State attorney general says departure of running mate requires removal of Billings
By TIM CARPENTER
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — The Kansas secretary of state relied Friday on a legal opinion issued by the attorney general to remove Republican Doug Billings from the roster of candidates running for governor.
Attorney General Kris Kobach’s nonbinding opinion pointed to state law requiring governor and lieutenant governor candidates to run as a team. Kobach said the statute meant the decision by Billings’ running mate, April McCoy, to be removed from the ticket and have her name scrubbed from the August 2026 primary ballot meant Secretary of State Scott Schwab was obligated to terminate Billings’ candidacy.
Kobach said the key point was that when one member of this type of electoral alliance withdrew or died, after officially submitting candidate filing documents but prior to the state’s filing deadline, the candidacy had to be concluded because there was no mechanism in state law to replace one of the running mates.
“The Legislature knows how to prescribe a procedure for allowing a candidacy to continue, and it did not include one for this scenario,” Kobach’s opinion said. “While the remaining member is free to find another running mate and pursue ballot access, he must do so as part of a new candidacy.”
Kobach said Billings would be able to relaunch a campaign for governor, but would have to complete all requirements of a candidate to include payment of filing fees.
Billings couldn’t be immediately reached for comment on the decision.
Schwab, who serves as the state’s top elections official and is a candidate for the GOP nomination for governor, requested the attorney general’s opinion. Schwab’s office said the decision to remove Billings as a candidate for governor was based on the legal advice from the attorney general.
Billings, an Olathe podcaster and supporter of President Donald Trump, launched a long-shot campaign for governor. The GOP field includes Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Senate President Ty Masterson, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Schwab and several others.
Billings, who began hosting “The Right Side” podcast after a career in human resources, said Kansas needed a governor who would mirror the budget mindset offered by Trump and former DOGE adviser Elon Musk. He said reducing state spending and lowering income and businesses taxes would lead to a flourishing state economy.
In terms of election security, Billings promised to direct the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to investigate voting “irregularities” in Kansas.
“We need a strong conservative governor in that office,” Billings said during an interview in May. “We need a politician who’s going to tell the truth.”
In mid-August, the Kansas City Star published an article highlighting concerns raised by McCoy and others that Billings pocketed a $2,700 donation to his gubernatorial campaign. McCoy says the money was earmarked for purchase of a software program useful to a statewide campaign. Billings told the newspaper the dispute was a misunderstanding and the payment was a donation to his podcast.
In addition, the Star reported Billings was convicted during 2010 in Johnson County District Court of a felony charge of theft involving more than $25,000. Eight counts of fraud were dismissed by the prosecutor, records showed.