Though Maddie Holscher isn’t particularly interested in politics, her videos on social media provide a behind-the-scenes look into Kansas state Sen. Cindy Holscher’s life and policies as she runs for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Politicians have often seen the benefits of social media, trying to profit from the vast reach platforms have. President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaigns used social media extensively, trying to appeal to younger audiences. Political strategists praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his campaign tactics and savvy use of social media in the New York mayoral election.
Who is State Sen. Cindy Holscher?
Cindy Holscher often recounts how she first entered politics; it is even featured in her campaign ad. In 2012, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback implemented a fiscal policy that lowered taxes on businesses and wealthier Kansans. Economic growth stalled, and state revenue fell, forcing cuts to public services. One of the hardest-hit sectors was education.
Cindy Holscher and her children were shopping at Target when they saw a local teacher working there. The senator’s eldest daughter, Sara Holscher, asked why her teacher was working at Target on the weekend when she already had a job. Cindy Holscher says she then explained that Kansas was in a budget crisis and some people needed two jobs.
“My daughter looked at me, and she said, ‘Well, that’s wrong. You need to go fix that,’ and that’s how I ended up running for office,” Cindy Holscher said.
After that, Cindy Holscher ran in the 2016 election and unseated her incumbent state Rep. Amanda Grosserode, a Republican. She then ran for state senate in 2020, taking Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning’s seat after he chose not to seek re-election.
How is her family involved?
Though Cindy Holscher has her own campaign website and social media accounts, much of the senator’s platform can be found on her younger daughter’s TikTok. When Maddie Holscher, 20, isn’t amplifying her mother’s policies on social media, she is a sophomore at the University of Missouri.
Having amassed more than 450,000 likes across her posts, Maddie Holscher said it started in a calculus class.
“I was actually procrastinating that class, like majorly, and I decided. I posted one video,” Maddie Holscher said.
She posts frequently, ensuring she makes videos with her mother when she is home from college. Despite Maddie Holscher’s presence on TikTok, she does not focus on politics. While most videos reference the campaign and its policies, they often provide a more personal look at the mother-daughter relationship.
“I think it really just feels like this daughter who cares about her mom as somebody who could help people,” said Dr. Jessica Rauchberg, a professor of communications at Seton Hall University.
Cindy Holscher says none of her children are particularly political—though everybody in the family has a role. Her husband and son help with yard signs, and her eldest daughter has knocked thousands of doors with her.
What’s the campaign like?
The Kansas legislature has passed some of the most conservative legislation in the nation, overriding the Democratic governor’s veto multiple times with the Republican supermajority. Recently, the Legislature passed bills revoking transgender Kansans’ driver’s licenses.
Cindy Holscher’s main opponent in the Democratic Primary, Ethan Corson, is also a state senator. Corson and Cindy Holscher have pointed to their bipartisan history and centrism as benefits of their candidacy. It was Corson, however, who won Gov. Laura Kelly’s endorsement.
Some Republicans don’t have the same admiration for bipartisanship. During a primary debate, former Kansas Rep. Charlotte O’Hara accused Republicans, like Senate President Ty Masterson, of not being conservative enough for working with Democrats.
Masterson even responded to O’Hara, arguing that her remarks weren’t helpful to the Republican party because Democrats were “the enemy.”
Many Democrats have moved away from culture war issues, seeing it as a losing message for the party. Corson and Cindy Holscher are no different. Both platforms focus considerably on affordability—an issue that has helped Democrats win elections during the Trump administration. Though Cindy Holscher has voted against conservative bills on social issues, her campaign website emphasizes “common sense and lower costs.”
“I have been across the state doing over 60 town halls, listening to voters, hearing what’s important to them, and you know, I will tell you affordability is what is on people’s minds,” Cindy Holscher said.
Is a Democrat Realistic?
The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia has predicted a Republican win in the Kansas gubernatorial election. The race is described as “the clearest pickup on the board” for Republicans.
