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To the Journal editor:
"Decency won on Nov. 3." Those words capture the remarkable victory of Rev. Adam Hamilton, a prominent Kansas Methodist pastor and political newcomer, who defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Roger Marshall in one of the most surprising election results of 2026. Hamilton, a moderate Democrat making his first run for public office, accomplished something that had eluded Kansas Democrats for 94 years. The last Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas was in 1932, during the Great Depression. Hamilton is the founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, headquartered in suburban Kansas City, one of the nation’s largest United Methodist congregations, with approximately 25,000 members across its campuses.
What makes Hamilton’s victory especially noteworthy is not simply that he won, but the message he brought to a deeply divided electorate.
Throughout his campaign, Hamilton challenged President Trump’s personal insults, attacks on political opponents, and conduct that Hamilton believed was inconsistent with the moral responsibilities of public office, especially the Trump administration’s influence of wealth and political favoritism. His response was rooted in Christian teachings emphasizing humility, compassion, honesty, and respect for others--values too often missing from today’s political discourse, including among some who loudly proclaim their Christian faith. Hamilton was particularly outspoken about the harsh and inhumane tactics employed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including enforcement actions affecting immigrant workers and their families in Kansas’ meat packing and livestock industry. He reminded Kansas voters that we are called to love all neighbors, regardless of their nationality, immigration status, or political beliefs.
As Hamilton’s campaign gained momentum, President Trump intensified his attacks against Hamilton’s church and leveled personal insults against Hamilton. Rather than responding with comparable insults, Hamilton emphasized prayer, compassion, and the importance of treating even one’s political adversaries with dignity.
I especially like Hamilton’s message to reject the polarization and hostility that characterize American politics. He has described his congregation as consisting of roughly equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Yet he loves and serves them all. That same philosophy guided his campaign: If elected, he would listen to and represent all Kansans, not merely those who voted for him.
Remarkably, Hamilton also intends to continue his pastoral ministry while serving in the Senate, preaching periodically at the Church of the Resurrection. Kansas may be a long way from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but the lessons of this election are relevant here as well. He reminds us that the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" is not merely something to preach on Sunday. It is a principal worth practicing in our public and political lives.