Kevin Windham Jr. Explained

Kevin Windham Jr.
Office:Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
Term Start:9 January 2019
Preceded:Clem Smith
Constituency:74th district (2023–present)
85th district (2019–2023)
Party:Democratic
Birth Date:29 May 1993
Alma Mater:Southeast Missouri State University

Kevin Lamar Windham Jr. (born May 29, 1993) is a Democratic member of the Missouri General Assembly, originally elected from the state's 85th House district, and after redistricting in 2022, elected from the 74th district.

Personal

Windham Jr. plays basketball for leisure and attributes his passion for politics in large part to his late great-grandmother, Rose Simon.[1]

Education

Windham Jr. graduated from Southeast Missouri State University. During college Windham served as a member of Student Government Association, Black Student Union, and the President’s Task Force on Diversity Education.[2]

Windham Jr. has participated in the FOCUS St. Louis Impact Fellows program and University of Missouri Extension’s Neighborhood Leadership Fellows program.

Political career

Early career

Prior to his legislative duties, Windham served the state of Missouri as a staffer in the offices of Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal and United States Senator Claire McCaskill.

State representative

On August 7, 2018 Windham Jr. won the four-way Democratic primary for Missouri House of Representatives in District 85 to succeed Clem Smith with 43.7% of the vote.[3] Windham Jr. won the general election on November 6, 2018, securing 82.4% of the vote.[4] As an incoming legislator, Windham was elected vice-chair of the Missouri House Democratic Caucus for the 100th General Assembly.

Windham ran uncontested in the 2020 election for Missouri House of Representatives in District 85.

State committeeman

In addition to his duties as state representative, Windham was elected to serve as State Committeeman of the 14th Senate District within the Missouri Democratic Party for the 2020-2022 term.

Electoral history

Legislative career

Legislative advocacy

In his legislative duties Windham has focused on increasing access to higher education, criminal justice reform, and community revitalization.

Notable legislation

Rep. Windham has proposed several progressive bills including HB 910 (2021) which would repeal state sales taxes on groceries while implementing an estate tax, HB1354 (2021) which would create the Missouri Office of Racial Equity, and HB 884 (2021) which would make Missouri's A+ Scholarship a first-dollar scholarship.

Committee assignments

2021-2022

2019-2020

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Representative Kevin Windham. 2021-06-13. www.house.mo.gov.
  2. Web site: Former Southeast Student Leader and State Representative Named 2019 Young Democrat. 2021-06-13. news.semo.edu.
  3. Web site: Kevin Windham Jr.. 2021-06-14. Ballotpedia. en.
  4. Web site: Missouri Election Results - Election Results 2018 - The New York Times. nytimes.com. 12 November 2018.