1:34
Earlier this year, the Kansas state legislature passed a bill that will impose age requirements for candidates for statewide offices. The law, which was approved by the governor in May after passing both chambers, amends the current qualifications for candidacy to institute a provision for age: a candidate must be 25 or older to run for governor or lieutenant governor.
But the change will not take effect until January 1, 2019, keeping the four teenagers in the race for the 2018 cycle. If elected, one of the teens could potentially be sitting in the governor’s mansion in 2019, but their chances to be the next top elected official in the state are slim.
The governor's race boasts a wide-open and crowded field, after President Donald Trump selected Brownback to be Ambassador for International Religious Freedom. The top two contenders for the Republican primary are Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a very close ally of Trump who secured the endorsement of the president Monday in Trump-signature fashion.
Kris Kobach, a strong and early supporter of mine, is running for Governor of the Great State of Kansas. He is a fantastic guy who loves his State and our Country - he will be a GREAT Governor and has my full & total Endorsement! Strong on Crime, Border & Military. VOTE TUESDAY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2018
As a benchmark race for Republicans, this primary is a battle between an establishment candidate and a Trump-like competitor. Despite garnering support from the White House, Kobach trailed Colyer in fundraising for most of the year, and only surpassed Colyer after hauling in more than $1.5 million from his running mate, Wink Hartman, according to the Associated Press.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/kansas-1-ap-er-180806_hpEmbed_7x5_384.jpg\")
In a state under Republican-control, the Democratic Party is holding a contested gubernatorial primary for the first time since 1998, according to FiveThirtyEight. With four possible frontrunners in former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, state Sen. Laura Kelly, former state Rep. Josh Svaty and House Minority Leader Jim Ward, voters will determine who secures the nomination.
This might be a long-shot for these high schoolers, but after the shooting in Parkland, they see their bids as part of a youth movement that is seeing unprecedented momentum in recentering the country's moral core. It will ultimately be up to the voters Tuesday night to decide the fate of this new class of candidates.
\"We’ve done everything we can, we traveled the state, we’ve talked to voters, people have responded well to our message,\" Bergeson said. \"I think we’re going to do quite well tomorrow. I’m expecting higher numbers than a lot of other people are expecting.\"
No matter the outcome Tuesday, Ruzich and Bergeson made clear that winning is not the point of their candidacies.
\"I may not be the victor,\" Ruzich said. \"But I can be the influencer … Never let anyone, regardless of your age, tell you your views don't matter.\"
\"We were able to shock the establishment and show that progressive candidates can do well in even states like Kansas,\" Bergeson said. \"We can win without winning … A big part of my campaign, regardless of policy, I wanted to get young people engaged in politics and I view that we've already been successful.\"
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/vote-kansas-teens-running-governor/story?id=57058542","legacySlug":"/news/story/vote-kansas-teens-running-governor-57058542","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"13:45","publishDate":"08-07-2018","updatedTime":"19:07","updatedDate":"08-07-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Jack Bergeson (C), 16, speaks during a forum with the three other teenage candidates Ethan Randleas (L), 17, Jack's running mate Lt. Governor Candidate Alexander Cline, 17, Tyler Ruzich (2ndR), 17, and Dominic Scavuzzo (R), 17, are running for Kansas Governor at Free State High School in Lawrence, Kansas, Oct. 19, 2017.","credit":"Christopher Smith/AFP/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/candidates-gty-1-er-180209_hpMain_2_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"8/7/2018 13:45:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":57058542,"headline":"Meet the Kansas teens running for governor","mediaAssetTitle":"Kansas teen candidates","description":"Teenagers are exploiting a loophole in the requirements to run for state office.","duration":"1:34","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/08/180807_wnn_mielke_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Meet the Kansas teens running for governor","description":"Teenagers are exploiting a loophole in the requirements to run for state office.","duration":"1:34","uploadDate":"08-07-2018","publication":"08-07-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/08/180807_wnn_mielke_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/08/180807_wnn_mielke_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/vote-kansas-teens-running-governor-57058542"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Meet the Kansas teens running for governor","pubTime":"09:45","pubDate":"08-07-2018","modTime":"15:07","modDate":"08-07-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":57058542,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Meet the Kansas teens running for governor","mediaAssetTitle":"Kansas teen candidates","videoId":57058542,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/vote-kansas-teens-running-governor-57058542"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/57058542","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/57058542","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};