Former KU basketball player runs for Congress in eastern Kansas as a Democrat
A former University of Kansas men's basketball player is running as a Democrat for a seat in Congress representing much of eastern Kansas.
Matt Kleinmann, a community developer, announced his candidacy in a statement posted to social media on Monday.
Why is Matt Kleinmann running for Congress?
"I am running for Congress because I have spent my career building up communities alongside working-class Kansans, and I know the value that define us," Kleinmann said in his campaign announcement. "We know the value of our labor, we show love to our neighbors, and we've leaned on each other through the good times and the bad.
"But right now, the needs of everyday Kansans are overlooked in a national agenda that doesn't address our unique challenges. Our hospitals are struggling, our rents are rising, our schools and teachers are under attack, and our workers are left behind by laws that favor big corporations.
"As Kansans, we must turn away from extremism and start building bridges. Between our rural towns and city streets, we have more in common than we realize. We can build a stronger Kansas that works for everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from."
Who is Matt Kleinmann, Kansas Democrat running for Congress?
Kleinmann grew up in Overland Park and attended KU, where he studied architecture and played basketball from 2004-09 — including the NCAA National Championship team in 2008.
Kleinmann is running for the 2nd Congressional District. He is the only Democrat who has filed for the race after Eli Woody dropped out.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., announced in April that he wasn't seeking reelection. Republican Jeff Kahrs has filed, former attorney general Derek Schmidt has announced a campaign and former Kansas Livestock Association president Shawn Tiffany has also said he is running in the GOP primary.
The district covers much of the eastern third of Kansas, including Topeka. It used to include Lawrence and the KU campus, but the city was moved to the 1st Congressional District — comprised mostly of western Kansas — during redistricting.
Kleinmann and his wife, Sangeeta Shastry, live in Kansas City, Kansas, which was split in half during redistricting. The portions not moved to the 2nd Congressional District remain in the 3rd Congressional District, which is mostly comprised of the Kansas City metro, including all of Johnson County.
More: Former AG Derek Schmidt, LaTurner staffer Jeff Kahrs announce campaigns for Congress
Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Former Kansas basketball player Matt Kleinmann runs for Congress
