Jason Kander Confirms Plans to Run for Kansas City Mayor

A former Missouri state official and rising star in the Democratic Party has announced plans to run for mayor of Kansas City.

The Kansas City Star reports that Jason Kander confirmed Sunday his decision. The Afghanistan war veteran is planning a formal announcement of his candidacy Monday morning.

Kander said in an interview with The Star that he wants to "make sure that no matter where you live in the city and however you grow up, you have a chance to build your life right here."

Kander was Missouri's secretary of state from 2013-17 and has often been cited as a future presidential candidate. After narrowly failing to unseat incumbent Sen. Roy Blunt in 2016, he founded the anti-gerrymandering organization Let America Vote. He also hosts the podcast Majority 54.