By Tim Carpenter
TOPEKA — Former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius stepped forward Wednesday to endorse state Sen. Ethan Corson’s campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for governor.
The August primary has evolved into a contest between Corson, of Fairway, and state Sen. Cindy Holscher, of Overland Park.
Sebelius, who was the state’s Democratic governor from 2003 to 2009, stepped down to accept appointment as secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. She served five years in the Cabinet of President Barack Obama.
Sebelius said her endorsement of Corson reflected appreciation for his bipartisan record, leadership, focus on helping families and support for public schools, accessible health care and job expansion.
“Right now, Kansas families are working hard to keep up,” Sebelius said in a statement. “They want a little more breathing room. They want our public schools to stay strong. They want health care they can afford. And, they want leaders who focus on solutions and results. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Ethan Corson for governor.”
Sebelius said Corson understood challenges faced by Kansans dealing with rising costs, the need to make cities and towns thrive and the necessity of farmers’ to secure access to global markets.
“Ethan is calm under pressure,” the former governor said. “He listens first. He works with both parties, gets results, leads with integrity and stays focused on what matters most to Kansas families.”
Corson, an attorney who was first elected to the state Senate in 2020, said he appreciated Sebelius’s track record of providing “steady, bipartisan leadership.”
“I’m running to help Kansas families keep more of what they earn, give our schools the support they need and help every community compete and succeed. This campaign is about bringing people from both parties together to deliver results,” Corson said.
In November, Gov. Laura Kelly endorsed Corson. He launched his campaign for the nomination in July — one month after Holscher announced her bid.
Last week, Holscher’s campaign shared polling that indicated she was “the clear frontrunner” with a double-digit advantage among likely Democratic primary voters. Corson’s campaign finance report indicated he generated more than $900,000 in contributions during 2025, while Holscher took in $400,000 by Dec. 31.
