Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander announced Thursday his candidacy for U.S. Senator in 2016. Kander made the announcement in a press release and in a video posted to his website.
"For years, even with our economy suffering at home and our national security threatened abroad, too many politicians in both political parties have been more concerned with scoring political points than doing what's right for our country and its hurt all of us," he says in the video.
Missouri Republican Party chairman Ed Martin quickly released a rebuttal to Kander's announcement, calling him "short on experience," and not ready for national politics.
"Jason Kander has already proven himself to be a dyed-in-the-wool liberal in lock-step with the failing Obama Agenda (sic)," Martin said. "Kander will be a fighter for ObamaCare, Obama's unconstitutional executive amnesty, job-killing regulations and crippling environmental policies."
If Kander wins the Democratic nomination, he will face Republican Sen. Roy Blunt.
Dave Helling of The Kansas City Star told Steve Kraske on Up to Date that he believes that Kander made the decision to try to run in 2016 because Democratic voter turnout is typically better in general election years.
"There are lots of candidates who, over the years, have waited for the perfect moment that never came," Helling said. "Maybe he's thinking, 'Might as well go now while I've got a chance.'"
Kander was elected Secretary of State in 2012. Prior to that he served in the state legislature and with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
You can watch the announcement here:
