Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher is running for Kansas governor in the Nov. 3 general election. She faces Republican Ty Masterson.

Asked why she is seeking the office, Holscher said in the Overland Park Chronicle's candidate questionnaire: "I'm running for governor to give a voice to all Kansans — to put ordinary families first."

Candidate information

Party: Democratic

Education: Holscher said she is "a first-generation college graduate from the University of Missouri."

Family: "My husband Greg and I have lived in Kansas for over 25 years and have three kids: Sara, Maddie, and Adam," Holscher said in our questionnaire.

Personal background: Holscher said in our questionnaire: "My grandparents were tenant farmers. My father was a veteran, a construction worker, and a proud union member. My mom worked at an elementary school. They worked hard to provide a better life for me, and my father's union job and strong public schools are what enabled me to graduate from college."

Experience and public service

Holscher said in our questionnaire that she was "elected to the Kansas House in 2016 and to the Kansas Senate in 2020." According to BallotReady, she has served as senator for District 8 since 2021 and represented House District 16 from 2017 to 2020.

She has served as Senate minority whip and co-founded the Women's Bipartisan Caucus in the Kansas House, according to her campaign.

Asked about her work history, Holscher said in our questionnaire: "I have been a legislator since 2017. At the height of the state's teacher shortage, I applied for an emergency teacher's license and started serving as a substitute teacher while continuing to serve in the legislature. Before my time in the legislature, I worked at Sprint, leading the marketing department and managing a large budget."

Asked about accomplishments, Holscher said: "I co-founded the Women's Bipartisan Caucus to help overturn the disastrous Brownback Experiment and put our state back on the right track. … I worked across the aisle to help get Kansas back on the right track, and I'll do the same as governor."

On the issues

Top priority — cost of living: Holscher identified lowering the cost of living as her top priority. "Working people can't afford the rent. Groceries and gas cost more than ever. Healthcare is too expensive," she said in our questionnaire. "As governor, I'll focus on bringing costs down on the basics — like housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, and gas — so people don't have to struggle so hard to get by."

Economy: Holscher said: "We can start by raising the minimum wage to $16 an hour. Next, we can fully fund both general and special education, which we haven't done since 2011 — and when we don't do it, local governments have to cover the gap, which in turn raises property taxes."

Property taxes: Holscher said on her campaign website that she aims to lower residential property tax assessment rates from 11.5% to 9.0% and add exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans.

Education: Asked about K-12 funding, Holscher said in our questionnaire: "We must fully fund special and general education, which we have not done since 2011."

Data centers: Holscher said on her campaign website that she has called for a moratorium on new large corporate data centers until protections for the environment, jobs and budgets are in place.

Healthcare: On her campaign website, Holscher supports expanding Medicaid, which her campaign says would lower healthcare costs for 152,000 Kansans.

Public safety: Holscher said in our questionnaire: "As governor, I'll make sure local law enforcement has the resources to recruit and keep good officers, good pay that can support their families, and workplace protections. And I'll invest in addiction treatment, health care, and strong public school programs to stop crime before it starts."

Endorsements

Holscher has received endorsements from the following, according to her campaign website and BallotReady:

  • Laura Kelly, governor of Kansas
  • Kathleen Sebelius, former governor of Kansas
  • John Carlin, former governor of Kansas
  • Republicans for Cindy, a coalition of 100 current and former Republican elected officials
  • AFL-CIO
  • Stand Up Blue Valley

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.