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U.S. House · Kansas's 2nd District

Eastern Kansas, including Topeka and southeast Kansas (Pittsburg, Emporia, Ottawa)

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Derek Schmidt, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Derek Schmidt125,84351.2%
Don Coover110,67745%
John Hauer9,2013.7%

About 99% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • Incumbent Derek Schmidt (R), elected to this seat in 2024 after serving as Kansas Attorney General from 2011 to 2023, defeated Chad Young in the August 4, 2026 Republican primary. Don Coover ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The district's 2026 Cook Partisan Voter Index is R+10.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 3 candidates

Derek SchmidtRINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative (since 2025); previously Attorney General of Kansas (2011-2023) and Kansas State Senate (2001-2011)Full profile →Don CooverDFull profile →John HauerLIBFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Stricter gun laws

  • Derek Schmidt
    Opposes[14]

    Cosponsored H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (119th Congress), which would require states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[15][16][17][18]

    Voted yes on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[16][17][18]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.

  • Don Coover
    In their own words[8]
    “We have shifted the tax burden ... not on those people that have the most ability to pay”

    Interview with KCUR, July 2026

  • John Hauer
    In their own words[9]
    “Eliminate federal income tax and drastically cut spending.”

    On his campaign website

Expand public health coverage

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[16][17][18][20]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted no on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[16][17][18]

    Voted yes on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[23]

    Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Don Coover
    Opposes[1]

    Says in his Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey that tariffs should be stopped, citing costs to Kansas families and harm to farmers.

  • John Hauer
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[19]

    Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Derek Schmidt
    Recorded votes[21][22]

    Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Bar transgender women and girls from women's and girls' school sports

  • Derek Schmidt
    Supports[8]

    KCUR reports he sought to ban transgender athletes from school sports.

  • Don Coover
    —
  • John Hauer
    —

Research notes & limits

Key floor votes and FEC finance totals for incumbent Derek Schmidt are added separately by script.

Sources · 30

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.Kansas' 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Derek Schmidt · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Don Coover for Congress · Don Coover for Congress campaign website · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Schmidt Votes to Protect America's Energy Independence · Office of Rep. Derek Schmidt · 2025-02-07 Official record
  5. 5.Meet Derek Schmidt · Derek Schmidt for Congress campaign website · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  6. 6.Schmidt Applauds Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill · Office of Rep. Derek Schmidt · 2025-05-22 Official record
  7. 7.Congress Passes Schmidt-backed Public Safety Bills · Office of Rep. Derek Schmidt · 2025-12-18 Official record
  8. 8.Kansas 2nd District election: A guide to the candidates · KCUR News report
  9. 9.John Hauer for Congress · John Hauer for Congress · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
  10. 10.Derek Schmidt · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  11. 11.About | Congressman Derek Schmidt · Office of Rep. Derek Schmidt · 2026-10-21 Official record
  12. 12.Kansas U.S. House District 2 election results 2026 · NBC News · 2026-11-09 News report
  13. 13.H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (SAVE America Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  14. 14.H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  15. 15.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  16. 16.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  17. 17.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  19. 19.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  24. 24.Don Coover for Congress · Don Coover for Congress campaign website · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  25. 25.Don Coover · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  26. 26.U.S. House · Kansas's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
  27. 27.Kansas' 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  28. 28.John Hauer · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  29. 29.Kansas 2nd District race · Lawrence Times News report
  30. 30.U.S. House · Kansas's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report