Cindy Holscher
Democratic Kansas state senator who has declared victory in the uncertified 2026 governor's race.
Holscher leads Ty Masterson by about 0.6 points in the uncertified Kansas governor's race and has declared victory; Masterson has not conceded, counties finish hand-count audits by 16 November, and the State Board of Canvassers certifies by 1 December.
Last refreshed: 11 November 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will the hand-count audit confirm Cindy Holscher as governor?
Timeline for Cindy Holscher
Held a lead of about 0.6 points and declared victory
US Midterms 2026: Chris Mann ousts Kris Kobach in KansasBackground
Holscher, a Democrat from Overland Park in Johnson County, has served in the Kansas Senate since 2021 after two terms in the Kansas House. She won the August 2026 Democratic primary with 48% of the vote.
In the general election she leads Ty Masterson, the Republican president of the Kansas Senate, by about 0.6 points. Her margin runs from roughly 5,500 to 7,300 votes, according to which tally is used. She has declared victory, and Governor Laura Kelly has congratulated her. Masterson has not conceded: "Every Kansan deserves to know the result is right." Secretary of State Scott Schwab put the governor's race among six he sent to close-race audits on 4 November. In those audits Kansas counties hand-count ballots from 10% of precincts and compare them with the machines, finishing by 16 November; certification by the State Board of Canvassers is due by 1 December.
If certified, her win keeps the governorship Democratic after Kelly's two terms, in a state where Republicans hold supermajorities in the legislature.
Reference
When will the Kansas governor result be certified?
Did Cindy Holscher win the Kansas governor race?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 11 November 2026. Editorial standards.