Five Topeka House Seats Face Contested Races
Five of Topeka's eight Kansas House incumbents will face general election opponents on November 3, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Do you think one party should keep a supermajority in the Kansas House?
Five of the eight Topeka-area incumbents in the Kansas House have opponents in the November 3, 2026 general election. The races include Republican Jesse Borjon against Democrat Toni Scalia, and a 2024 rematch between Democrat Alexis Simmons and Republican Michael Mathewson.
Why it matters
The outcome could determine whether Republicans keep their Kansas House supermajority, which they have held since 2010. Republicans also hold a supermajority in the Kansas Senate.
Five of the eight Topeka-area Kansas House incumbents face general election opponents, with the GOP needing 84 seats, or two-thirds of the chamber, to hold its supermajority. Results for the November 3, 2026 contests have not yet been reported.
The players
Kansas Republican Party
The state's dominant Republican organization, which has held a Kansas House supermajority since the 2010 election.
Jesse Borjon
Republican state representative from Topeka who is seeking reelection in the 52nd District against Democrat Toni Scalia.
The details
Rep. Ken Corbet, R-Topeka, faces Democrat Chris Tanner in the 54th District, and Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, D-Topeka, faces Lanell Griffith in the 55th District. Rep. Virgil Weigel, D-Topeka, faces Republican Elvin Fajardo in the 56th District.
Timeline
2010: Republicans gained the Kansas House supermajority.
2024: Simmons and Mathewson faced each other in a previous election.
November 3, 2026: General election with five contested Topeka House races.
Legal Context
The Republican Party has held a Kansas House supermajority since the 2010 election and also holds a supermajority in the Kansas Senate. The November 3, 2026 contests in Topeka will test whether that control continues.
Topeka voters in the five contested House districts will choose between incumbents and challengers on November 3, 2026. The result will affect whether Republicans keep the supermajority that lets them act without Democratic votes.
The takeaway
Topeka voters in the five contested districts will help decide whether the state's legislative balance shifts. Following the November 3, 2026 results will show how the supermajority question is resolved.
What happens next
General election results for the five contested Topeka-area House races will be reported on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
For more on the candidates and races shaping control of the state legislature, see Elections coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Topeka Capital-Journal.
Live Poll
Do you think one party should keep a supermajority in the Kansas House?
