2014 Kansas gubernatorial election

See also: 2014 Kansas elections

The 2014 Kansas gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Kansas, concurrently with the election of Kansas' Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

2014 Kansas gubernatorial election

← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →

Nominee Sam Brownback Paul Davis Party Republican Democratic Running mate Jeff Colyer Jill Docking Popular vote 433,196 401,100 Percentage 49.82% 46.13%

County results Brownback:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Davis:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Sam Brownback Republican Elected Governor Sam Brownback Republican

Incumbent Republican governor Sam Brownback ran for re-election to a second term.^[1] He was opposed in the general election by Democrat Paul Davis, the Minority Leader of the Kansas House of Representatives, and Libertarian attorney Keen Umbehr.

The election was viewed as a referendum on Brownback's aggressive tax cutting initiatives and his conservative values.^[2] The consensus among The Cook Political Report, Governing, The Rothenberg Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Daily Kos Elections, and others was that the contest was a tossup. Brownback won the election by a margin of 3.69%. Davis carried seven counties, all in eastern Kansas. This is the last gubernatorial election in which a Democratic candidate won Jefferson County, as well as the last time that a candidate was elected Governor of Kansas by winning a majority of counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Sam Brownback, incumbent governor^[1]

• Running mate: Jeff Colyer, incumbent lieutenant governor

• Jennifer Winn, businesswoman^[3]

• Running mate: Robin Lais, advertising agency owner and natural healing shop owner^[4]
• Former running mate: Ethan McCord, Iraq War veteran^[5]

Declined

• Kris Kobach, Secretary of State of Kansas (running for re-election)^[6]
• Steve Morris, former president of the Kansas Senate^[7]
• Sandy Praeger, Kansas Insurance Commissioner (endorsed Paul Davis)^[8][9]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback	Jennifer Winn	Undecided
SurveyUSA[10]	July 17–22, 2014	691	± 3.7%	60%	30%	9%
SurveyUSA[11]	June 19–23, 2014	508	± 4.4%	55%	37%	8%

Results

Results by county:

  Brownback

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Winn

•   50–60%

Republican primary results^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Sam Brownback (incumbent)	166,687	63.2
	Republican	Jennifer Winn	96,907	36.7
Total votes			263,594	100

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Paul Davis, Minority Leader of the Kansas House of Representatives^[13]

• Running mate: Jill Docking, businesswoman, former member of the Kansas Board of Regents and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1996 (running for lieutenant governor)^[14][15]

Declined

• Carl Brewer, mayor of Wichita^[9]
• Jill Docking
• Tom Holland, state senator and nominee for governor in 2010^[7]
• Deb Miller, former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation^[7]
• Stephen Morris, former Republican president of the Kansas Senate^[7]
• Mark Parkinson, former governor, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living^[9]
• Sandy Praeger, Republican Kansas Insurance Commissioner^[8][9]
• Joe Reardon, former mayor of Kansas City^[9]
• Joshua Svaty, vice president of The Land Institute and former Secretary of Agriculture of Kansas^[7]

Results

Democratic primary results^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Paul Davis	66,357	100
Total votes			66,357	100

Libertarian nomination

Candidates

Declared

• Keen Umbehr, attorney^[16]

• Running mate: Josh Umbehr, physician and son of Keen Umbehr^[17]

General election

Debates

• Complete video of debate, September 6, 2014 - C-SPAN
• Complete video of debate, October 21, 2014 - C-SPAN

Endorsements

Sam Brownback (R)

Republican politicians

• Terry Bruce, Majority Leader of the Kansas Senate^[18]
• Jan Meyers, former U.S. representative^[19]

Democratic politicians

• Nathan Barnes, former Wyandotte County Commissioner^[20]

Other individuals

• Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard^[21]

Organizations

• National Federation of Independent Business^[22]
• Kansas Rifle Association^[23]

Paul Davis (D)

Democratic politicians

• Jill Docking, businesswoman, former member of the Kansas Board of Regents and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1996^[15]
• Anthony Hensley, Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate^[15]
• John E. Moore, former lieutenant governor of Kansas^[24]

Republican politicians^[25][26]

• Traditional Republicans for Common Sense
• Barbara P. Allen, former state senator, former state representative and former Assistant Attorney General of Kansas
• Denise Apt, former state representative
• Jayne Aylward, former state representative
• Ginger Barr, former state representative
• Dick Bond, former member of the Kansas State Senate
• Ken Bower, former mayor of Leavenworth
• Jim Braden, former speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives
• Carol Brandert, member of the Salina Public Schools Board of Education
• Nancy Brown, former state representative, former member of the Kansas State Emergency Response Commission
• Pete Brungardt, former state senator and former mayor of Salina
• Mark Buhler, former state senator
• Bud Burke, former president of the Kansas Senate and former state representative
• David R. Corbin, former state senator
• Ray Cox, former state representative
• Val DeFever, former member of the Kansas State Board of Education
• Brad Dillon, Reno County Commissioner and former Hutchinson City Councilman
• Gary Denning, former member of the Salina Public Schools Board of Education and former Salina City prosecutor
• David Drovetta, former mayor of Gardner and former Gardner City Councilman
• Sandy Duncan, former state representative
• Nedra Elbl, chairwoman of the Salina Public Schools Board of Education and former president of the Kansas National Education Association
• Jane M. Eldredge, former state senator
• Roger Elliott, member of the Andover Public Schools Board of Education
• Tim Emert, member of the Kansas Board of Regents and former Majority Leader of the Kansas State
• Cindy Empson, former state representative
• Bill Falstad, former chairman of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, former mayor of Fredonia and former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party
• Ron Fox, former state representative
• Bob Frey, former judge on the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, former Majority Leader of the Kansas State and former state representative
• Fred Gatlin, former state representative
• Crosby Gernon, Mayor of Hiawatha
• John Golden, former state representative
• Pat Grimwood, former member of the Salina Public Schools Board of Education
• John Grange, former state representative and former chairman of the El Dorado Public Schools Board of Education
• Howard Gray, superintendent of Pratt, Plains and Kismet
• Kristin Gunn, former mayor of Salina and former Salina City Commissioner
• Steve Hale, former president of the Gardner-Edgerton USD 231 Board of Education and former Gardner City Councilman
• Floris Jean Hampton, member of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees Board of Regents and former member of the Kansas Board of Regents
• Randall Hardy, Salina City Commissioner
• Joleen Hill, former member of the Manhattan–Ogden Board of Education
• Gennifer House, former president of the Goodland Public Schools Board of Education
• Dave Huff, former state representative
• Terrie Huntington, former state senator and former state representative
• William Kassebaum, former state representative and son of former U.S. senator Nancy Kassebaum^[15]
• Fred Kerr, former majority leader of the Kansas Senate
• Wendell Lady, former speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives
• Audrey Langworthy, former state senator
• Carol Lehman, former mayor of Gardner and former Gardner City Councilwoman
• Fred Lorentz, former 31st Judicial District Judge and former state representative
• Jim Lowther, former state representative
• Bob Marshall, former state senator
• R.D. "Bob" Miller, former member of the Kansas State Parole Board and former state representative
• Robert "R.H." Miller, former speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives
• Stephen Morris, former president of the Kansas Senate
• Lana Oleen, former majority leader of the Kansas Senate
• Bill Otto, former state representative
• Tim Owens, former state senator and former state representative
• Sandy Praeger, Kansas Insurance Commissioner
• Jill Quigley, former state representative
• Jim Randall, mayor pro tem of Olathe
• Gerry Ray, former state representative
• Roger Reitz, former state senator, former state representative and former mayor of Manhattan
• Marge Roberson, former mayor of Newton, former Newton City Commissioner and former Harvey County Commissioner
• Ed Rolfs, former Kansas Secretary of Revenue and former state representative
• Charles Roth, former state representative and former mayor of Salina
• Ellen Samuelson, former state representative
• Debbie Schauf, former state representative
• Gary Sherrer, former lieutenant governor of Kansas
• Shelby Smith, former lieutenant governor of Kansas
• Sheryl Spalding, former state representative and former regional vice president of the Kansas Association of School Boards
• Bob W. Storey, former state senator
• Ralph Tanner, former state representative
• Ruth Teichman, former state senator
• Lee Thompson, former United States Attorney for the District of Kansas
• Carolyn Tillotson, former state senator and former mayor of Leavenworth
• Dwayne Umbarger, former state senator
• John Vanier, former mayor of Salina and former Salina City Commissioner
• John Vratil, former state senator
• Winton A. Winter, Jr., former state senator
• Robert S. Wunsch, former state representative
• David Wysong, former state senator and former Johnson County Commissioner
• Jim Yonally, former state representative

