Trump-backed senator admits GOP faces nightmare scenario in state Republicans haven’t lost in 90 years

Senator Roger Marshall has acknowledged that losing his re-election race in Kansas could cost Republicans control of the Senate. The contest has become unexpectedly competitive, challenging the party’s long-standing advantage in a state that has not elected a Democratic senator since the Great Depression.

Democrat Adam Hamilton, a prominent megachurch pastor who presents himself as a moderate, has gained ground amid dissatisfaction over fuel prices and broader political headwinds for Republicans. Marshall linked his falling poll numbers to rising petrol costs, saying he had sensed growing frustration while visiting the state’s 105 counties; political analysts also pointed to his close association with Donald Trump. Republicans hold a 53-seat Senate majority.