Epley Drops Out, Backs Carmichael | Wichita News

Wichita News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 2, 2026 · 1m

Kansas’s Democratic race for the 4th congressional district just got a major shake-up as Cole Epley, a veteran Army Reserve sergeant and social services worker, dropped out and endorsed Chris Carmichael — a retired Air Force colonel with aerospace ties. Carmichael is now the top Democratic contender, rallying behind a unified message to unseat Republican Rep. Ron Estes. With Epley’s exit, three Democrats remain in the race: Carmichael, lawyer Katy Tyndell, and law firm exec Ryan Gilbert. Estes faces little GOP opposition — just Frank McCollum — while Libertarian Drew Cranmer adds a…