This Overland Park Democrat is launching a campaign for Kansas governor
Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher launched a campaign for governor on Thursday, becoming the first major Democrat in the race.
Holscher, an Overland Park lawmaker in the Legislature since 2017, offered herself up as a check on what she called extremist Republican politicians. At the same time, she said she has a track record of collaboration that she would bring to the governor’s office.
The Kansas governor’s race is expected to be wide open among both Democrats and Republicans as candidates vie to succeed Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who will term out of office in early January 2027. On the Republican side, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab and others have already announced bids.
Holscher, 55, enters a Democratic field that could potentially grow. Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes of Lenexa and Sen. Ethan Corson of Fairway are also seen as possible contenders.
In recent weeks, Holscher has been traveling the state meeting with residents. She said voters have expressed “extreme fear and anxiety” over federal cuts and fear what will happen at the state level.
“They are expressing to me they want strong, bold leadership to help them from those types of cuts, as well as help lower the cost of living,” Holscher said in an interview with The Star.
Holscher entered the Legislature at the height of the backlash to former Gov. Sam Brownback’s income tax cut experiment. During her first year in office, lawmakers voted to largely roll back the tax cut policy, which helped alleviate a years-long budget crisis. She also voted in favor of additional funding for K-12 public schools that helped resolve a long-running lawsuit over education funding.
The Legislature still has Brownback allies, she said, as well as “MAGA extremists” who attempt to restore the former governor’s policies.
“So that fight continues, to protect Kansans and to protect our state,” Holscher said, adding that it’s clear voters “want someone who will fight for their interest, put Kansas first. And ultimately, that’s why I chose to pursue this path.”
Democrats potentially face an uphill climb in the 2026 election for governor. While President Donald Trump’s administration may produce a midterm backlash against downballot Republicans, Kansas voters have a tradition of switching between parties when it comes to elections for governor.
Kansas has not consecutively elected different governors of the same party in decades. Kelly already made history in 2022 when she became the first Kansas governor since 1968 to win a second term while the same party controls the White House.
Asked about similarities and differences between her and Kelly, Holscher said there’s “certain policies we agree on” before saying “we have a majority of extremists and MAGA-style legislators trying to destroy our public schools, again, trying to take us back to the failed policies of the Brownback administration.”
The Kansas party primary election will be held Aug. 4, 2026.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
