Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab made the headlines he expected from announcing his run for governor 22 months before the 2026 general election. But the instant I heard about his announcement, my thoughts turned to the man whose ambitions for the job have been gossiped about for years: Senate President Ty Masterson.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab on Wednesday launched a bid to become governor, making him the first major candidate to enter the 2026 field. The Overland Park Republican announced his candidacy in a press release and video posted to his rebranded campaign website.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced on Wednesday morning that he is running for governor as one of the Republican nominees in 2026