Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer Concedes GOP Primary to Secretary of State Kris Kobach

Associated Press
Updated
Kobach will face Democrat Laura Kelly in the November general election

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has conceded in the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary, losing by a razor-thin margin to Secretary of State Kris Kobach in a race so close it took a week to determine the winner.

Colyer accepted defeat Tuesday evening after a review of some provisional ballots from most Kansas counties failed to find enough votes for him to overcome a deficit of 110 votes at the time of poll closing in the Aug. 7 primary, out of more than 311,000 votes initially counted.

Kobach will face Democrat Laura Kelly in the November general election.

Colyer is a 58-year-old plastic surgeon from suburban Kansas City. He served as lieutenant governor for seven years and took over as governor in January when Sam Brownback resigned to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

Kobach had the support of President Donald Trump.