Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton squared off Wednesday night in their second and final debate, trading fierce attacks over immigration, the war in Iran, tariffs and personal controversies in an unexpectedly tight battle for the U.S. Senate, NBC News and Fox News reported.
With less than two weeks remaining until Election Day, public polling suggests a toss-up contest in deep-red Kansas, a state that has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932. The contentious hourlong forum highlighted efforts by both candidates to navigate their relationships with their respective national parties while appealing to moderate voters.
Clash over party ties and national leaders
Throughout the debate, Marshall sought to paint Hamilton, a megachurch pastor making his first run for public office, as a loyal partisan aligned with national Democrats. Marshall cited Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., 17 times during the broadcast, according to NBC News.
“My opponent’s going to say anything he can to lie to get into that office and give control to Chuck Schumer,” Marshall said.
Hamilton countered by presenting himself as an independent voice who is “leading from the middle,” telling viewers he does not support the Socialist Party and would work across party lines. Hamilton also explicitly pledged that he would not vote for Schumer as party leader if elected, and he split with former President Joe Biden on border security, calling Biden’s border policies a “disaster,” Fox News reported.
Marshall, who is seeking a second term, campaigned on his alignment with President Donald Trump, who appeared at a rally near Wichita on Monday to boost the incumbent. Marshall urged Trump’s supporters to turn out, citing shared goals on taxes, military strength and border enforcement.
Asked where he breaks with the president, Marshall pointed to recent federal immigration raids on meatpacking plants in southwest Kansas. Marshall said he contacted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to express concern and urged federal authorities to improve coordination with local law enforcement. Marshall also noted differences over beef imports and compared his rapport with Trump to a marriage: “My wife is always right, and President Trump is not always right,” he quipped, according to Fox News.
Personal controversies and policy rifts
The debate began with sharp exchanges over controversies that have surfaced in recent weeks. Marshall pushed back against reporting detailing lawsuits his former medical practice brought against more than 700 patients over unpaid accounts. Marshall called the claims “blatant lies” and defended his business, noting that his clinic provided $3 million to $4 million in charitable care annually while paying 300 employees and operating expenses, Fox News reported.
Hamilton was pressed about his church’s response to child sex abuse allegations involving a volunteer at a church summer camp. Hamilton stated that church officials conducted an internal inquiry and contacted law enforcement, who found the matter inconclusive and did not file charges. However, Hamilton conceded that he failed to stop the volunteer from subsequently returning to the camp, calling that decision “a mistake on my part,” according to NBC News.
Foreign and trade policy also generated sharp friction. Hamilton criticized Marshall for backing the war in Iran and warned that Trump’s tariffs on international allies foster “instability, chaos and corruption.” Marshall defended tariffs as a catalyst for a domestic “manufacturing renaissance” and said he wants the conflict in Iran to conclude as quickly as possible. Marshall attributed high diesel costs to the war in Ukraine and federal green energy initiatives.
In a rare moment of consensus, both candidates stated there are two genders when questioned by the moderator. Hamilton added that biological males should not compete against his 12-year-old granddaughter in athletic events, while arguing such rules should be decided locally rather than by federal mandates.
What comes next
Republicans have mobilized heavily to defend the seat, with a major super PAC dedicating $14 million to negative advertisements aimed at Hamilton. As early voting continues across Kansas, both campaigns are making their final push to motivate turnout in a race that could determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
