Democrats End Republican Supermajorities in Kansas and Missouri
Kansas and Missouri voters eliminated Republican legislative supermajorities in the November 2026 elections, shifting the balance of power in both state capitals.
Voters in Kansas and Missouri ended Republican supermajorities in their respective state legislatures during the November 2026 elections. In Kansas, Democrats flipped as many as 20 seats in the state House, reducing the Republican majority to 68-57, the smallest margin for the party since 1992. This shift ends 16 years of one-party domination and limits the ability of Republicans to override vetoes by Governor Laura Kelly.
Brandon Woodard, the Kansas House Minority Leader, attributed the surge to candidate recruiting and a focus on healthcare, public education, and the cost of living. The GOP losses included House Majority Leader Chris Croft. Meanwhile, Republican Representative Adam Smith noted he only ran for reelection after Senate President Ty Masterson blamed him for property tax reform failures.
In Missouri, Republicans lost supermajorities in both the state House and Senate. Democrats gained 16 House seats, leaving Republicans with their lowest total since 2008. In the Senate, Keri Ingle defeated House Speaker Jon Patterson. At the federal level, Democrat Fred Wellman unseated seven-term U.S. Representative Ann Wagner. Missouri voters also rejected Republican-backed ballot measures regarding congressional redistricting and the restoration of an abortion ban. These results restrict the Missouri legislature's ability to enact laws via emergency clauses or override vetoes.