None of the Democratic candidates made the top 5 most recognized candidates in the race, according to data from The Kansas Speaks survey conducted by Fort Hays State University in October 2025. Corson was more recognized than Cindy Holscher, with 16.6% compared to 15.7%.
Of respondents who recognized Cindy Holscher, 42.7 % had a generally positive view. This was the third-highest percentage of the candidates and beat Corson by three points.
In a January poll of Democratic voters sponsored by the Holscher campaign, Cindy Holscher was polling ahead of Corson. Among those who knew enough about the candidates, 33% said they would vote for Cindy Holscher, and 9% said Corson. However, the majority of respondents were unsure.
Even with Cindy Holscher polling alongside and ahead of Corson, Kansas Public Disclosure Commission records show she doesn’t have as much money as other candidates.
As of January, Cindy Holscher had $397,952 in total contributions, according to the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission. Corson had $902,641.
Most Republican candidates have more campaign dollars than Cindy Holscher. Four candidates have more than $1 million.
Both Cindy Holscher and Corson have many individual donors, often more than Republican candidates. All candidates with more than $1 million have supplemented their campaign cash with personal loans or donations.
Two prominent candidates, Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Colyer, have given significantly to their own campaigns. According to January’s reports, Schwab has loaned his campaign $1,045,000 of the $1,418,671 total contributions. Colyer has loaned his campaign $1,055,481 of its $2,070,322 total contributions.
Can TikTok help?
For Rauchberg, Holscher’s use of TikTok could help with getting Gen-Z candidates out to vote. She explained that Maddie Holscher’s content could attract people who are less politically engaged.
“It appeals to people who maybe wouldn’t get access to the political content or they would be automatically, you know, not really interested in voting,” Rauchberg said.
A number of comments on Maddie Holscher’s posts say they plan to vote for Cindy Holscher. Maddie Holscher often responds to comments on her videos, reminding people when the primary is and answering questions about her mother’s policies. Others say they cannot vote.
When asked in a post if people would vote for Cindy Holscher, one commenter said, “Yes, but too young im trying to get my dad to vote for her.”
Rauchberg said this could still be helpful, citing studies that highlighted people were often influenced by the people they know.
“Maybe they don’t live in Kansas. Maybe they’re not old enough. They’re trying to influence other people in their lives who can vote and to try to convince them to vote for this candidate. So that is, again, influence at play,” Rauchberg said.
Sam Novey, chief strategist at the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, agreed that getting people to turn other people out to vote could be helpful, but it wasn’t always effective.
“We’ve done some studies of programs designed to mobilize people to engage household members who are unlikely to vote. And that can be effective, but it’s often challenging to do,” Novey said.
While Cindy Holscher focuses on affordability, Maddie Holscher’s posts cover a range of topics. Some posts talk about specific campaign policies and her mother’s record in the Legislature. Others explore Cindy Holscher’s opinions on social issues that aren’t always front and center in her campaign. Issues like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, private prisons, and abortion. Acknowledging that Maddie’s TikTok likely reaches younger people, Rauchberg explained the benefits of this difference in messaging.
“It doesn’t feel to me that they’re telling a divergent story, but rather they’re trying to appeal to different kinds of voters,” Rauchberg said.
Cindy Holscher does have her own TikTok account, but Maddie Holscher’s account has more followers and likes. Often, social media campaigns can be another drain on resources, but the Holscher campaign doesn’t spend significant time or money on these posts. Maddie Holscher is not a paid employee.
“I’ve just been making TikToks kind of in my free time, and it’s more like for fun,” Maddie Holscher said.
Novey and Rauchberg agree that while social media will not win campaigns outright, it could help with voters and recognition. Cindy Holscher has seen results.
“There will be people who come up to me, you know, a lot of younger folks, and then often people a little older too, who’ll say that they saw Maddie on TikTok or they saw me on TikTok, and that’s how they got to know me,” Holscher said.
As the August 4 primary election draws closer, Cindy Holscher continues to host town halls throughout Kansas. But it still might be beneficial for Maddie Holscher to keep both her dance and policy videos coming.