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[27]	Tossup	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[28]	Lean D (flip)	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[29]	Tossup	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[30]	Tossup	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Paul Davis (D)	Keen Umbehr (L)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[31]	November 1–3, 2014	963	± 3.2%	45%	46%	4%	—	4%
				47%	48%	—	—	3%
Public Policy Polling[32]	October 30–31, 2014	752	± ?	44%	48%	5%	—	3%
YouGov[33]	October 25–31, 2014	1,137	± 4.8%	39%	38%	2%	1%	21%
Fox News[34]	October 28–30, 2014	907	± 3%	42%	48%	4%	<1%	5%
Survey USA[35]	October 22–26, 2014	623	± 4%	43%	46%	5%	—	7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[36]	October 16–23, 2014	1,973	± 4%	43%	40%	—	1%	16%
NBC News/Marist[37]	October 18–22, 2014	757 LV	± 3.6%	44%	45%	5%	1%	6%
		1,055 RV	± 3%	43%	43%	6%	1%	7%
Rasmussen Reports[38]	October 20–21, 2014	960	± 3%	45%	52%	—	1%	2%
Gravis Marketing[39]	October 20–21, 2014	1,124	± 3%	44%	49%	—	—	7%
Monmouth University[40]	October 16–19, 2014	429	± 4.7%	45%	50%	—	2%	5%
Remington Research[41]	October 9–12, 2014	1,091	± 2.97%	48%	45%	3%	—	4%
Public Policy Polling[42]	October 9–12, 2014	1,081	± 3%	42%	42%	6%	—	10%
				44%	45%	—	—	12%
Fox News[43]	October 4–7, 2014	702	± 3.5%	46%	40%	2%	2%	11%
CNN/ORC[44]	October 2–6, 2014	687	± 3.5%	49%	49%	—	—	2%
SurveyUSA[45]	October 2–5, 2014	549	± 4.3%	42%	47%	4%	—	7%
Gravis Marketing[46]	September 30–October 1, 2014	850	± 3%	40%	48%	—	—	12%
NBC News/Marist[47]	September 27–October 1, 2014	636 LV	± 3.9%	43%	44%	4%	1%	7%
		1,097 RV	± 3%	41%	43%	5%	1%	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[48]	September 20–October 1, 2014	2,013	± 3%	45%	42%	—	0%	12%
Suffolk University[49]	September 27–30, 2014	500	± 4.4%	42%	46%	6%	—	7%
Fort Hays State University[50]	September 10–27, 2014	685	± 3.8%	37%	39%	9%	—	16%
Remington Research[51]	September 23, 2014	625	± 3.91%	44%	46%	5%	—	5%
Rasmussen Reports[38]	September 16–17, 2014	750	± 4%	43%	47%	—	4%	6%
Fox News[52]	September 14–16, 2014	604	± 4%	41%	45%	4%	—	8%
Public Policy Polling[53]	September 11–14, 2014	1,328	± 2.7%	38%	42%	7%	—	14%
				39%	45%	—	—	15%
KSN/SurveyUSA[54]	September 4–7, 2014	555	± 4.2%	40%	47%	5%	—	7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[55]	August 18–September 2, 2014	839	± 5%	47%	40%	—	2%	11%
SurveyUSA[56]	August 20–23, 2014	560	± 4.2%	40%	48%	5%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling[57]	August 14–17, 2014	903	± 3.3%	37%	39%	9%	—	15%
Rasmussen Reports[38]	August 6–7, 2014	750	± 4%	41%	51%	—	3%	5%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[58]	July 5–24, 2014	1,274	± 6.1%	52%	40%	—	3%	5%
SurveyUSA[10]	July 17–22, 2014	1,208	± 2.9%	40%	48%	5%	—	7%
SurveyUSA[59]	June 19–23, 2014	1,068	± 3.1%	41%	47%	—	5%	7%
Rasmussen Reports[60]	April 16–17, 2014	750	± 4%	47%	40%	—	6%	7%
Public Policy Polling[61]	April 1–2, 2014	886	± 3.1%	41%	45%	—	—	14%
Public Policy Polling[62]	February 18–20, 2014	693	± 3.7%	40%	42%	—	—	18%
Wilson Perkins Allen[63]	January 29, 2014	?	± ?	42%	31%	—	—	27%
SurveyUSA[64]	October 23–24, 2013	511	± 4.4%	39%	43%	—	12%	6%

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Carl Brewer (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	44%	40%	—	15%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Tom Holland (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	45%	38%	—	17%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Mark Parkinson (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	45%	39%	—	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Joe Reardon (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	45%	36%	—	19%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Kathleen Sebelius (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	48%	43%	—	9%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Sam Brownback (R)	Chad Taylor (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[65]	February 21–24, 2013	1,229	± 2.8%	44%	34%	—	22%

Results

Kansas gubernatorial election, 2014^[66]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Sam Brownback (incumbent)	433,196	49.82%	−13.46%
	Democratic	Paul Davis	401,100	46.13%	+13.92%
	Libertarian	Keen Umbehr	35,206	4.05%	+1.37%
Total votes			869,502	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Crawford (largest city: Pittsburg)
• Jefferson (largest municipality: Valley Falls)
• Lyon (largest municipality: Emporia)
• Riley (largest municipality: Manhattan)
• Shawnee (largest municipality: Topeka)