(Updated to include comment from Davids’ spokesperson)
Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids on Wednesday stoked speculation about a possible bid for the U.S. Senate when she announced plans for a tour across Kansas.
Davids’ tour will take her well beyond the boundaries of her 3rd District, which is centered in suburban Johnson County.
She plans stops in Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City and Colby from Friday through Sunday. Her tour will take her to areas that tend to lean more Republican.
Her announcement immediately stirred speculation that she might run for the U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Roger Marshall.
She plans to start her tour Thursday in Topeka to celebrate Kansas Day with Gov. Laura Kelly and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott.
Davids is set to be the special guest at a Kansas Day celebration at the governor’s mansion at Cedar Crest.
The event is intended to benefit the Friends of Cedar Crest Association.
“My first thought was: I wonder whether she’s thinking about running for Senate,” said Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty.
Davids had signaled an interest in running for the U.S. Senate if the Republicans in the Legislature decided to draw new congressional boundaries that would make it harder for her to get reelected later this year.
But the Legislature is lacking the votes to pass a new congressional map over the inevitable veto of Gov. Kelly, and Republican leaders have shown no interest in drawing new congressional districts this year.
“Through this redistricting time, she has seemed to be genuinely angry,” Beatty said.
“It’s possible, she’s thinking about it and it would be a natural step to go out and see what people have to say,” Beatty said.
Beatty said Davids’ tour was in “direct contrast with Roger Marshall who famously walked out of a town hall.”
Last year, Marshall ran into an angry group of residents at a town hall meeting in Oakley, Kansas. It was reported that Marshall was shouted down, causing the senator to end the meeting early.
Zac Donley, spokesperson for Davids, said the congresswoman is leaving all options on the table depending on what happens in the state Legislature.
“So this tour isn’t an announcement or anything right now. Just a chance to visit more places and talk to more people,” Donley said in an email.
“Sharice Davids is a radical liberal who is about to find out just how out of touch her Democrat agenda is with the overwhelming majority of Kansans outside of Prairie Village,” Fillion said in a text message.
There are already five Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate.
They include Kansas City developer Erik Murray, retired businesswoman Sandy Spidel Neumann of Merriam, former congressional candidate Christy Davis of Cottonwood Falls, Overland Park immigration lawyer Anne Parelkar and perennial candidate Michael Soetaert.
There is already some anticipation that state Sen. Patrick Schmidt of Topeka will announce that he plans to run for the Senate, maybe by as early as next week.
Screenshots of a poll have been circulating in political circles, leading to a lot of speculation about whether Schmidt, who was just elected to the Kansas Senate in 2024, would run for the U.S. Senate.
Screenshots of the poll show it asked whether someone had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Schmidt.
It also asked: “If the candidates for U.S. Senate next time were Republican Roger Marshall and Democrat Patrick Schmidt, who would you vote for?”
The poll also supplied information about Schmidt.
“Before joining the US Navy, State Senate Patrick Schmidt grew up in a family deeply rooted in Kansas values shaped by six generations of farmers, miners and teachers.
“After college graduation, Patrick was commissioner as a Naval Intelligence Officer. While in the Navy, Patrick served on the USS RONALD REAGAN aircraft carrier, supporting the battle group’s intelligence team defending U.S. interests from China and Russia.
“Now he’s running for U.S. Senate to serve his country by working to help hard-working families like his who struggle to make ends meet.
“Does hearing this make you more likely or less likely to vote for Patrick Schmidt, or does it not make a difference?”
