Top 5 Kansas news stories
June 2 2026
Colyer Exits Governor's Race After Trump Backs Masterson
Overland Park Mayor Skoog Enters Democratic Primary
Tornado Warning Wakes Messi as Storms Batter Kansas City
Steel Succeeds Watson as Kansas Education Commissioner
Kansas to Host Oklahoma in First-Ever Super Regional
Colyer Exits Governor's Race After Trump Backs Masterson
TOPEKA, Kan. — Former Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer announced June 1 that he would not file for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, ending his campaign at the noon filing deadline following President Trump's late-May endorsement of Senate President Ty Masterson. In a statement, Colyer said, "My service will continue, but I shall not be a candidate for governor in 2026." His exit leaves seven Republicans on the August 4 primary ballot — Masterson, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Charlotte O'Hara, Nick Reinecker, Stacy Rogers and Overland Park businessman Philip Sarnecki — alongside three Democrats. Colyer had previously led GOP polling by double digits and out-raised his rivals.
KWCH
Overland Park Mayor Skoog Enters Democratic Primary
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog filed to run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination roughly three hours before the noon June 1 filing deadline, naming Fredonia family physician Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney as his running mate. A Topeka native, Skoog has served as mayor since 2021 and sat on the Overland Park City Council beginning in 2005. He joins state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher in the three-way August 4 Democratic primary. The winner will face the eventual Republican nominee in November to succeed term-limited Gov. Laura Kelly.
KCTV5
Tornado Warning Wakes Messi as Storms Batter Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi woke around 1:30 a.m. to a brief tornado warning during his first night in Kansas City as severe thunderstorms swept across the metro Sunday night into Monday, June 1. The National Weather Service recorded winds exceeding 80 mph in the Northland and attributed most damage to straight-line winds rather than a tornado. The storms toppled trees onto homes and cars and knocked out power across multiple neighborhoods. Flash flooding forced the closure of MO-78 (23rd Street) between I-435 and Stark Avenue in Blue Summit, and parts of the Northland received more than 4 inches of rain in a short window. Grain Valley, Missouri, and North Kansas City were among the hardest-hit communities, with debris and downed power lines reported throughout the metro.
KCTV5
Messi woke up at 1:30 a.m. this morning during his first sleep in KC to a brief tornado warning.
— Pete Mundo (@PeteMundo) June 1, 2026
Welcome to KC, Argentina. https://t.co/h4Mxd1Zexz
Steel Succeeds Watson as Kansas Education Commissioner
TOPEKA, Kan. — Jake Steel, a Garden City High School graduate and former math teacher who holds a doctorate from Harvard, officially assumed duties as Kansas Commissioner of K-12 Education on June 1. He succeeds Randy Watson, who led the Kansas State Department of Education since 2014 and announced his retirement last fall. Steel previously served as KSDE's director of strategy, policy and alignment and was selected by the Kansas State Board of Education on April 14 by a 7-1 vote, with Debby Potter and Connie O'Brien abstaining and Michelle Dombrosky voting no. He was chosen over Geary County Schools Superintendent Reginald Eggleston and former Virginia Superintendent Lisa Coons. As commissioner, Steel will oversee KSDE operations and finances, advocate for K-12 legislation in Topeka and execute board policies.
Kansas Reflector
Kansas to Host Oklahoma in First-Ever Super Regional
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The No. 15 national seed Kansas Jayhawks will host Oklahoma in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional at Hoglund Ballpark beginning Friday or Saturday, the program's first Super Regional ever. The matchup was finalized June 1 when Oklahoma defeated No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech 8-7 on a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of the Atlanta Regional, erasing a 7-3 seventh-inning deficit. Kansas advanced by sweeping the Lawrence Regional, beating Arkansas 5-3 on May 30 and 13-10 on May 31. The NCAA is scheduled to announce specific game times June 2 at 9 a.m. CT.
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Sources
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