Adam Hamilton made history as the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932. But the Methodist pastor said voters were motivated by more than a change in party leadership, pointing to concerns about rising costs, tariffs and the war in Iran, as well as frustration with political division in Washington.
In an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin on Morning Edition, Hamilton said people were “sick and tired of the hyperpolarization in Washington.” He recalled meeting a Republican who had voted in 46 elections without ever backing a Democrat before choosing Hamilton. The voter told him politics in Washington had become cruel and indecent.
Hamilton also described a conversation in Greensburg, Kansas, where a woman asked him to help Americans stop hating one another. She spoke of family relationships fractured by politics and, Hamilton recalled, said she wanted people to remember they were fellow human beings.
Hamilton was registered as a Republican until earlier this year. He said Democrats should connect more with religious voters and work across party lines. He also hopes to build a close relationship with Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, saying he wants to be Moran’s “best friend in Washington” and show that members of both parties can work together.
Sources: NPR Politics.