Trump endorses Kris Kobach, an immigration firebrand, in Kansas GOP governor’s race

Reporting from Kansas City, Kan. —  The endorsement from President Trump came — as they often do — in a tweet.

On Monday, Trump tossed his support behind Kris Kobach, a national crusader against illegal immigration, in the Kansas Republican gubernatorial primary.

“Kris Kobach, a strong and early supporter of mine, is running for Governor of the Great State of Kansas,” Trump tweeted. “He is a fantastic guy who loves his State and our Country — he will be a GREAT Governor and has my full & total Endorsement! Strong on Crime, Border & Military. VOTE TUESDAY!”

Kobach, who serves as secretary of state, thanked the president for his support.

“It’s going to be a huge boost to our campaign,” Kobach said during a news conference. “I appreciate the president putting his faith and trust in me.”

Kobach is locked in a competitive Republican primary on Tuesday with Gov. Jeff Colyer and a handful of other candidates. Polls — which have been limited — show a close race between Kobach and Colyer as the top two candidates.

The endorsement from Trump came of little surprise as Kobach and Trump have been close allies for several years.

Shortly after the 2016 election, Trump appointed Kobach to his immigration policy team. Months later, in May 2017, Trump tapped him to team up with Vice President Mike Pence to head a commission on voter fraud. Both Kobach and Trump alleged — without evidence — that widespread voter fraud took place in the 2016 election.

The commission dissolved in January and last week documents were released that showed the commission produced no evidence to support the president’s claims of rampant voter fraud.

For Kobach, much of his campaign for governor has focused on illegal immigration.

During a bus tour across the state in recent days, Kobach hammered his points on immigration again and again. Among his targets: the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which offers protections to young immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children.

Kobach said his top priority on Day One as governor would be to sign an executive order requiring state agencies and contractors to use E-Verify to ensure people in the country illegally were not working for the state.

[email protected]

Twitter: @kurtisalee