Topeka, Ks -The national political spotlight returned to the Sunflower State Monday as Vice President J.D. Vance campaigned for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall in a race attracting growing attention this midterm season.
The rally, held at HME Inc. – Haas Group in North Topeka, marked Vance’s second campaign stop in Kansas this cycle and came one week after President Trump campaigned in Wichita on Marshall’s behalf. Republicans continue to invest in the race, with President Trump coming to the state for the second time Saturday in Salina.
National Republicans have increasingly focused efforts on Kansas in the waning days before the midterms as Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton in a race that has received significant national coverage. As Republicans look to maintain control of the Senate and Democrats look to flip the chamber, the Kansas seat has become a critical battleground on Capitol Hill.
As Vance took the stage, he focused his speech on “sovereignty,” reminding voters of the original goal of the Republican Party and President Trump’s America First campaign.
“Our movement was always about sovereignty,” Vance said. “Our goal has always been reminding the American people that their government belongs to them.”
Referencing his childhood and youth in Ohio, Vance said political leaders have overlooked many Midwestern communities for decades.
“I remember wondering why politicians seemed to care so little for the places that formed our food, that created our steel, that built our cars and that proved the troops to fight our wars,” Vance said.
Throughout his speech, Vance tied those concerns to Marshall’s reelection efforts, repeatedly discussing the senator’s voting record in Washington.
“Kansas has no better friend in Washington than Roger Marshall,” Vance said. “Whenever Roger Marshall is given the choice between lobbyists and the people of Kansas, he will fight for Kansas every single time.”
Vance highlighted tax cuts, domestic manufacturing projects, border security measures and agricultural investments as examples of Republican priorities directly affecting the state. Marshall echoed those points while also framing the election as a decision about the future direction of the state and country.
“We have to stand up and protect our freedoms,” Marshall said. “And that starts right here in our great state.”
Marshall also repeatedly told supporters to vote and bring others to the polls. He argued that the outcome of his race would play a significant role in determining the balance of power in Washington, and discussed “the danger” should Democrats gain control.
While the event focused primarily on Marshall and Vance, attendees heard from a number of other prominent Republican voices as well. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, gubernatorial candidate Ty Masterson, U.S. Reps Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum all gave remarks on a range of topics including energy production, agriculture, public safety, immigration and voter turnout, with each speaker touting their own record while attacking the opposition.
While elected officials and the national effects of the race dominated the rally, attendees said the issues motivating them were much closer to home.
Vickie Burggraf, retired nurse and resident living between Lawrence and Ottawa, Kansas, said she attended specifically to support Marshall and hear more about his policies and how they affect Kansans.
“I wanted to come and support Doc Marshall,” Burggraf said. “I think the most important issue for me is our Kansas values and voting for candidates that support those kinds of values.”
Burggraf also said affordability is one of her major concerns ahead of the election.
“Taxes are a big issue for me and everybody,” she said. “A lot of people can’t afford them.”
Sharon Messenger, Baldwin City, Kansas, resident, said the rally was the first she has attended and that it was an opportunity to experience national politics firsthand.
“I thought it was a pretty big honor to be able to come listen to the vice president of the United States,” Messenger said. “And that was kind of my decision.”
Messenger said her goal was to learn more about candidates on the ballot and that younger voters and college students should seek information from multiple angles before making political decisions.
Outside the event, a group of protestors gathered along the roadway, offering an opposing perspective to the discussion inside.
Karen Olson, Topeka resident and retired oncology nurse practitioner, was among them and said concerns about health care, immigration and government accountability in the current administration motivated her decision to protest.
“I don’t believe Roger Marshall has acted in the best interests of Kansans,” Olson said. “And I don’t believe he will if reelected either.”
Olson said her goal was not only to oppose the candidates speaking but also to encourage people to stay engaged in politics.
“The message I’m trying to send is that people should be informed,” she said. “Be informed about the issues, be informed about what is true and understand that protesting is part of our right to engage in civil discourse.”
The opposing perspectives highlighted the different opinions Kansas residents have about politics as Election Day approaches. Supporters identified economic growth, tax cuts, energy production and border security as Republican victories, while protestors raised concerns about accountability, health care and corruption in the current administration.
Despite being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, attendees and protestors both agreed on two key things: staying informed and civic participation.
“We need to be able to talk to one another,” Olson said. “We need civil discourse in politics and that disagreement is a good thing.”
As Election Day approaches, one central message from all sides present was that Kansas voters have the final say in deciding the narrow race, not the politicians who traveled to Topeka to influence it.
