Why is a Missouri senator on the campaign trail in Kansas with Trump?

Eric Schmitt visited neighboring Kansas on Monday, flying from Washington, D.C. to Wichita with President Trump to rally for Republican Senate colleague Roger Marshall.

Read more What the Miami Heat’s return to home court means for downtown traffic

Standing on the tarmac in front of Air Force One, Schmitt told his social media followers he was heading out on the campaign trail with Trump.

“A lot at stake coming up, the election just a few weeks away,” Schmitt said. “These rallies are something else. We’ll get everybody fired up and ready for election day.”

Then social media weighed in on his trip.

Hundreds of comments left on his Facebook and X posts conjured his gaffe last month at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Others asked why a Missouri politician was stumping in Kansas.

“Why are you on the campaign trail? You’re not up for election…”

“Missourians aren’t paying your salary to travel around on Airforce one for political races in states you don’t represent…”

His visit to the Sunflower State comes amid speculation about his own political aspirations.

If he had hoped people had forgotten about the Jack Smith hearing in September, those hopes were dashed on his social media pages Monday.

To recap: At the hearing, Schmitt took aim at former Justice Department special counsel Smith, who brought criminal cases against Trump regarding the 2020 election and the handling of documents.

Schmitt tried — but failed — to tie Smith to Fani Willis, the special prosecutor in Georgia who launched a criminal investigation into Trump over alleged election impropriety.

Read more Why is a Florida bakery facing backlash over a Hakeem Jeffries visit?

Schmitt produced “evidence” that Smith was in Atlanta on Feb. 3, 2024, at an Atlanta Hawks game.

Turned out Smith was at an Iowa Hawkeyes game in Maryland.

The mix-up kicked off days of ridicule on social media, which was conjured Monday when people heard he was heading from D.C. to Wichita.

“I’m shocked you didn’t wind up in ArKANSAS when you heard Trump was visiting Kansas.”

“Are you sure where you are going? Might be a good idea to double check.”

“Wichita Falls here we come!!”

“On your way to a Hawks game?”

“Are you sure you’re in the right state?”

He got schooled on local sports teams, too.

“In case you are asked Eric, you are going to Wichita, Kansas which is just to the left of your home state of Missouri. Wichita’s largest university is Wichita State University (AKA WSU) and their mascot is the Shockers. WSU also has a basketball team. Hope this helps.”

“Before you go to the land of the Jayhawks please read this:

“Kansas Jayhawks: A mythical mash-up of a blue jay and a sparrow hawk, dating to the late 1840s.

“Iowa Hawkeyes: Likely named for “Hawkeye,” the scout hero of The Last of the Mohicans. The hawk mascot came later.

“Atlanta Hawks: They began as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, named for the Black Hawk War and its Sauk leader.”

This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 12:38 PM with the headline “Why is a Missouri senator on the campaign trail in Kansas with Trump?.”

Read more Coast Guard stops another overloaded migrant boat off Puerto Rico