Kansas Democrats suffer from a reverse Maine problem. Too many are running for U.S. Senate!

U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine and his wife, Amy Gertner, celebrate in Blue Hill after unofficial results declared him the winner of the Democratic primary on June 9, 2026. (Photo by Emma Davis/Maine Morning Star)

Kansas Democrats face a big challenge heading into the August primaries.

They have too many people running for U.S. Senate and too few running for other critical offices, notably governor. At present, a staggering 11 Democrats have signed up to unseat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. Only three Democrats are running in the governor’s race. Only one for attorney general. Only two for secretary of state. And so on.

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This pileup reminds me of the recent freakout in Maine after allegations of sexting and other problematic behavior emerged against U.S. Senate Democratic frontrunner Graham Platner. His only real competition for the party’s nomination in that race was Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign in April.

Where were the other Democratic politicians in Maine? Turns out they were running for governor, with five candidates on the trail. Incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins has kept winning reelection despite tough campaigns.

“I worry because I have the scars of trying to beat Susan Collins for many cycles,” Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha told Politico.

While the situation in Kansas this summer is not identical, I see similarities. Let’s call it a reverse Maine.

Graham Platner secures Democratic nomination in U.S. Senate race

Here, the governor’s race looks underbaked and precarious for Democrats, and the Senate contest overflows with superfluous contenders. For an explanation, you need look no further than the corner office in the Statehouse.

Democratic Gov Laura Kelly’s political operation likely wanted to project strength and continue her legacy with a handpicked successor. At first that appeared to be Lt. Gov. and Commerce Secretary David Toland, who replaced former Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers in early 2021. But Toland chose not to run, so Kelly ended up backing the campaign of state Sen. Ethan Corson, R-Fairway.

“Kansas is in good shape right now,” Kelly said in a November statement, making clear her desire for continuity. “And that is why I am enthusiastically endorsing Ethan Corson. Ethan will build on my work, but he will also bring visionary and bold new ideas to the job.”

State Sen. Cindy Holscher and Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog have both joined the Democratic race, offering an semblance of choice. But no one can miss that the race has come down to three Johnson County politicians. Not exactly inspiring.

On the other hand, look at the U.S. Senate race. Here are the 11 candidates, listed in reverse alphabetical order for the fun of it (thanks to Kansas Reflector reporter Anna Kaminski, whose work I’m adapting here).

• Noah Taylor, former Army infantryman and co-founder of the advocacy group Leading Kansas.
• Mike Soetaert, former Wellington City Council member and repeat candidate.
• Patrick Schmidt, Topeka state senator and former naval intelligence officer who ran for the 2nd District seat in 2022.
• Anne Parelkar, Overland Park immigration attorney who confronted Marshall at a town hall.
• Sandy Spidel Neumann, former financial services executive.
• Erik Murray, real estate developer from Kansas City, Kansas, working on the the former Indian Hills shopping center.
• Kevin Latz, physician specializing in pediatric orthopedic surgery.
• Jason Hart, former federal attorney who specialized in prosecuting child abuse crimes.
• Adam Hamilton, pastor of one of the nation’s largest United Methodist congregations.
• Christy Davis, former federal agricultural official and among the first candidates to declare.
• Damon Anderson, founder and CEO of Tallgrass Freight Company.

Only one of these candidates will make it past the Aug. 4 primary to face Marshall. That means that 10 folks who have stood up to participate in our civic life likely will return to the private sector or their previous careers.

Whatever your party, that seems like a shame. Kansas needs qualified candidates to run for offices across the state, including roles at the city and county level. Kansas needs qualified candidates to run for the state Senate and House. Even though some 250 signed up earlier this month, more than 30 candidates will run unopposed.

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Voters need choices for elections to mean anything.

I worry that social media has so distorted the partisan landscape that potential public servants pour resources into a race where they have a sliver of a chance, rather than directing their energies into less glamorous but still important contests. Our perspective has been distorted by the aggressive, outraged nationalization of politics.

Candidates have a right to run for whatever office they desire. But sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Just ask the elementary school student who visited the local soda fountain after finding a $100 bill.

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.