The president continues his blitzkrieg
Nate Foy reports from Park City, Kansas, where President Donald Trump is campaigning for Sen. Roger Marshall in a crucial bid to retain Republican control.
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Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton clashed over President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence and personal controversies during a contentious debate in the Kansas Senate Wednesday night.
The hour-long confrontation took place less than two weeks before Election Day as Marshall is seeking a second term and Hamilton, a longtime pastor, is trying to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932.
The race has drawn increased national attention as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier this week to campaign for Marshall – a topic discussed during the debate.
Here are five moments that marked Wednesday evening’s debate.
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Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, left, and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, right, faced off Wednesday night in a debate in the U.S. Senate in Kansas, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. (Getty Images)
Debate opens with candidates facing personal controversies
It didn’t take long for the debate to turn contentious, opening with questions about the controversies that fueled attacks on both candidates.
Marshall faced a New York Times study that found his former medical practice had sued more than 700 patients for unpaid bills.
“Every year we gave away between $3 and $4 million in charity, but we also had a business,” Marshall responded. “We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electricity.”
Hamilton, meanwhile, was asked about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church’s summer camp accused of sexual abuse.
Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured that the individual did not return to the camp after an initial investigation.
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“I should have checked to make sure he wasn’t coming back,” Hamilton said. “It was a mistake on my part.”
Marshall says ‘President Trump is not always right’
Trump became part of the debate after moderators played footage from the presidential campaign for Marshall in Kansas earlier in the week.
“And in this election, I’m asking you to please pretend that I’m on the ballot. Just pretend,” Trump told the crowd.
Marshall was then asked if Trump’s support meant Kansans should expect him to support every part of the president’s agenda.
“No,” Marshall replied, saying there had been “repeated times” objections to Trump.
President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Oncenter, Friday, October 9, 2026, in Syracuse, New York. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
Pressed to identify a specific disagreement, Marshall pointed to recent immigration actions in southwest Kansas and Trump’s approach to beef imports.
“Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right,” Marshall joked. “And President Trump is not always right.”
Marshall nevertheless urged Trump voters to vote for him, arguing that Hamilton’s election could help Democrats capture the Senate.
Both candidates say there are “two genders”
The two rivals found themselves in agreement when the moderator asked each candidate how many genders there were.
“There’s two. There’s a boy and a girl,” Marshall said. “I delivered 5,000 of them, almost half of them boys and the other half girls.”
“There are two genders, male and female,” Hamilton replied.
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The candidates then turned to the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports.
Hamilton said decisions about athletes’ eligibility should generally be made locally, but he was unequivocal about whether biological males should compete against females.
“I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don’t want biological men or boys to compete with her and potentially harm her,” Hamilton said. “This is not a fair, fair fight.”
Marshall argued that in high school, “boys should play boys’ sports, girls should play girls’ sports,” while accusing the National Democrats of promoting “transgender ideology.”
Hamilton then accused Marshall of using the issue to “prey on” and “bully” people.
Hamilton calls AI an ‘existential threat’ – but can’t name regulations he would support
Hamilton called for greater federal oversight of artificial intelligence and compared the emerging technology to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
“We created a nuclear regulatory commission. We need to do the same thing with AI,” Hamilton said.
But when pressed by the moderator to identify specific federal regulations he would support, Hamilton acknowledged he didn’t yet have an answer.
“You know what? I’m not sure, to be honest,” Hamilton said, saying even experts struggle to understand the technology’s potential dangers.
Marshall advocated a “light-touch” approach focused on national security, transparency, protection of children and privacy, while slamming a one-world order for the advancement of artificial intelligence.
Hamilton pushed back abruptly.
“This is a potential existential threat to the human race,” Hamilton said. “We can’t go in lightly and expect everyone to do their best.”
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This split image shows then-President Biden and migrants at the southern border. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
Hamilton calls Biden’s border policy a ‘disaster’
Hamilton sought to put distance between himself and former President Joe Biden when moderators challenged the Democrat on his assertion that he would “lead from the middle.”
The moderator highlighted Hamilton’s past donations to Democrats, including Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., before asking him to identify a progressive policy he opposed.
“Biden’s border policy has been a disaster,” Hamilton responded. “I believe in strong and secure borders.”
“I’m not someone who favors the Socialist Party,” Hamilton added. “I’m someone who stands in the middle.”
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Hamilton also reiterated during the debate that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as majority leader if Democrats took control of the chamber.
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