Cindy Holscher Wins Kansas Governor's Race, Keeping the Mansion in Democratic Hands as Masterson Concedes

Democrat Cindy Holscher has won the Kansas governor's race, defeating Republican Ty Masterson in one of the closest contests of the 2026 midterm elections. The Associated Press called the race for Holscher on Thursday, November 12, nine days after Election Day, and Masterson conceded the same day, calling Holscher to congratulate her.

Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka at golden hour

In short: Cindy Holscher, a 57-year-old Democratic state senator from Overland Park, won the Kansas governor's race with about 50.3 percent of the vote to Ty Masterson's 49.7 percent, a lead of roughly 7,000 votes. The Associated Press called the race on Thursday, November 12, 2026, after days of counting provisional and mail ballots. Masterson, the Kansas Senate president who had President Donald Trump's endorsement, conceded the same day. Holscher will succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Laura Kelly and take office on January 11, 2027, in the first time in Kansas history that a Democrat has succeeded another Democrat as governor.

Why the race took nine days to call

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026, but the Kansas governor's race stayed uncalled for nine days while election officials counted provisional ballots and mail ballots postmarked by Election Day. Holscher declared victory the morning after the election, and her lead grew steadily as the count went on, from about 5,500 votes on the morning of November 4 to roughly 7,600 once all 105 Kansas counties had reported updated unofficial results.

The margin was narrow enough to trigger a close-race audit under Kansas law, which requires a review of ballots in 10 percent of precincts in each county when the gap between the top two candidates is within 1 percent of the total votes cast. The Associated Press called the race on Thursday afternoon, and Masterson conceded hours later. The election results will not be official until the state certifies them on December 1.

Unofficial results from the Kansas Secretary of State's office put Holscher just over 551,000 votes, ahead of Masterson by more than 7,000. The Associated Press tally showed Holscher with 549,974 votes, or 50.3 percent, to Masterson's 542,929, or 49.7 percent.

A historic first for Kansas Democrats

Holscher's win is the third consecutive Kansas gubernatorial election won by a Democrat, and the first time any party has won the governorship in three consecutive elections since 1970. It is also the first time in Kansas history that a Democrat has been elected to succeed another Democrat as governor, with Holscher following two-term Governor Laura Kelly, who was term-limited after eight years in office.

Kansas was seen as the governor's office most likely to flip from Democratic to Republican control among the 36 governor elections held across the country this year. Kansas voters have backed Republicans for president in every election since 1968, which made the Democratic hold a notable result in a midterm cycle where Democrats were projected to win control of both chambers of Congress.

Holscher has served in the Kansas Senate since 2021 after spending four years in the state House, and she has been a Kansas legislator since 2017. Her running mate, state Representative KC Ohaebosim, a Wichita Democrat, will become the second Black Kansan to be elected to statewide office.

Voters queue outside a polling place in Kansas on election morning

What decided the race

Masterson, who has served as Kansas Senate president since 2021, carried President Trump's endorsement in the Republican primary and was the favorite of many forecasters heading into the election. Republicans outspent Democrats on advertising by nearly 3 to 1, according to AdImpact figures cited by NBC News, yet Holscher held her narrow lead through the final count.

The campaign turned in part on data centers. Holscher called for a statewide moratorium on new data center construction, a position Masterson opposed, and a pro-data center super PAC called Building the Future spent to help Masterson. Holscher thanked Kansas voters in a post on X after the race was called and has already begun her transition to the governor's office.

Republicans will still hold majorities in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature, and Masterson said he would return to the Senate in January to focus on property taxes, public safety, affordability and schools. In his concession message, Masterson said he had called Holscher to congratulate her, adding: "It looks like we will come up just short, but the things we fought for are no less important today than they were yesterday."

What happens next

Holscher takes office on January 11, 2027, when she will face a Republican-controlled Legislature in Topeka. Her first months in office will show whether the data center moratorium she campaigned on becomes law, and how she works with a legislature that has spent eight years under Governor Kelly's veto pen. The state will certify the election results on December 1, 2026. For the latest on the midterm results, follow our live coverage hub as the remaining counts finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Kansas governor's race?

Democrat Cindy Holscher, a state senator from Overland Park, defeated Republican Ty Masterson, the Kansas Senate president. The Associated Press called the race for Holscher on Thursday, November 12, 2026, and Masterson conceded the same day.

What was the margin in the Kansas governor's race?

Holscher won with about 50.3 percent of the vote to Masterson's 49.7 percent, a lead of roughly 7,000 votes out of more than 1.09 million cast. The margin was under 1 percent, which triggered a state-required audit of ballots in 10 percent of precincts in each county.

When does Cindy Holscher take office as Kansas governor?

Holscher takes office on January 11, 2027. She succeeds two-term Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, who was term-limited after eight years. The election results will be officially certified on December 1, 2026.

Why did the Kansas governor's race take nine days to call?

Officials spent days counting provisional ballots and mail ballots postmarked by Election Day, and the margin stayed under 1 percent, which required a close-race audit. The Associated Press did not call the race until Thursday, November 12, nine days after Election Day on November 3.

What happens to Ty Masterson now?

Masterson will remain president of the Kansas Senate and return to the chamber in January. He said he will focus on property taxes, public safety, affordability and schools, while Republicans keep their majorities in both legislative chambers.

Why was the Kansas governor's race so closely watched?

Kansas was seen as the governor's office most likely to flip from Democratic to Republican control among the 36 governor races this year, and Masterson had President Trump's endorsement. Holscher's win is the first time in Kansas history that a Democrat has succeeded another Democrat as governor.

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