Senate GOP Super PAC Shifts Millions from North Carolina to Kansas Race

Senate Republicans are reallocating significant financial resources in the final stretch of the 2026 midterm elections, directing millions toward a defensive race in Kansas while scaling back spending in North Carolina, according to sources familiar with the strategy.

The move by the Senate Leadership Fund highlights the volatile nature of the battle for Senate control. Although Republicans can afford to lose up to three seats and retain their majority, they are navigating an unfavorable political climate amid President Donald Trump’s tenure.

Data from AdImpact indicates the super PAC has reserved $9.8 million for advertising in Kansas as of Friday. This investment echoes the group’s 2020 spending of $17.5 million during incumbent Roger Marshall’s initial victory. In contrast, FEC filings show the group has already spent over $30 million on the North Carolina race this year but has paused further ad buys there, a shift first reported by Semafor.

In Kansas, Marshall is seeking to block Democrat Adam Hamilton from becoming the state’s first Democratic senator since 1932. Recent polling suggests the contest is statistically tied, with Hamilton leveraging voter dissatisfaction regarding energy costs and the conflict in Iran. The influx of funding is expected to saturate Kansas airwaves with advertisements targeting Hamilton.

Tensions have escalated through negative advertising. On Thursday, the Marshall campaign released an ad alleging Hamilton concealed child abuse at his church. Hamilton denied the accusations in a counter-ad, stating that church leaders investigated allegations against a youth retreat volunteer over two decades ago, reported the individual to police, and prohibited him from church programs. A Kansas City Star investigation into court records supported these claims.

Hamilton characterized the advertisement as “exactly the kind of dirty politics … that everybody hates.” His spokesperson, Tyson Brody, told CBS News that “Washington is panicking” over Marshall’s weak position and accused the incumbent of supporting the Iran war and driving up costs for Americans.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina race features former two-term Democratic Governor Roy Cooper leading Republican nominee Michael Whatley in polls. Whatley, a Trump ally and former RNC chair, faced questions about his viability from the president himself. “I am [worried],” Trump admitted, adding, “I hope he wins. He’s a great man… and he’d be a great senator.”

Cooper’s campaign manager, Jeff Allen, described North Carolina as a “50-50 state,” noting the absence of a Democratic Senate or presidential winner in nearly two decades. Allen asserted that Cooper would fight for residents while Whatley seeks to enrich himself.

Whatley’s campaign spokesman, DJ Griffin, expressed confidence, citing Cooper’s past comments about Democratic leads in North Carolina fading late in elections. Griffin argued that undecided voters, who historically lean Republican, would decide the outcome.

GOP Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, recently emphasized the stakes in a closed-door meeting, describing the cycle as a “fight for our lives” with a record number of toss-up races. Scott outlined a strategy focusing on defending seats in red states like Maine and Texas while attempting to flip Democratic-held seats in New Hampshire and Michigan.