FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2026
Contact: Hans Torgerson
hans@kansasdems.org
FIVE DAYS OUT, KANSAS GOP PRIMARY FOR GOVERNOR DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS
Masterson and Sarnecki trade corruption charges and "wall to wall lies," and Sarnecki says Trump got "bad advice" as Trump doubles down on Masterson endorsement
TOPEKA — With five days until the August 4 primary, the Republican race for governor has collapsed into total chaos. The GOP field is closing out the campaign trading corruption accusations, million-dollar attack ads, and schoolyard insults, while fighting over who is most aligned with Washington’s cost-raising agenda.
Ty Masterson has dropped a half-million-dollar ad buy attacking Philip Sarnecki — ads Sarnecki called "disgusting" and "full of wall to wall lies." On Tuesday's Mundo in the Morning, Sarnecki returned fire:
Called Masterson "the living manifestation of a career politician" after a quarter century in politics.
Accused Masterson of enriching himself off Kansas taxpayers, citing luxury suites at the new Chiefs stadium, private jets, and his taxpayer-funded job at Wichita State's GoCreate.
Alleged the GoCreate arrangement amounts to a "quid pro quo" with Wichita State, and that the taxpayer-funded position violates in-kind contribution limits — the shadowy job The Star found has paid Masterson more than $1.1 million over the past decade, nearly double his Senate salary, at an office where the front desk didn't recognize him.
Sarnecki has also spent the past few weeks having a public meltdown over Trump’s endorsement of Masterson:
His new TV ad compares himself to Trump three separate times, then explains away Trump's endorsement of Masterson: "even President Trump gets bad advice sometimes, so he endorsed one of the career politicians who has driven Kansas into a ditch. It happens."
At the same time, Sarnecki, who a Kansas Reflector investigation found inflated his own voting record, is openly begging "Trump supporters" to turn out for "Team Sarnecki" on August 4
Statement from Hans Torgerson, spokesperson for the Kansas Democratic Party:
“Five days out, not one Republican candidate is talking about lowering costs, funding schools, or keeping rural hospitals open. They're calling each other corrupt, dishonest, and RINOs while competing for Donald Trump's blessing instead of Kansans' trust. No matter who survives Tuesday, Kansans will be left with a nominee the rest of the Republican field spent this primary telling voters not to trust.”