Trump promises a lot, but does not keep his promises. What does that say about his superfan Kansas lawmakers? • Kansas reflector

This is the Trump phone.

It debuted online in 2025, a vision of gold-plated elegance and cutting-edge technology. Patriots were invited to pre-order the device to show their support for “proud American” wireless technology and their all-time favorite president.

The phone landed with a thud in May. Tech reviewers examined the device, noting its painfully urine-soaked color and mysterious inner workings. The phone was smaller and a different model from those 2025 website mockups. On the plus side, recipients noted, it worked like a phone and came preinstalled with Trump’s “Truth Social” app.

In short, it was a classic bait and switch from the most bait and switch leader. Promise your fans the world, then push the bare minimum in their general direction when time is up.

(Kansas reflector video)

This suffocating mix of fashionable hyperbole and all-too-real reality has been on clear display in Kansas politics lately, as various political figures have shown up in mustard yellow rather than glittering gold. They are all, in their own way, Trump phones.

Let’s start with Senate President Ty Masterson, who picked up Trump’s support in the May 24 Republican gubernatorial race.

Masterson happily responded, “President Trump transformed our country by fighting for secure borders, lower taxes, American energy dominance, and putting working families first. In Kansas, I took the same approach: leading the fight to cut taxes, standing up to the left’s agenda, and standing up for our values.”

But what does Trump’s endorsement mean, anyway? You may remember the last two Republicans Trump supported for governor: Kris Kobach in 2018 and Derek Schmidt in 2022. While both men landed as state attorney general and 2nd District congressman, respectively, Laura Kelly beat them both at the polls.

Trump’s support could pave the way for Masterson in the Republican primary. It’s possible. But the Trump of 2026 seems very different to me from the one of four or eight years ago. On the one hand, his national approval rating stands at 38.6%. In ruby-red Kansas, a fall 2025 survey found performance satisfaction at 43.5%.

Most of the time, politicians do not welcome the support of such a hated person.

But too bad! Masterson thinks he’s exactly the man Kansas needs. As long as you don’t expect him to pass an off-year redistricting plan or significant property tax relief. You can forget them once and for all.

Do you see where I’m going with the Trump phone thing?

Leavenworth Rep. Pat Proctor speaks on the House floor on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

More relevant news came Friday, when Rep. Ken Rahjes of Agra joined Secretary of State Scott Schwab’s campaign for Republican governor. Schwab did a particularly non-conspiratorial job as secretary of state, and Rahjes served fairly affably.

However, the person who really benefited from the announcement was Leavenworth Rep. Pat Proctor, who lost his primary opponent in the Republican race to succeed Schwab as secretary of state.

Kansas Reflector has frequently written about the colorful Proctor. Suffice it to say, his approach to the work promises to be very different from Schwab’s. As chairman of the House Elections Committee, Proctor passed legislation that would make it harder for Kansans to vote while putting a thumb on the scale for right-wing Republican candidates.

Proctor made a habit of responding to media questions with such exaggerated statements as: “Here’s a quote for you: You are a partisan hack and your so-called ‘newspaper’ is a woke, left-wing propaganda rag. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.”

This sounds like someone who was inspired by the rhetoric of Donald “Fake News” Trump. Good for him. Bad for Kansans who just want to make their voices heard in statewide elections. Looks like they got a brick from a Trump phone instead.

Eventually, Kansas shipped its own questionable merchandise to Washington, DC.

News broke on May 28 that the U.S. Treasury was eager to put Trump’s face on a $250 bill. Never mind that federal law prohibits living people from appearing on currency — for now. No, politicians have been pressuring Treasury to find a way to make this decision (absolutely not a matter of Trump’s ego) a reality.

Read two paragraphs of the Washington Post article about the bill and you’ll spot a familiar name.

Yes, that’s former Kansas Republican Party Chairman Mike Brown, who now serves as acting director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. You may remember Brown’s tenure as the state’s Republican chairman, thanks to his deranged weekly newscasts and his appearance at a fundraiser where donors could beat up an effigy of President Joe Biden.

This $250 bill may seem insignificant given everything that’s going on in this country, but it serves as a final reminder that we are all doomed to endure questionable, urine-yellow politics for the foreseeable future.

Clay Wirestone is an opinion editor for the Kansas Reflector. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector strives to amplify the voices of people affected by public policy or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own comments, here.

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