Kansas lands Purdue transfer Trey Kaufman-Renn in a late boost before the start of the season

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — This time of year, known as "go time" by farmers, sees them combining fields, transporting crops, and relocating livestock from summer pastures to winter homes. Glenn Brunkow, a fifth-generation Kansas farmer and president of the Kansas Farm Bureau, describes the harvest season as a period of heightened financial pressures due to rising costs, unpredictable markets, and shrinking profits.

Brunkow, along with other farmers, is experiencing more than $2.50 per gallon increase in diesel prices compared to last year, adding to their financial difficulties.

The economic strain is a growing political concern for Republicans in states they traditionally have dominated. President Donald Trump is set to visit Kansas on Monday and Iowa later in the week, joining a series of stops where he aims to motivate his base in the final weeks before the midterm elections. These visits come as Republicans allocate funds to Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa due to concerns about voter enthusiasm.

Kansas is of particular interest to Republicans, as they won the state by 16 percentage points over Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tough challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton, who has not won a Senate election in Kansas in 94 years. Farmers, like Brunkow, have endorsed Marshall, yet some express concerns that economic frustrations could sway them to vote for Democrats.

However, Brunkow believes that while economic frustrations dampen enthusiasm for voting, it does not necessarily translate into voting for Democrats.

Republican voters, including farmers, are increasingly frustrated with the party. Western Kansas rancher and former Republican state House majority leader Don Hineman has observed growing discontent among GOP voters beyond the farming community, citing issues such as Trump's tariffs on their businesses, the ongoing Iran war, and recent immigration raids in western Kansas.

Hineman emphasizes the need for a secure border but also stresses the importance of a workable immigration policy that provides the workforce the United States has always relied on. He criticizes the traditional Republican argument that electing Democrats would empower the party's liberal wing, stating that it no longer resonates with him.

Debbie Geneva, a 61-year-old resident of Nortonville, Kansas, remains undecided in the Senate race but is impressed by Hamilton's outreach efforts, unlike Marshall. She highlights rising healthcare and everyday expenses, as well as trade agreements, as factors contributing to her frustration. Brunkow notes that farmers have endured months of financial strain due to soaring costs for inputs like diesel, fertilizer, and seed, which have been exacerbated by refinery constraints and supply disruptions linked to the Iran war.

Diesel prices have averaged $6.30 per gallon nationally, a 70% increase from last year, and are expected to rise further as they account for nearly 30% of the increase in production expenses projected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.