Former Sen. Sheila Frahm endorses Marshall after Bollier snags another ex-Kansas senator

The inventory of retired U.S. Senators in Kansas available for endorsements is running low.

Former Sen. Sheila Frahm has endorsed Republican Roger Marshall for U.S. Senate, his campaign announced Thursday, hours after former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum announced her support for Democrat Barbara Bollier.

Frahm served in the Senate for five months in 1996 after Gov. Bill Graves appointed her to replace Sen. Bob Dole, who resigned during his presidential campaign. Dole endorsed Marshall before the August GOP primary.

Frahm, who lives in Colby, said in a statement that Marshall had proven himself to be a leader on agriculture and health issues.

“As a former U.S. Senator from Kansas, I know that when it comes to leadership, it’s not about Republican or Democrat, but doing right by Kansans,” Frahm said. “Dr. Marshall has been a bipartisan leader and problem solver, and I’m proud join my predecessor, Bob Dole, in giving Doc my support.”

Both Frahm and Kassebaum hail from an era of moderate Republicanism in Kansas. In announcing Frahm’s testimonial on the heels of Kassebaum’s endorsement of Bollier, Marshall pushed to demonstrate that he could also command support of past moderate leaders. Both Frahm and Kassebaum endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly in the 2018 governor’s race.

Kassebaum was the first woman elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate whose husband had not previously served in Congress. She served in the Senate from 1978 until 1997.

Frahm, after serving less than a full year, lost her campaign for the Republican nomination to Sam Brownback. She was lieutenant governor under Graves and a state senator for six years, where she was the first woman to serve as majority leader.

Marshall called Frahm a “trailblazer, a champion of Kansas agriculture, and a true bipartisan problem solver.”

The Star’s Bryan Lowry contributed reporting

This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 1:32 PM.