional district results | default=1}}
| map_caption = Schwab: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}}
McClendon: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
| title = Secretary of State
| before_election = Kris Kobach
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Scott Schwab
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
| turnout =
}}
Incumbent Republican secretary of state Kris Kobach retired to run for governor, leaving the seat open. State representative Scott Schwab won the Republican primary amidst a number of candidates, while Democratic nominee Brian McClendon ran unopposed after his challengers withdrew. Schwab won the election.
= Republican primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary[https://www.kssos.org/elections/18elec/PrimaryElectionOfficialResults.pdf Primary Election Official Results]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Scott Schwab
|votes = 108,705
|percentage = 38.34
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Randy Duncan
|votes = 57,236
|percentage = 20.19
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Dennis Taylor
|votes = 56,537
|percentage = 19.94
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Craig McCullah
|votes = 32,615
|percentage = 11.50
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Keith Esau
|votes = 28,426
|percentage = 10.03
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 283,519
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= Democratic primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary{{cite web |title=Kansas Primary Election Results |work=The New York Times |date=September 24, 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/07/us/elections/results-kansas-primary-elections.html}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Brian McClendon
|votes = 139,457
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 139,457
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= General election =
{{Election box begin |title=2018 Kansas Secretary of State election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Scott Schwab
|votes = 549,416
|percentage = 52.60
|change = {{loss}} 6.57
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Brian McClendon
|votes = 458,142
|percentage = 43.87
|change = {{gain}} 3.04
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Libertarian Party (US)
|candidate = Rob Hodgkinson
|votes = 36,882
|percentage = 3.53
|change =
}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,044,440
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}{{Election box hold with party link no swing
|winner = Republican Party (US)
}}{{Election box end}}
Attorney general
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Kansas Attorney General election
| country = Kansas
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2014 Kansas elections#Attorney General
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election = 2022 Kansas Attorney General election
| next_year = 2022
| image1 = File:DOJ Elder Fraud Press Conference (cropped).jpg
| nominee1 = Derek Schmidt
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 614,436
| percentage1 = 59.0%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Sarah Swain
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 427,289
| percentage2 = 41.0%
| map_image = {{switcher |270px |County results |270px |Congressional district results | default=1}}
| map_caption = Schmidt: {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Swain: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = Attorney General
| before_election = Derek Schmidt
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Derek Schmidt
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
Incumbent Republican attorney general Derek Schmidt ran for re-election to a third term. He successfully defeated Democratic nominee Sarah Swain by 18 points.
= Republican primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Derek Schmidt (incumbent)
|votes = 269,212
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 269,212
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= Democratic primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Sarah Swain
|votes = 140,503
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 140,503
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= General election =
{{Election box begin |title=2018 Kansas Attorney General election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Derek Schmidt (incumbent)
|votes = 614,436
|percentage = 58.98
|change = {{loss}} 7.79
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Sarah Swain
|votes = 427,289
|percentage = 41.02
|change = {{gain}} 7.79
}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,041,725
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}{{Election box hold with party link no swing
|winner = Republican Party (US)
}}{{Election box end}}
{{Clear}}
Treasurer
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Kansas State Treasurer election
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| country = Kansas
| previous_election = 2014 Kansas elections#State Treasurer
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election = 2022 Kansas State Treasurer election
| next_year = 2022
| image1 = File:Jake LaTurner Congressional ID photo (117th).jpg
| nominee1 = Jake LaTurner
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 598,392
| percentage1 = 57.7%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Marci Francisco
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 437,879
| percentage2 = 42.3%
| map_image = {{switcher |270px |County results |270px |Congressional district results | default=1}}
| map_caption = LaTurner: {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Francisco: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
| title = State Treasurer
| before_election = Jake LaTurner
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Jake LaTurner
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
Incumbent Republican treasurer Jake LaTurner was appointed to the office on April 25, 2017, following the resignation of his predecessor Ron Estes to join the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran for election to a full term, defeating his Democratic challenger State Senator Marci Francisco by 15.49 points.
= Republican primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Jake LaTurner (incumbent)
|votes = 258,796
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 258,796
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= Democratic primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Marci Francisco
|votes = 141,214
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 141,214
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= General election =
{{Election box begin |title=2018 Kansas State Treasurer election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Jake LaTurner (incumbent)
|votes = 598,392
|percentage = 57.74
|change = {{loss}} 9.78
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Marci Francisco
|votes = 437,879
|percentage = 42.26
|change = {{gain}} 9.78
}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,036,271
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}{{Election box hold with party link no swing
|winner = Republican Party (US)
}}{{Election box end}}
Insurance commissioner
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2018 Kansas Insurance Commissioner election
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| country = Kansas
| previous_election = 2014 Kansas elections#Commissioner of Insurance
| previous_year = 2014
| next_election =
2022 Kansas Insurance Commissioner election
| next_year = 2022
| image1 = File:2023 Commissioner Schmidt Portrait.jpg
| nominee1 = Vicki Schmidt
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 644,293
| percentage1 = 62.9%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = Nathaniel McLaughlin
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 380,166
| percentage2 = 37.1%
| map_image = {{switcher |270px |County results |270px |Congressional district results | default=1}}
| map_caption = Schmidt: {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
McLaughlin: {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = Insurance Commissioner
| before_election = Ken Selzer
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Vicki Schmidt
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
Incumbent Republican Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer retired to run for governor, leaving the seat open. Republican state senators Vicki Schmidt and Clark Shultz competed in a close primary, with Schmidt winning the nomination. The Democratic nominee was president of the Kansas NAACP Nathaniel McLaughlin. Schmidt won the election with the highest vote percentage of any statewide candidate.
= Republican primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Vicki Schmidt
|votes = 152,706
|percentage = 52.01
}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Clark Shultz
|votes = 140,887
|percentage = 47.99
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 293,593
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= Democratic primary =
{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary{{cite web |title=Kansas Insurance Commissioner election, 2018 |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=April 2, 2021 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kansas_Insurance_Commissioner_election,_2018}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Nathaniel McLaughlin
|votes = 138,941
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box total no change
|votes = 138,941
|percentage = 100.00
}}{{Election box end}}
= General election =
{{Election box begin |title=2018 Kansas Insurance Commissioner election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Vicki Schmidt
|votes = 644,293
|percentage = 62.89
|change = {{gain}} 1.38
}}{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Nathaniel McLaughlin
|votes = 380,166
|percentage = 37.11
|change = {{loss}} 1.38
}}{{Election box total
|votes = 1,024,459
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}{{Election box hold with party link no swing
|winner = Republican Party (US)
}}{{Election box end}}
State Board of Education
{{expand section |date=April 2021}}
State House of Representatives
File:Kansas State House 2018.png
The Kansas House of Representatives held elections for all 125 seats in 2018. Republicans maintained their supermajority in the chamber, with neither parties making any gains.
| class="wikitable"
|+ 2018 Kansas House of Representatives elections |
| colspan=2 | Party
! style="width:50px" | Before ! style="width:50px" | After ! style="width:50px" | Change |
|---|
| style="background:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" | 85 | style="text-align:center;" | 85 | style="text-align:center;" | {{steady}} |
| style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" | 40 | style="text-align:center;" | 40 | style="text-align:center;" | {{steady}} |
| colspan=2 | Total
! 125 ! 125 ! |
{{clear}}