2026 Kansas Governor Voters Guide

Cindy Holscher (D) vs Ty Masterson (R)

Governor | Election | Nov 3, 2026

The Candidates

Cindy Holscher

Cindy Holscher

Democrat

Ty Masterson

Ty Masterson

Republican

The Issues

Abortion

Ban or legal?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Legal. “Every Kansan deserves access to reproductive care and the right to make their own medical decisions.” Voted against an amendment that would have allowed the Kansas Legislature to restrict or ban abortions. Voted against banning telehealth access to abortion drugs. Voted against a bill that prohibited the state from compelling pregnancy centers to offer abortion services.

Ty Masterson (R)

Ban. “I will always defend the unborn’s God-given right to life.” Voted for an amendment that would have allowed the Kansas Legislature to restrict or ban abortions. Voted to ban telehealth access to abortion drugs. Voted for a bill that prohibited the state from compelling pregnancy centers to offer abortion services. Sponsored a bill banning second-trimester abortions.

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Climate Change

Should climate change be a top priority?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Yes. “I’ll fight for…clean energy.” Supports expanding wind power. Voted against prohibiting municipalities from restricting a customer’s use of natural gas or propane. Supports “setting local emission goals” and “eliminating subsidies for fossil fuel production and consumption.”

Ty Masterson (R)

No. “I will be the most…oil and gas…friendly governor Kansas has ever had.” Says climate activists will “send us back decades and put our citizens and our economy at risk.” Voted to prohibit municipalities from restricting a customer’s use of natural gas or propane.

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Criminal Justice

How to ensure effectiveness and fairness in law enforcement?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Introduced a bill getting rid of the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse civil cases. Sponsored a bill to abolish the death penalty. Voted against a bill that would prevent judges from departing from sentencing guidelines. Voted against criminalizing recording the police within 25 feet if authorities deem it a distraction.

Ty Masterson (R)

“I have always backed the blue.” “I look forward to standing with our law enforcement and giving them the resources they need.” Voted for a bill that would prevent judges from departing from sentencing guidelines. Voted to criminalize recording the police within 25 feet if authorities deem it a distraction.

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Education

Use public funding for private and/or for-profit schools?

Cindy Holscher (D)

No. Says school choice vouchers are a “scam,” “a transfer of wealth from the working class to the rich.” Supports fully funding public schools. Voted against opting into a federal tax credit program for donations to private school scholarships.

Ty Masterson (R)

Yes. Would support private schools with state tax dollars: kids are “trapped by their ZIP code.” “We need to give parents the freedom to choose.” Voted to opt into a federal tax credit program for donations to private school scholarships.

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Education

Limit teaching about racism and gender identity?

Cindy Holscher (D)

No. Introduced a bill prohibiting library and school book bans “unless certain requirements are met.” “Sometimes it appears they haven’t even read the books.” Voted against giving parents prior review of curriculum changes and the right to oppose books. Voted against prohibiting mandatory DEI and critical race theory courses in public colleges.

Ty Masterson (R)

Yes. Says Kansas schools are “devolving into little more than factories for a radical social agenda.” Opposes teaching critical race theory in law school. Voted to give parents prior review of curriculum changes and the right to oppose books. Voted to prohibit mandatory DEI and critical race theory courses in public colleges.

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Environment

Loosen or tighten environmental regulation?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Tighten. Voted to require groundwater districts to create water conservation plans. Voted to let local governments regulate plastic container use.

Ty Masterson (R)

Mixed. Voted to prohibit local governments from regulating plastic container use. Is “committed to bold action to conserve” water.

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Data Centers

How to handle data centers?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Called for a state moratorium on new data centers, after voting for tax exemptions for qualifying data centers.

Ty Masterson (R)

Voted for tax exemptions for qualifying data centers. “Locals” should decide data centers. Data centers should “pay their own power costs.”

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Gun Laws

Loosen or tighten gun laws?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Tighten. Voted against lifting a criminal ban on firearm suppressors. Introduced a bill to ban ghost guns. Supports safe storage laws. Voted against lowering the age for concealed carry and permitting certain felons to regain gun rights.

Ty Masterson (R)

Loosen. Voted to lift a criminal ban on firearm suppressors. Sponsored a bill to allow permitless concealed carry. Voted to lower the age for concealed carry and permit certain felons to regain their gun rights.

