A survey conducted by The Washington Post on the 2026 Kansas Senate contest may have been skewed by a disparity in response rates between the two major parties. After conducting more than 85,000 phone calls and nearly 50,000 text messages, the newspaper and George Mason University found that Democrats were far more willing to participate in the poll than Republicans, creating a potential problem for the survey’s accuracy.
The Washington Post survey showed Democrat Adam Hamilton leading incumbent Republican Roger Marshall 52% to 43%. A separate Emerson poll of likely voters found a closer race, with Hamilton leading Marshall 49.5% to 47.1%. In the race for Kansas governor, Emerson’s data showed Republican Ty Masterson leading Democrat Cindy Holscher 52.5% to 47.5%, a reversal from the Washington Post’s earlier findings.