(Developing: Will be updated)
Johnson County Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton has filed a statement of candidacy to run for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat in Kansas.
Hamilton’s campaign filed paperwork to run for the Senate with the Federal Election Commission at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, hours before he was set to announce his plans to run for office.
Hamilton is the founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, one of the largest Methodist churches in the United States.
He has an event scheduled for Thursday morning to reveal his plans about running for office.
In late February, Hamilton announced that he was strongly considering running as an independent for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Roger Marshall, but few thought that would be successful and only break up the vote against the sitting senator this fall and ensure his reelection to a second term.
Hamilton recently wrapped up an 18-stop tour across Kansas that culminated in the Kansas City area where he fielded questions about abortion, the deficit, the filibuster, immigration, Christian nationalism and whether he would divide the vote running against Marshall as an independent.
Since late February, Hamilton has toured the state listening to Kansans, visiting Junction City, Abilene, Lindsborg, McPherson, Dodge City, Scott City, Oakley, Russell and Clay Center.
“Everywhere I’ve gone, Kansans have been telling me they’re frustrated with the mess of politics in Washington – where they aren’t listening to us and don’t seem to care about our problems,” Hamilton said in a statement issued recently.
“Kansans are telling me, with prices of everything from gas to groceries to healthcare to fertilizer going up across the state, we’ve got to do better instead of just fighting all the time.”
Hamilton has an event planned for 9:30 Thursday morning at Harmon Park in Prairie Village.
Well known within Johnson County, Hamilton, 61, leads a congregation of more than 24,000 active members who worship each weekend online, on television and at one of six satellite locations across the Kansas City area.
The church, which started in 1990, has locations in Leawood, downtown Kansas City, Olathe, Blue Springs, Overland Park, Spring Hill, Liberty and Lee’s Summit.
As of last June, the church had an operating budget of about $30 million and assets of about $179 million.
Hamilton, who’s authored more than 30 books, earned a bachelor’s in pastoral ministry from Oral Roberts University and a master’s of divinity from Southern Methodist University.
Former President Barack Obama appointed Hamilton to the president’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnership.
In 2013, Hamilton delivered the sermon at the Inaugural Prayer Service held at the National Cathedral in Washington.
There are already 10 Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate, some of whom have already been raising money.
They include state Sen. Patrick Schmidt of Topeka, Kansas City developer Erik Murray, retired businesswoman Sandy Spidel Neumann of Merriam, former congressional candidate Christy Davis of Cottonwood Falls, Army veteran Noah Taylor and Overland Park immigration lawyer Anne Parelkar.
Also running is perennial candidate Michael Soetaert..
Damon Anderson, the founder and CEO of Tallgrass Freight Co. in Shawnee, has also filed to be in the ballot for the U.S. Senate this year with the secretary of state’s office.
Another candidate, Kevin Latz of Mission Hills, also has filed to get on the ballot in the U.S. Senate race but also has not filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC.
His LinkedIn profile indicates that he’s the medical director of orthopedic surgery and sports injury clinics at Children’s Mercy Hospital.
He said on his campaign website that his family is actively involved in The Church of the Resurrection, whose founder is Hamilton.
