A joint investigation by ProPublica and The Kansas City Star found that Kobach, Kansas’ secretary of state and a Republican candidate for governor, has a peculiar pattern of courtroom defeats. Kobach helped small towns draft draconian immigration ordinances that failed to survive inevitable legal challenges. The towns lost, but Kobach bolstered both his reputation as an anti-immigration crusader and filled his bank account:



Kobach rode the attention the cases generated to political prominence, first as Kansas secretary of state, and now as a candidate for governor in the Republican primary on Aug. 7. He also earned more than $800,000 for his immigration work, paid by both towns and an advocacy group, over 13 years.

Kobach’s competitive gubernatorial campaign itself is a sort of hustle. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that he enjoys a fundraising advantage over incumbent Governor Jeff Colyer for one reason: Kobach’s wealthy running mate, Wink Hartman, has loaned the campaign at least $1.5 million. It’s no wonder that even Kobach’s campaign slogan was lifted from someone else: Donald Trump.