Cindy Holscher wins Kansas governor’s race

Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher was declared the winner of the governor’s race on Thursday, November 12, defeating Republican Ty Masterson and keeping the office in Democratic hands. The Associated Press called the contest after several days of vote counting. Holscher will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, making her the state’s next governor, subject to a mandated audit that was due to be completed by November 16.

The reported tally gave Holscher 551,243 votes and Masterson 543,599, a margin of 7,644. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab initiated the audit of the close race. Holscher had declared victory on Wednesday, while Masterson waited for the audit before conceding. The supplied reporting did not include the audit’s outcome.

The result also makes Holscher the fourth woman elected governor of Kansas. The state joins Arizona as the only states reported to have elected four different women to the office. Kansas has elected four women among its six governors chosen since 1990, and those candidates won all six general-election races in which they appeared, according to the reported historical account.

Holscher’s victory marks the first time a Democrat has...