KS-02 Republican nominee?
$10.9K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age58 years old (Jan 23, 1968)
GenderMale
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LocationKansas
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Kansas — B.A. (1990)
Notable personal detailsDerek Larkin Schmidt is a Republican U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district, serving since January 3, 2025. He previously served as the 44th Attorney General of Kansas (2011–2023) and earlier represented southeast Kansas in the Kansas Senate, including as Senate Majority Leader and as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He has argued multiple cases on behalf of Kansas before the U.S. Supreme Court. Schmidt is from Independence, Kansas.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Derek Schmidt supports tax cuts and tax relief measures, particularly for retirees and small businesses, and has backed repealing or reducing certain taxes (including cosponsoring federal repeal of the estate tax and proposing elimination of state income taxes on retirement benefits). He has also supported targeted sales-tax exemptions (for diapers and feminine-hygiene products) and legislative actions to limit federal spending and reduce regulation.
Healthcare
Derek Schmidt has opposed expanding Kansas’ Medicaid (KanCare) in its current proposed form and has said any expansion should include state cost offsets, work or job‑training requirements, and prohibitions on taxpayer funding for abortion.
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Immigration & Border
Supports enforcement-first immigration policies including phasing out DACA, restricting asylum/Title 42-era expulsions as tools to control the southern border, and opposing local “sanctuary” policies that limit federal immigration enforcement. Has taken legal and political actions to press for tighter border controls and to limit certain protections for undocumented immigrants.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Derek Schmidt has supported the 2022 “Value Them Both” amendment and issued legal opinions indicating tighter abortion restrictions would not bar treatment for ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, or fetal demise; he has also said he does not support a total abortion ban and has expressed support for exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the woman. His public actions and endorsements align with a position favoring restrictions on abortion while allowing specified exceptions.
Climate & Energy
Supports American energy production including fossil fuels and has opposed federal climate regulations and executive actions that would restrict fossil fuel development. Favors protections for fracking and has joined or supported legal challenges to federal greenhouse-gas and related environmental rules while criticizing federal proposals she views as threatening energy independence.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate has a long record of supporting Second Amendment rights, has received high ratings and endorsements from pro-gun groups, and has supported policies expanding concealed-carry and allowing guns in some public settings. Public materials and endorsements indicate opposition to new restrictions that would limit law-abiding Kansans’ access to firearms while emphasizing enforcement of existing laws.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262024
2026
LatestCycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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