Kansas Senate Voter Guide: Marshall, Hamilton and Graham on the Iran War and School Choice
Three candidates are on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Kansas on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who is seeking a second term, Democrat Adam Hamilton, a Leawood pastor, and Libertarian David C. Graham, an Overland Park attorney.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares the three candidates on the war with Iran and school choice. Here is where each one stands, based on the video, the candidates' own words, Marshall's Senate record and Kansas reporting.
Most of the positions in the video match The Manhattan Mercury's Oct. 23 voters guide for this race, which put the same questions to the candidates, including one on the war in Iran and one on school choice bills that would let public tax dollars pay private or parochial school tuition. The Mercury drew Marshall's answers from his public statements, votes and Senate website. The Johnson County Post also published candidate questionnaires and a long interview with Graham.
Why the Iran War and School Choice Are Issues
The United States has been at war with Iran since February without a congressional authorization, as the Johnson County Post noted in its questionnaire, and the House has voted three times to end U.S. involvement. On Sept. 24, the Senate rejected a war powers resolution 49-50. Fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the war have been a major topic in the race, and Marshall and Hamilton clashed over the war at their final debate on Oct. 21, KCUR reported.
On school choice, a new federal tax credit for donations to scholarship groups, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, according to EdChoice. In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill in April that would have created tax credit programs for private school students, the Kansas Reflector reported.
Roger Marshall (Republican, Incumbent)
Marshall, of Great Bend, is a former obstetrician-gynecologist who served seven years in the U.S. Army Reserve. He represented Kansas' 1st Congressional District for two terms before taking office in the Senate in 2021, according to the Kansas News Service. He says his campaign is built on "secure borders, strong military and lower taxes," The Mercury reported. A New York Times report found that Marshall had sued patients who were behind on their bills while he practiced medicine; his staff told the Times this was normal business practice, the Kansas News Service reported.
On Iran, the video says Marshall wants the war over as soon as possible but that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That matches his words at the Oct. 21 debate: "I want this war to be over just as soon as possible, but we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Marshall said, according to KCUR. He voted on Sept. 24 against a war powers resolution that would have required President Donald Trump to stop military operations in Iran, The Mercury reported, and stressed "peace through strength" while promising to support Trump's efforts. He has argued the war is necessary for national security.
On school choice, the video says Marshall helped introduce a bill with donation incentives to fund school scholarships. Congress.gov lists Marshall as an original cosponsor of the Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025 (S. 292), introduced Jan. 29, 2025, which would allow a tax credit for donations to nonprofit groups that provide education scholarships. "Parents, not the government, know what is best for their children and should be empowered with the resources to ensure their children are getting the highest quality and best education possible," Marshall said, according to The Mercury.
Adam Hamilton (Democrat)
Hamilton, 62, of Leawood, founded the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in 1990, the largest congregation in Kansas, and has written books on faith and current issues, according to The Mercury and the Kansas News Service. He served on President Barack Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He has never held public office, won the Democratic primary in August and calls himself an "independent-minded Democrat."
On Iran, the video says Hamilton believes the war was the wrong decision and wants a negotiated end that keeps Iran from a nuclear weapon. In The Mercury's guide, he said: "Going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, and Congress never authorized it." He said the United States "should work with our allies and mediators toward a negotiated end to this war, bring our service members home safely, and use diplomacy to make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon." He told the Johnson County Post he would vote for the war powers resolution the House has passed three times.
On school choice, the video says Hamilton opposes using public tax dollars to pay private or parochial school tuition. "I oppose using public tax dollars to pay private or parochial school tuition. If parents choose a private school, that's their right, and some kids are well served there," Hamilton told The Mercury. "But public dollars should make sure every Kansas child has access to a great public school."
David Graham (Libertarian)
Graham, 65, is an attorney from Overland Park and vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, according to The Mercury. He grew up in Johnson County, the son of a truck driver and a retail worker, and earned degrees from Washburn University and the University of Kansas law school. He was the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022. His campaign website lists cutting federal spending, releasing the Epstein files and removing license-plate cameras as his first three priorities.
On Iran, the video says Graham opposed the war and would support ending it immediately. "I opposed going into Iran at the time the United States did so," Graham told The Mercury. "I don't think it was necessary for us to go in militarily when we did and I would support ending the war with Iran immediately." He told the Johnson County Post he wants Congress to vote on a declaration of war and that he would vote no. His campaign website says, "If America goes to war, Congress votes on it first."
On school choice, the video says Graham strongly favors vouchers or any program that gives parents school choice. "I strongly favor vouchers or any other program which gives school choice to parents," Graham told The Mercury. He also supports abolishing the U.S. Department of Education. His campaign website does not list a separate position on school choice.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Roger Marshall: @RogerMarshallMD on X and @rogermarshallmd on Instagram. Adam Hamilton: @Hamilton4Kansas on X and @hamilton4kansas on Instagram. David Graham: no campaign X or Instagram account could be found; his campaign website is grahamforliberty.com.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: The Manhattan Mercury, "VOTERS GUIDE | Graham, Hamilton and Marshall vie for senator's seat" (Oct. 23, 2026): https://themercury.com/elections/voters-guide-graham-hamilton-and-marshall-vie-for-senators-seat/article_058532c4-26ca-4bae-aa0d-902ed5b43df2.html ; Kansas News Service via Johnson County Post, "Kansas U.S. Senate election: What to know about the candidates running in November" (Oct. 23, 2026): https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/10/23/kansas-u-s-senate-election-meet-the-candidates-299959/ ; KCUR, "'Control of the Senate goes through Kansas': Marshall and Hamilton clash at last debate" (Oct. 21, 2026): https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-10-21/control-of-the-senate-goes-through-kansas-marshall-and-hamilton-clash-at-last-debate ; Johnson County Post, "U.S. Senate candidates on the issues: The war with Iran" (Oct. 13, 2026): https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/10/13/u-s-senate-candidates-on-the-issues-the-war-with-iran-298538/ ; Johnson County Post, "Meet David Graham, the Overland Park Libertarian running against Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton for U.S. Senate" (Oct. 9, 2026): https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/10/09/meet-david-graham-the-overland-park-libertarian-running-against-roger-marshall-and-adam-hamilton-for-u-s-senate-298196/ ; Congress.gov, S. 292, Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/292/all-info ; EdChoice, Federal Tax Credit for Scholarships: https://www.edchoice.org/federal-tax-credit-for-scholarships/ ; Kansas Reflector via The Lawrence Times, "Kansas governor vetoes tax credit programs for private schools" (April 7, 2026): https://lawrencekstimes.com/2026/04/07/kr-gov-vetoes-private-school-creds/ ; Roger Marshall campaign: https://kansansformarshall.com/ ; Adam Hamilton campaign: https://hamiltonforkansas.com/ ; David Graham campaign: https://grahamforliberty.com/
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