American politician
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.[2]
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.[2]
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.[2]
Windham ran uncontested in the 2020 election for Missouri House of Representatives in District 85.[3]
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.[3]
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.[1]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
- Higher Education Committee
- Budget Committee
- Elections and Elected Officials Committee, Ranking Minority Member
- Subcommittee on Appropriations - Education
- Subcommittee on Federal Stimulus Spending
2019-2020
- Elections and Elected Officials Committee
- Local Government Committee
- Transportation Committee
- Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight
Awards
- Delux Magazine's Emerging 30 under 30[2]
- Missouri Democratic Party's Young Democrat of the Year[2]
References
