Democrat Adam Hamilton projected to unseat Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas

Democrat Adam Hamilton, a megachurch pastor, is projected to defeat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, according to the Fox News Decision Desk. If the projection holds, it would be the first time Kansas has sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.

Marshall is a first-term senator. Fox News reported that his campaign faltered in the final stretch, which gave Hamilton room to win over a large number of independent and rural voters. The result is a setback for Senate Republicans, who are trying to protect a slim majority in the upper chamber.

The race drew little attention from national Democrats and Republicans for months, Fox News reported. In the closing weeks, Marshall acknowledged he was fighting for his political future as headwinds hit Republican incumbents nationwide. “If we lose Kansas, I don’t see how we keep control of the Senate,” he told Fox News Digital before the election.

Marshall tried to tie his opponent to the Democratic leadership. “A vote for Adam Hamilton is a vote for Chuck Schumer and Democrat control of the Senate,” he said. Hamilton has repeatedly said he would not back Schumer, the Senate minority leader, to lead Democrats, and he raised the point in the final debate. “I’ve already said I wouldn’t support Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader if the Democrats took control of the Senate,” Hamilton said.

According to Fox News, the contest turned bitter and drew millions of dollars and high-profile surrogates, including President Donald Trump, who rallied in the state twice in the weeks and days before the vote. Headlines about Marshall’s former medical practice reportedly suing patients over unpaid bills dominated coverage, while ads against Hamilton alleged he covered up sexual assault scandals at his church.

Democratic strategist Mally Smith told Fox News Digital that Hamilton was the right candidate for the state. “The combination of a blue environment, a scandal-plagued incumbent, and a strong Democrat like Hamilton made this upset possible,” she said.

Kansas political experts said the race was ripe for Hamilton, Fox News reported, citing his built-in name recognition from decades as founder and head pastor of the largest United Methodist church in Kansas. They also pointed to political headwinds created by Trump’s policies, with which Marshall remained closely aligned for much of the campaign. University of Kansas political science professor Don Haider-Markel told Fox News Digital the outcome was plausible, adding: “If they can’t do it this election cycle, I don’t see when they’re ever going to do it.”