The state’s largest teacher’s union is passing on making an endorsement in the Democratic primary for governor.
The Kansas National Education Association decided against endorsing either Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher of Overland Park, Sen. Ethan Corson of Fairway or Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.
The decision by the KNEA to sit out the Democratic primary is significant given that Corson has been piling up endorsements from organized labor throughout the campaign for governor.
“The Kansas National Education Association and the Kansas Political Action Committee didn’t recommend a Democratic candidate for Kansas governor in the primary because the leading candidates have a strong record of supporting public education during their time in the Kansas Legislature,” spokesperson Ann Bush said in a statement.
The KNEA did endorse Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt in the Republican primary for governor.
“Vicki Schmidt completed all KNEA-required interviews and steps in the recommendation process,” Bush said in a statement.
“Schmidt was recommended by the Kansas NEA Political Action Committee based on her responses and her record of supporting Kansas public education during her service in the Kansas Senate,” Bush said.
Corson’s campaign didn’t comment on the KNEA’s decision not to endorse in the primary. Holscher vowed to support organized labor.
“Cindy is running on a platform of making life easier for working families, lowering the cost of living, and improving our public schools. She’s always been a champion of organized labor and of public school teachers,” said Holscher’s campaign manager Madi Ashcraft.
“Fixing our schools is why she ran for office in the first place, and why she became a substitute teacher during the shortage. She has immense appreciation and respect for the KNEA, and she’ll continue fighting for public schools and organized labor as governor.”
This is not the first time the KNEA sat out a hotly contested Democratic primary.
Eight years ago, KNEA decided not to choose between then-state Sen. Laura Kelly, former state Rep. Josh Svaty and former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer in the Democratic primary for governor.
At that time, the KNEA noted on its website that the race between Kelly and Svaty appeared to be “tight” while Brewer enjoys “significant” support.
“We urge our Democratic members to look closely at all these candidates and consider their positions on public education as well as their individual positions on issues of importance to each of you personally.”
Holscher has faced some difficulty with organized labor during the primary campaign, especially after she called into question during a recent forum about how they were making their endorsements.
Last month, organized labor called out Holscher for how it says she represents herself as a longtime union member when she just joined the Kansas National Education Association last January.
Holscher’s union membership emerged as an issue in the Democratic primary for governor after she touted it during a debate with Corson when she questioned how the unions were making endorsements during the primary.
She joined the Kansas National Education Association in January 2026 – seven months after she announced she was running for governor, leading union members to question her commitment to organized labor. Her membership is good through Aug. 31, 2026.
The KNEA lightly admonished Holscher for touting her union membership in the campaign.
The KNEA said in a statement it believes “that union values are rooted in working together – not in using union membership or association as a political advantage over others.”
“Any candidate who seeks to elevate themselves by boasting about or leveraging their union membership status to diminish another candidate does not reflect the values of solidarity that are fundamental to our union.”
Corson and Holscher share a similar education record.
Last session, they opposed a bill that would have expanded a state program intended to encourage school choice by awarding tax credits for donations to private school scholarships.
The bill would have lifted a $10 million yearly cap on state tax credits to entice businesses and individuals to donate money to a scholarship program for private schools.
The bill vetoed by the governor increased that cap on the program to $15 million from the $10 million that’s now in place and was reached in 2025. The bill originally called for a $20 million cap.
They also opposed similar legislation that allowed Kansans to participate in in a federal program where individuals can claim up to $1,700 in federal tax credits for contributions to organizations that give scholarships to students to attend private and public schools.
Also last session, they voted against a bill setting new minimum standards for recess in public schools that was vetoed by the governor and not overridden.
Five years ago, Holscher and Corson opposed a bill requiring Kansas students to pass an American civics test to graduate from high school. It also would have required a personal financial literacy course for grades 10 through 12 lasting at least one semester or two quarters.
The governor vetoed the bills because she said they violated the Kansas State Board of Education’s constitutional authority to generally supervise the school system.
The senators also voted against legislation would have required the state Board of Education to develop guidelines for gun-safety education that would include the National Rifle Association-crafted Eddie Eagle GunSafe program.
And in 2023, Holscher and Corson voted against a bill that would have provided grants for children who attend public and private schools.
The bill provided $1,000 grant awards to public school students and $5,000 to private school students. Students would have had to come from a family with an income of 250% of the federal poverty level or less.
In 2021, they also voted against what became known as the “Frankenstein” education bill, which paired the state education budget with other measures intended to give the parents of struggling students more choice about where their children can go to school.
The bill contained Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan to spend $5.2 billion on public education for the 2021-22 school year, which is in line with the state Supreme Court’s order to adequately fund schools.
However, the budget was rolled together with two programs providing subsidies for at-risk students to attend a private school either with scholarships backed with tax credits or allowing them to use the state’s base allocation for them to attend private schools.
The bill also included another measure that would have reduced state aid for students for who attended school remotely for an extended period of time, a response to the pandemic where students were forced out of the classroom for months
