Trump tweets congratulation to Kobach after his delayed GOP primary victory

President Donald Trump tweeted his congratulations to Kris Kobach Wednesday morning after his early supporter narrowly won the Republican nomination for Kansas governor.

“My friend and very early supporter Kris Kobach won the Republican Nomination for Governor of Kansas last night in a tough race against a very fine opponent,” Trump tweeted. “Kris will win in November and be a great Governor. He has my complete and total Endorsement!”

Kobach secured the nomination Tuesday night when Gov. Jeff Colyer conceded a week after Election Day.

After a bitter back-and-forth between the two campaigns, Kobach’s 345-vote lead after provisional ballots were counted in Johnson County seemed to put him over the top.

Mark Kahrs, Kansas’ Republican national committeeman, said Wednesday that Trump’s support played a key role in powering Kobach over Colyer in the closest primary for governor in state history.

“I think it’s clear that Kobach was helped immensely by the Trump endorsement at the end of the primary campaign and that Trump will be there to help Kobach and other republicans in November,” said Kahrs, a former GOP lawmaker from Wichita. “… Trump is very popular in the state and I think that will help Republicans down ballot.”

Kobach will now face Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, in the general election. Businessman Greg Orman has filed signatures to appear on the ballot as an independent.

Shortly before Colyer’s concession Tuesday, Kobach made it clear that a tweet from the president the day before the election was critical to his winning the race.

This story was originally published August 15, 2018 at 9:07 AM.