Cindy Holscher wins in Kansas, holding governor's office for Democrats

State Sen. Cindy Holscher has won the race for Kansas governor, keeping the office for Democrats in a state that leans Republican. Here she's seen speaking to reporters after casting her ballot during early voting at a polling location in Kansas City, Kansas. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images hide caption

Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher will hold onto the Kansas governor's office for her party after defeating Republican Ty Masterson, according to a race call by the Associated Press.

Masterson, the president of the state Senate, was endorsed by President Trump. Of the 36 elections for governor across the country, Kansas was seen as the most likely to flip from Democratic to Republican control.

The race call came after days of counting the provisional ballots and with local officials doing recounts in the closely contested election.

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Current Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited after serving for eight years in a state with a heavily Republican legislature and that usually votes for Republicans for other offices and in presidential elections.

Holscher, 57, ran a campaign with notes of populism, promising to fight "sweetheart deals" for billionaires. She tied Masterson to his work in the state Senate when it passed a tax cut under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback that led to a series of budget crises and was later repealed.

Holscher opposed school vouchers, calling for more support for public schools, in contrast with Masterson, who backed school vouchers. She also called for a moratorium on new data centers and for legalizing cannabis as a way to generate state revenue.

Masterson, 57, called for lower property taxes and said faith influenced all his decisions, including in politics. He promised to be the "most pro-ag, pro-business, pro-oil and gas governor," the state has seen. He called Holscher, "the most radical, liberal, socialist Democrat ever" on a ticket in Kansas.

"He likes to throw around a whole lot of labels," Holscher responded. "You know why? Because that's all he's got."