# Holscher wins Kansas governor's race for Democrats

> State Sen. Cindy Holscher defeats Republican Ty Masterson to keep the governor's office in Democratic hands in a heavily Republican state.
- Title: Holscher wins Kansas governor's race for Democrats · NPR
- Summary: State Sen. Cindy Holscher defeats Republican Ty Masterson to keep the governor's office in Democratic hands in a heavily Republican state.
- Keywords: cindy holscher, ty masterson, kansas governor, 2026 midterms, democrats, republicans, NPR
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/11/12/g-s1-151187/holscher-kansas-masterson-governor-midterms
- Published: 2026-11-12T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: cindy holscher, ty masterson, kansas governor, 2026 midterms, democrats, republicans, politics, news
## Democrat Holscher wins Kansas governor's race
State Sen. Cindy Holscher has defeated Republican Ty Masterson to keep the governor's office for Democrats in a state that leans Republican, according to the Associated Press.
## Masterson had Trump's backing and strong odds
Masterson, president of the state Senate and endorsed by President Trump, was seen as the most likely Republican to flip a Democratic governor's seat among thirty-six elections nationwide.
## Holscher ran on populism and public schools
Holscher, fifty-seven, promised to fight sweetheart deals for billionaires, opposed school vouchers, and called for more support for public schools, contrasting with Masterson's pro-voucher stance.
## Masterson called Holscher radical; she dismissed labels
Masterson, also fifty-seven, called Holscher the most radical, liberal, socialist Democrat ever on a Kansas ticket. Holscher responded that he throws around labels because that is all he has got.

> He likes to throw around a whole lot of labels. You know why? Because that's all he's got.
## Key takeaway

Democrat Cindy Holscher won Kansas's gubernatorial race, defeating Republican Ty Masterson and keeping the office for her party in a state that leans Republican.