What’s the Matter With Moderation?
The Atlantic examines the Kansas Senate race, where Democrat Adam Hamilton is attempting to break a 94-year Republican winning streak by running on a platform of moderation. The article analyzes the vulnerabilities of incumbent Senator Roger Marshall.
Why it matters
This race tests whether a centrist strategy can overcome long-standing partisan dominance in deep-red states.
Hoping to break a 94-year losing streak, Kansas Democrats have turned to Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor whose mood may not match his party’s.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: USA TODAY / Reuters. September 6, 2026, 8 AM ET Share Save O ne simple rule shapes Kansas politics: Republicans win statewide. In U.S. Senate races, the GOP has prevailed without interruption for more than 90 years. But the rule has a corollary, which accounts for the occasional Democratic governor. A Republican thought to be too extreme, too ideological, or too big for their britches can be beaten by a centrist Democrat when the wind blows just right.
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