President Donald Trump endorsed Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson for governor of Kansas on Sunday, formalizing support for the Trump-aligned candidate.Trump cited Masterson’s record on the Second Amendment, cutting taxes, and keeping the border secure in the announcement, saying Masterson will “work tirelessly to Champion Kansas Values.” Masterson has been linked prominently to Trumpworld in the past.
Several figures from Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign formed outside groups to support Masterson’s gubernatorial campaign last November. The White House also sent a letter to Masterson and the broader GOP-led state legislature earlier this month, praising them for supporting Trump’s policy priorities.
Masterson thanked Trump in a post on X, saying he’s proud to have received the endorsement and “Kansas needs a conservative who will fight and win.”
Gov. Laura Kelly (D-KS) is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third term after taking office in 2019 and being reelected in 2022. Trump won Kansas in the 2024 presidential election by about 16 percentage points.
The unsurprising endorsement contrasts with Trump’s decision earlier this week to back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a move that upset many Republicans on Capitol Hill.
