
Kansas Democratic Senate nominee?
Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleState Senator
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
GenderMale
LocationKansas
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BackgroundKansas state senator
EducationTufts University (B.A.)
Notable personal detailsPatrick Schmidt is a Democratic politician serving in the Kansas Senate (19th District) since January 2025 and a candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas in 2026. He previously ran for the U.S. House in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District in 2022. Schmidt is a U.S. Navy veteran who served as an intelligence officer, later serving in the U.S. Naval Reserves, and has worked at the Pentagon. He earned a B.A. from Tufts University and lives in Topeka, Kansas.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Patrick Schmidt has supported property tax relief and targeted tax credits (including for energy-efficiency/home improvements) while also criticizing tax cuts that he says benefited wealthy interests. His public statements combine support for tax credits and relief for working families with critiques of corporate-favored tax policy, yielding a mixed pattern on taxes and government spending.
Healthcare
Supports expanding Medicaid in Kansas to extend coverage to roughly 150,000 people, lowering prescription drug costs (including support for legislation like the Lower Drug Costs Now Act), and increasing federally qualified health centers to improve access and reduce costs.
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Immigration & Border
Supports securing the southern border through bipartisan measures while also expanding legal pathways and visas and applying a compassionate approach to migrants and refugees. Emphasizes fixing border security first and then creating pathways for legal immigration, including workforce visas like H-2A. Advocates balancing enforcement resources for Border Patrol with humanitarian treatment of migrants.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate has publicly stated support for abortion rights and said the legislature should respect voters and stop trying to ban abortion. He also amended legislation in a way critics said treated fetuses in tax/child-support language, a move that drawn criticism from abortion-rights advocates and created ambiguity about his position.
Climate & Energy
Supports expanding wind energy in Kansas and encouraging investment in wind education, technology, and production while acknowledging the need to invest in other energy supplies during the transition to greater renewable capacity.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports common-sense gun safety reforms and has been recognized by a gun safety advocacy group as a ‘Gun Sense’ candidate; frames addressing gun violence as a policy question to consider.
Polls

Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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