Family Research Council endorses Roger Marshall in Kansas Senate primary

Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins said the group would endorse Rep. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) in his Senate primary, providing the Kansas Republican key conservative backing in the heated race. 

Marshall, a two-term congressman and medical doctor, is in an intense battle against former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach for the GOP nomination to run to replace retiring Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). 

Perkins, who heads one of the most powerful Christian conservative policy and lobbying organizations in Washington, said Marshall has consistently proven his conservative credentials with his voting record since first being elected. 

“On behalf of FRC Action PAC, the political action committee connected with Family Research Council Action, I am pleased to announce our endorsement of your candidacy for election to the United States Senate from Kansas. This is a critical hour for our country and Americans are looking for bold leaders who are willing to stand strong for faith, family, and freedom,” he said in a statement. 

“From working with you in Congress, evaluating your record, and speaking with others who know you, we believe you will be such a leader. You understand the fundamental importance of protecting the right to life, the central role strong families must play if our country is to thrive, and that religious liberty is the bedrock of a truly prosperous nation.” 

Perkins went on to praise Marshall’s record on abortion issues in Congress, noting he has a 100 percent lifetime rating on the FRC Action Scorecard. 

“As an OB/GYN, you understand the importance of protecting the rights of the unborn. When the most fundamental of our God-given rights—the right to life—is undermined, it compromises all others. During your 30 years in practice, you have witnessed firsthand the miracle of life by delivering over 5,000 babies into the world,” he said. 

Marshall thanked Perkins for his backing, vowing to continue to vote for anti-abortion policies if elected to the upper chamber. 

“I am humbled by my friend Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council’s endorsement of my campaign for the U.S. Senate. So many Kansans I know listen to Tony daily. He and FRC represent and stand for the values that so many Kansans and I hold dear,” he said in a statement. 

“FRC is one of the strongest voices for the unborn and religious freedom in Washington, D.C., and I have been and am proud to stand with them. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to be an outspoken voice for the unborn, not just voting for life, but using my experience as a physician to truly protect the voiceless and to confirm conservative judges.”

The endorsement comes as some within the GOP voice concerns that Kobach — a divisive political figure in the state — would tighten the Senate race should he win the Republican nomination.  

As the primary race heats up ahead of the June filing deadline, some top Republicans including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have advocated for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to hop in the race. But Pompeo, a former GOP congressman for Kansas’s 4th District, has indicated he has no intention of running.