The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas said he would not support reelecting Sen. Charles E. Schumer as the chamber’s Democratic leader.
Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor and former Republican, is running as a centrist Democrat in his bid to unseat GOP Sen. Roger Marshall. He has maintained a slight edge in public polls in recent weeks, as Democrats eye the Kansas race as one that could help them win back the Senate majority.
“I get asked, like, ’If Chuck Schumer tells you to do something, what are you going to do?’ And my answer is: If it’s good for Kansas, I’m all in. But if it’s bad for Kansas, I’m a hard no,” Mr. Hamilton said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
People were interested in these podcasts
He said he is not supporting Mr. Schumer’s bid to remain Democratic leader because “we need fresh ideas, we need fresh people.”
No Democrat has announced plans to challenge Mr. Schumer for his leadership role, but Mr. Hamilton said “there’s a lot of great people” in the Senate who could fill it.
“I think Tim Kaine is one of those guys I really respect. I think Mark Kelly is another one, Elissa Slotkin,” Mr. Hamilton said, referring to Democratic senators from Virginia, Arizona and Michigan, respectively.
“There’s a number of people who I think are standing in that center ground, and they are thoughtful, reflective people who I think could do a great job in the leadership role,” he said.
Mr. Hamilton said Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Kansas last month to campaign for Mr. Marshall shows how worried Republicans are about losing the seat.
“I consider that a great compliment that the second most powerful man in America came here to try to save Roger Marshall,” he said.
In an example of his effort to run from the middle, Mr. Hamilton said he does not believe biological men should compete in women’s sport. But he said it is “pathetic” that Mr. Trump and Republicans are trying to make “the case that people should be afraid of trans people, as well as Democrats.”
“I don’t fully understand everything there is to know about trans issues,” Mr. Hamilton said. “I know that there are people, when they’re hurt, I’m going to stand by them and I’m going to say, it’s not OK to hurt people. That’s not what it looks like to love your neighbor.”
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.