Kansas Republican Governor nominee?
$56.0K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney General
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age60 years old (Mar 26, 1966)
GenderMale
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LocationKansas
BackgroundAttorney
EducationHarvard University — undergraduate studies in government
Notable personal detailsKris William Kobach is an American lawyer and politician who has served as Kansas Attorney General since 2023 and previously served as Kansas Secretary of State (2011–2019). He studied government at Harvard University, earned a Ph.D. in politics from the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. He was a constitutional law professor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law and served in the U.S. Department of Justice as Counsel to Attorney General John Ashcroft.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Kris Kobach supports cutting income, sales and property taxes and reducing state spending by shrinking government through attrition and efficiency measures. He has endorsed tax-cutting approaches similar to earlier Kansas income-tax reductions and proposes limiting local property tax growth while pursuing regulatory cuts to spur business.
Healthcare
Opposes the Affordable Care Act and supports market-oriented changes to state health programs, including restructuring Medicaid and promoting alternatives such as direct primary care. Has led litigation and policy actions to limit ACA eligibility for certain noncitizen groups. Advocates reducing federal ACA authority and returning greater control to states/market solutions.
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Immigration & Border
Kris Kobach advocates for restrictive immigration enforcement and reductions in legal immigration, opposes programs like DACA, supported strict state-level enforcement measures (including helping draft Arizona SB 1070), and has backed legislation to cut family‑based immigration in favor of a skills-based system. He has called for stronger border controls and measures to reduce both illegal and lower-skilled legal immigration.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Kris Kobach advocates for restricting abortion access in Kansas and has acted to challenge existing state protections for abortion rights. As attorney general he has asked the Kansas Supreme Court to reconsider its 2019 ruling recognizing a state constitutional right to abortion, defended state informed-consent and reporting laws that restrict abortion, and participated in anti-abortion events and legal actions opposing expanded access to abortion medication.
Climate & Energy
Opposes aggressive federal and state climate regulations and legal actions that limit fossil fuel production; favors defending and promoting traditional energy industries and challenges Biden-era emission and vehicle rules. Uses the attorney general’s office to join or lead lawsuits against federal climate policies and restrictions.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports broad Second Amendment protections, opposes red flag laws and bans on assault-style rifles, and has advocated for constitutional protections that would limit future firearm regulations. Has received endorsement from the NRA and has publicly framed displays and ownership of firearms as protected rights.
News
Kris Kobach is back in the news because a Kansas voter registration law tied to him was ruled unconstitutional after it was found to have disenfranchised more than 31,000 voters. The ruling has renewed attention on his long-running push for proof-of-citizenship requirements in voter registration. Recent coverage also places him in the broader Kansas Republican politics around the governor’s race, though the main focus is on the voting-law fallout.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising