WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� A look at what led The Associated Press to call the Kansas governor's race:
WHY AP CALLED KANSAS GOVERNOR FOR LAURA KELLY
ultimately had enough of a lead that her Republican challenger couldn鈥檛 have caught her, even if he鈥檇 won all outstanding votes.
That鈥檚 what enabled the AP to call the Kansas governor鈥檚 race for Kelly on Wednesday.
in Republican-leaning Kansas, Kelly was the only Democratic governor running for reelection this year in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020.
, the state鈥檚 three-term attorney general, aimed to tie her to President Joe Biden, blaming the two Democrats for high inflation.
Much of the race seemed to turn on how many independent and moderate GOP voters stayed with Kelly after lifting her to victory four years ago. In that race, Kelly faced then-Kansas Secretary of State , a nationally known hardline provocateur on immigration and voter ID issues.
ABORTION ANTAGONISM
Kansas has had strong anti-abortion majorities in its Legislature for 30 years, but voters have regularly elected Democratic governors. The party was energized in August by a statewide vote decisively rejecting a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have cleared the way for tighter restrictions on abortion or a ban of the procedure.
The first test of voter sentiment after the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 June decision overturning Roe v. Wade came in Kansas, with that typically favors Republicans but was a major victory for abortion rights advocates.
Kelly opposed , which would have added language stating that it does not grant the right to abortion, saying changing the state constitution would 鈥渢hrow the state back into the Dark Ages.鈥�
Supporting the measure, Schmidt told the Catholic television network EWTN before the election that 鈥渢here鈥檚 still room for progress鈥� in decreasing abortions, without spelling out what he would sign as governor.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
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Learn more about the issues and factors at play in the midterms at .
And follow the AP鈥檚 election coverage of the 2022 elections at .
Meg Kinnard, The Associated Press
