Republican wins special election in Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Republican Ron Estes will be the next congressman from the state of Kansas, but his victory Tuesday night did not come as easily as many expected in the deep-red-state contest that saw a late infusion of national support from Republicans nervous about the tumultuous political environment during President Donald Trump’s first months in office.

It was the first special congressional election since Mr. Trump’s election as president, and the first national test of his party’s electoral strength.

GOP strategists warned in recent days that Democrat James Thompson, a civil rights attorney, was in striking distance against Mr. Estes, a Wichita Republican and the state treasurer, in the special election to replace Mike Pompeo in the home to Koch Industries. It was seen as a sign that even seats in the reddest corners of the United States are not safe at a time when Democrats are so energized against Mr. Trump.

Mr. Pompeo gave up his seat in the 4th Congressional District in January to serve as Mr. Trump’s director of the CIA.

Mr. Estes — who became associated with a Republican governing team in Kansas that has presided over a weak economic recovery, a series of budget deficits and supplyside tax cuts that ate into the state’s revenue — led 52 percent to 47 percent after 519 of 620 precincts reported.

Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district nearly 2-to-1, and the fact that Mr. Thompson made the race competitive is expected to have reverberations both nationally and in Kansas as the state moves into 2018 with the governor’s office up for grabs.

Mr. Estes’ victory came after the president and vice president recorded robocalls to urge GOP voters to the polls, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas flew into Wichita for a rally.