Jason David Kander was born on May 4,1981 and is an American attorney, author, veteran, and politician.
57 Facts About Jason Kander
2.
Jason Kander had previously served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2009 to 2013.
3.
Jason Kander served in Afghanistan and achieved the rank of captain.
4.
Jason Kander was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate for Missouri in 2016, narrowly losing the election to Republican incumbent Roy Blunt.
5.
Jason Kander serves as president of national expansion at VCP, a non-profit organization serving homeless and at-risk veterans with tiny homes, wrap-around support services, and emergency assistance.
6.
Jason Kander was born on May 4,1981, in Overland Park, Kansas, the son of Janet, a juvenile probation officer, and Steve Jason Kander, a police officer who later ran a small business.
7.
Jason Kander graduated from Bishop Miege High School in 1999, where he played baseball and was a member of the debate team.
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Jason Kander attended American University in Washington, DC, where he studied political science.
9.
Jason Kander completed law school in 2005, and volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan.
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When he returned home, Jason Kander took a position as an instructor at the Missouri Army National Guard's Officer Candidate School at Fort Leonard Wood.
11.
Jason Kander taught 'leadership skills in combat' to hundreds of students.
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Jason Kander was honorably discharged at the rank of captain in 2011.
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Jason Kander was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2008, representing the 44th district.
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Jason Kander easily defeated two other Democrats in the primary election, and was unchallenged in the general election.
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Jason Kander helped pass legislation strengthening Missouri's human trafficking laws, as well as a law that enabled authorities to prevent kidnappings during custody battles.
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In 2010, Jason Kander worked with Republican colleague Tim Flook to pass the first major ethics reform bill in Missouri since 1991.
17.
Jason Kander announced his candidacy for the Missouri secretary of state after Robin Carnahan announced she would not seek reelection.
18.
Jason Kander defeated MD Rabbi Alam in the primary election, winning the Democratic nomination.
19.
On November 6,2012, Jason Kander narrowly defeated Schoeller and was elected Missouri secretary of state.
20.
On February 19,2015, Jason Kander entered the race to represent Missouri in the United States Senate against Roy Blunt, the Republican incumbent.
21.
Jason Kander won the Democratic primary against three other candidates on August 2,2016.
22.
Jason Kander accused Blunt of being well connected to DC lobbyists.
23.
In spite of the loss, Jason Kander received the most votes of any Democrat running statewide in Missouri that year, outperforming Clinton, gubernatorial candidate Chris Koster, and other Democrats.
24.
On June 25,2018, Jason Kander announced that he was running for mayor of Kansas City in 2019 to replace incumbent Sly James, who was term limited.
25.
Speculation about his presidential ambitions had been fueled by his frequent visits to the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, and Jason Kander had suggested he would consider exploring a bid after the 2018 midterm elections were finished.
26.
In January 2021, Jason Kander confirmed via Twitter that he had been intending to run for president in 2020.
27.
Jason Kander dropped out of the mayoral race on October 2,2018, citing the need to get treatment for symptoms of PTSD and depression.
28.
Jason Kander announced that he would be stepping away temporarily from his work with Let America Vote as he receives treatment.
29.
In November 2020, Jason Kander was named as a potential candidate for Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Biden administration.
30.
Jason Kander explores how the Democratic Party should proceed following the 2016 US presidential election.
31.
Jason Kander has lent his support to other Democrats running for office, such as Jon Ossoff, Phil Murphy, Conor Lamb, Stacey Abrams, and Kyrsten Sinema.
32.
In 2017 Jason Kander founded Let America Vote, a political action organization.
33.
Jason Kander considers overturning Citizens United v FEC a political priority.
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Jason Kander believes students who have graduated need to be able to refinance their loans at lower rates.
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Jason Kander is in favor of increasing the federal minimum wage, and for ensuring equal pay for equal work.
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Jason Kander is supportive of adding a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.
37.
Ahead of the August 7,2018, referendum on Proposition A to adopt right-to-work laws in Missouri, Jason Kander campaigned in opposition to the proposition.
38.
Jason Kander is pro-Israel and has called on Congress to stop the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
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In 2009, Jason Kander voted against a bill that would have extended to renters the Castle Doctrine.
40.
Jason Kander supports improving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
41.
Jason Kander has proposed changing the 30-hour workweek used to define full-time employees, allowing cheaper plans for people who do not require medical care, and repealing the long-delayed Cadillac tax.
42.
Jason Kander is in favor of a public health insurance option, but supports single-payer healthcare.
43.
Jason Kander believes states should take advantage of the Medicaid expansion the law provided.
44.
Jason Kander is pro-choice but is in favor of retaining the Hyde Amendment.
45.
Jason Kander was critical of Republican senators who refused to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, citing it as an example of Washington dysfunction.
46.
Jason Kander believes senators should meet with all Supreme Court nominees.
47.
Jason Kander supports passing the federal Equality Act into law.
48.
On immigration policy, Jason Kander is supportive of the bipartisan immigration bill of 2013 that passed the Senate but was never considered by the House.
49.
Jason Kander is opposed to closing the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay but voted against a measure to prevent Missouri from housing, transporting, or providing medical care to any prisoners suspected of terrorism.
50.
Jason Kander opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, believing it hurts working-class families and encourages sending jobs overseas.
51.
Jason Kander is in favor of modernizing the Cuban embargo to allow American farmers and ranchers to sell their goods into Cuba.
52.
Jason Kander believes both programs can be strengthened by eliminating wasteful government spending in other sectors.
53.
Jason Kander married his high school sweetheart, entrepreneur and author Diana Jason Kander in 2003.
54.
Jason Kander is the grand-nephew of musical composer John Jason Kander, whose best-known works include Cabaret and Chicago.
55.
Jason Kander is a distant relative of Lizzie Black Kander, author of The Settlement Cookbook.
56.
Jason Kander is an avid fan of the Kansas City Royals.
57.
Jason Kander plays centerfield for the Kansas City Hustlers of the National Men's Adult Baseball League.