JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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One of the key races for Tuesday night's blue wave happened in Kansas, where Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton beat Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and flipped the seat.
Both Republican and Democratic voters have told KSHB 41 News they sided with Hamilton's moderate message over party lines.
"Go back there and be my champion," Greg Musil said. "Don't be a champion for a president or party."
"I think he will make a difference," Janet Fournier said.
KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne sat down with senator-elect Hamilton for the first time since his historic win to learn what he plans to do in Washington come January.
"You hit the ground running," Hamilton said.
The pastor from Johnson County will be Kansas' first Democratic senator in 94 years. It is something Hamilton explained he doesn't take lightly.
"I want people to be able to say, 'I don't necessarily agree with Adam all the time, but I know he's trying to do the right thing as he understands it, as he sees it,'" Hamilton said. "Long before six years from now, my hope is that our people in the state have been able to say Adam's actually listening, and he's fighting for us, and he's doing what's good for the state and good for its people."
Hamilton's first priority is to vote to end the war in Iran.
“It’s going to have a direct impact on people in the Kansas (agriculture) industry," Hamilton said. "It's going to have a direct impact on people when they go to the pumps, and I also think it's the right thing to do."
His next priorities are to end the tariff policies, work to restore expired healthcare subsidies for Kansans and get the Farm Bill through. But to do that, Hamilton will have to build trust and relationships with elected officials across the aisle.
"I think they have heard from the American people saying, 'We don't like this, we don't like what's going on in Washington,'" Hamilton said. "I think there's a number of those Republicans who will join the Democrats."
Though Hamilton was predominately supported by Democrats, he explained he won't always vote with party lines.
"There will be times that it's the right thing to do and good for people in Kansas," Hamilton said. "But if it's not, I'm going to be a hard no."
That could potentially include voting to replace the current Senate leadership.
"Do you think that Chuck Schumer is a liability to the Democrats?" KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne asked Hamilton.
"I think that we need to work at bringing new leadership in with fresh ideas," Hamilton responded. "I want leaders who are going to bring Republicans and Democrats together, and who are going to be able to unite the Democratic Party as well."
Hamilton's win comes in a historic night of historically Republican states electing Democratic officials, like Texas, Ohio and Iowa.
“I think it's incumbent upon the Democratic Party to figure out how they redefine themselves and show that they can work for the American people, and do what's right and good for all Americans," Hamilton said. "If they can do that, this is this is not going to be a one-off election.”
Hamilton starts his Senate orientation on Monday. He still plans to serve as a pastor on Sundays and when he comes back to Johnson County over the next six years.
"Every year at Christmas Eve we pull up our candles and say 'Let's go out and punch holes in the darkness'," Hamilton said. "I'm going to be doing that again this year, and I'm trying to live that in Washington D.C."
You can watch Ledonne's full interview with senator-elect Hamilton in the video player below.
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