WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – A Democratic civil rights attorney running in the nation’s first congressional election since President Donald Trump’s November victory has made the race surprisingly competitive for a Kansas House seat held by a Republican for more than two decades.
The special election Tuesday between Democrat James Thompson and Republican Ron Estes to fill the seat vacated by CIA Director Mike Pompeo is being watched across the nation for signs of a backlash against Republicans or waning support from Trump’s supporters.
Trump won 60 percent of the votes cast in the 17-county congressional district that includes the state’s largest city of Wichita. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have both recorded get-out-the-vote calls on behalf of Estes, the state’s treasurer.
But in a sign of nervousness in the waning days of the campaign, Republicans poured money into the race to bolster Estes, who was criticized by Thompson for avoiding some events to which both leading candidates were invited.
“Republican Ron Estes needs your vote and needs it badly,” Trump said in his minute-long call. “Our country needs help. Ron is going to be helping us, big league.”