U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas defeats Mark Holland, wins third term in Washington

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran won a third term Tuesday, coasting to victory amid a nationwide push by the Republican Party to win control of Congress.

Moran, who ran a campaign that attempted to place him above partisan politics, defeated former Kansas City, Kansas, mayor Mark Holland. The Associated Press called the race just after 8 p.m.

The crowd chanted Moran’s name as he took the stage Tuesday evening at an election event hosted by the Johnson County Republican Party at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park.

“It is something special to be chosen by your fellow citizens,” Moran said. “The country needs Republican representation in the Senate.”

The race was never particularly competitive. While Holland attempted to portray Moran as a senator who was in lockstep with the more extreme parts of the Republican Party, he lacked the resources and attention to make the argument stick.

His effort was made more difficult by Moran’s low-key approach to governing, one that eschews some of the more partisan, cultural issues in favor of a heavy emphasis on helping the state secure federal money through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

He often travels the state to talk to voters and has long maintained a goal of hosting a town hall in all 105 Kansas counties once a year.

“National Democrats know that he would be extremely difficult to beat,” said former Sen. Pat Roberts. “And I don’t know what they would say about Jerry that could be used in the campaign that would convince Kansas voters otherwise. They’re just not going to waste their time and effort and money.”

Moran, the only Kansas Republican in Congress who voted to certify the 2020 presidential election, was able to fend off a potential primary from a candidate more aligned with former President Donald Trump by securing the former president’s endorsement early in his campaign.

After the endorsement, Moran, who voted to acquit Trump for incitement of an insurrection, has kept the former president at an arm’s length. He has said he’s more likely to support the potential candidacy of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and has focused his campaign ads on criticizing the Biden administration over the economy and highlighting some of his bipartisan work in the Senate.

While Moran is not among the 10 Republicans Democrats frequently turn to in order to help pass parts of their legislation, he’s teamed up on at least two recent high-profile bipartisan bills. He was a lead sponsor on a bill to expand benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits while serving overseas and was named to a committee to help negotiate a bill to spur the domestic production of semiconductors.

Moran’s approach differs from some of the more vocal members of the U.S. Senate, including his colleague Sen. Roger Marshall, who has grabbed attention in his first term through opposing some public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 and by introducing laws limiting access to gender affirming healthcare for transgender kids.

In the lead-up to the election, Marshall called Moran a “good friend and mentor.”

“He’s a skilled legislator who listens to Kansans and works tirelessly behind the scenes for legislation that impacts our state,” Marshall said. “His genuine love for Kansas, for veterans, and for future generations of Americans is evident in his words and deeds.”

While incumbent Democrat Sharice Davids won a decisive victory in her reelection campaign for Congress, Republicans dominated the other races for the U.S. House of Representatives in the region.

Kansas 2nd

Rep. Jake LaTurner has won a second term in the U.S. House, after facing a Democratic challenger in a newly-drawn district that added voters from Wyandotte County while dropping voters from Lawrence. The district covers most of eastern Kansas.

LaTurner won 57% of the vote with 981 of 1,077 precincts counted.

LaTurner faced Democrat Patrick Schmidt, a Navy veteran from Topeka, whose campaign focused heavily on the economy, crime and illegal immigration.

Schmidt criticized LaTurner for his vote to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and for his opposition to abortion rights. He campaigned heavily in Wyandotte County attempting to turn out Democratic voters in his favor.

Kansas 1st

Rep. Tracey Mann received 67% of the vote, defeating Democrat James “Jimmy” Beard, who received 33% with 1,175 of 1,429 precincts reporting by 10:40 p.m. Tuesday. The district’s new borders stretch from Lawrence to the Colorado border, covering more than half of the state’s geography.

Kansas 4th

Rep. Ron Estes received 63% of the vote, defeating Democrat Bob Hernandez, who received 37%. The district covers Wichita and the surrounding region.

The Star’s Jenna Thompson contributed to this story.