Jason Kander
It’s official – almost. Democrat Jason Kander plans to run for office again. A campaign press release says Kander will announce July 14 his bid for Kansas City mayor.
He is currently the head of Let America Vote – a national voting rights organization. Kander served in the Missouri House of Representatives before getting elected as Missouri Secretary of State in 2012. He lost a highly-publicized and tight U.S. Senate race to Republican incumbent Roy Blunt in 2016.
Kander’s move to enter the mayoral race quells the buzz about him running for president in 2020. Kander, who is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, has been traveling the country since 2017 making several stops in key presidential states like Iowa and New Hampshire.
Former Senate Minority Leader Jolie Justus (courtesy; Missouri Senate Communications)
Several other candidates have already announced a run for mayor. Democrat Jolie Justus says Kander’s move has prompted her to drop out of the race and instead run for re-election to the City Council. Justus, a former Missouri Senate Minority Leader, backs Kander’s race for mayor. She says she shares a common vision for Kansas City.
Matt Staub, a Kansas Citian who planned to run for Justus’ seat, decided to make his first big announcement of the race on her behalf. He posted a video on social media making his announcement.
“What’s that announcement? I quit! I’m not about to be the guy that thinks he should run against a supremely qualified woman for a job that she deserves,” Staub says.
There will be a nine-person, nonpartisan mayoral primary on April 2, 2019.
By Ashley Byrd and Alisa Nelson
Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet