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Health Care

Increase or decrease government support for health care?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Increase. “I’ll ban insurance companies from denying doctor-prescribed care…and…expand Medicaid.” Voted to expand Medicaid. Voted against increasing verification requirements for Medicaid eligibility. Voted to strengthen a program to lower prescription drug prices and generate funds for indigent care.

Ty Masterson (R)

Decrease. Supports healthcare with “more competition and less government regulation over…consumer choices.” Voted to not expand Medicaid. Voted to increase Medicaid eligibility verification requirements. Voted against strengthening a program to lower prescription drug prices and generate funds for indigent care

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Immigration

How to handle immigration?

Cindy Holscher (D)

“Kansans do not like…people being taken off the streets without due process.” Voted against barring state benefits for noncitizens. Voted against increased cooperation between local police and ICE. Introduced a bill to ban ICE near polling places. “ICE operations should make our communities safer, not sow fear or confusion.”

Ty Masterson (R)

“Open borders are a direct threat to America’s safety.” Supports the state National Guard assisting assist in border security: “Every state in the nation is a border state at this point.” Voted to bar state benefits for noncitizens. Voted to increase cooperation between local police and ICE. Opposes sanctuary cities.

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Labor

Make it easier or harder for unions to organize?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Easier. “I’ll always support our unions and protect workers’ rights.” Sponsored a proposed amendment to repeal the Kansas constitution’s right-to-work provision.

Ty Masterson (R)

Mostly harder. Voted against advancing a resolution that would repeal the Kansas constitution’s right-to-work provision. Celebrates an IBEW Local 124 endorsement.

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LGBTQ Rights

Limit or expand LGBTQ rights?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Expand. Voted against barring people from using a public restroom not aligned with their gender at birth & invalidating their driver’s licenses if not aligned with birth gender. Voted against banning gender affirming care for minors. Voted against banning transgender students in female sports.

Ty Masterson (R)

Limit. Voted to bar people from using a public restroom not aligned with their gender at birth & invalidate their driver’s licenses if not aligned with birth gender. Voted to prohibit gender affirming care for minors. Voted to ban transgender students from competing in female sports.

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Marijuana

Ban or legalize marijuana?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Legal. Supports legalizing recreational and medicinal cannabis, saying it would “raise money for schools and public services.” Introduced a bill to reclassify marijuana as a schedule III drug. Proposed an amendment to lower the penalty for personal use possession.

Ty Masterson (R)

Mostly ban. Opposes legalizing recreational marijuana. Voted against an amendment to lower the penalty for possession of personal use marijuana. Is “open to true medical marijuana or to palliative care…I am not saying no.” Is a “big proponent” for “more research.”

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Minimum Wage

Raise the state minimum from $7.25 per hour?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Yes. Introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage to $16. Supports a base of $16 per hour with a higher rate in “high-cost cities and counties.”

Ty Masterson (R)

No. Opposed an increase to $15 an hour, calling it “a great idea if your goal is to close businesses, have less jobs, and shrink our economy.”

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Taxes

How to handle state taxes?

Cindy Holscher (D)

“I will give tax breaks, but to the working people, not the billionaires or the corporations.” Supports “cutting property taxes” and creating exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans. Voted against limiting property tax increases. Voted to increase the residential property tax exemption and remove state taxes on Social Security. Voted against a flat tax rate and a lower corporate rate.

Ty Masterson (R)

Supports a “homeowner’s bill of rights,” including a cap on property taxes. Sponsored a resolution to limit property tax increases. Supports a no-tax-on-tips policy. Sponsored a bill to increase the residential property tax exemption and remove taxes on Social Security income. Voted for a flat tax rate and a lower corporate rate.

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Voting Rules

Make voting harder or easier?

Cindy Holscher (D)

Easier. Voted against the SAVE Kansas Act, requiring the state to check federal databases for noncitizens and limiting online voter registration. Voted to keep a 3-day grace period for receipt of mail-in ballots. Voted against potentially limiting no-excuse vote-by-mail.

Ty Masterson (R)

Harder. Voted for the SAVE Kansas Act, requiring the state to check federal databases for noncitizens and limiting online voter registration. Voted to end a 3-day grace period for receipt of mail-in ballots. Voted to potentially limit no-excuse vote-by-mail.

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