TOPEKA — A southeast Kansas farmer, veterinarian and veteran is running for Congress because he is “increasingly alarmed at the direction this administration is heading.”Don Coover, a Democrat and political newcomer, is challenging Republican Derek Schmidt, who currently holds the 2nd District seat. Coover helps run the family business, raising Wagyu beef on a southeast Kansas ranch “built on science, legacy, and the belief that truly great beef begins long before the plate,” the company’s website says. Schmidt won the district in 2024, defeating Democrat Nancy Boyda by more than 57,000 votes. Kansas has one Democratic congressional delegate, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the state’s 3rd District. Each of the state’s U.S. House seats and one U.S. Senate seat are up for reelection in 2026.