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Matthew Kleinmann
Matthew Kleinmann (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Kansas' 2nd Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2024.
Kleinmann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Matthew Kleinmann was born in Overland Park, Kansas. He earned a high school diploma from Blue Valley West High School, a graduate degree from Kansas University in 2009, and a graduate degree from Washington University in 2011. His career experience includes working in community development.[1] Kleinmann has been affiliated with Climate and Energy Project, El Centro, Inc., Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force, Children's Mercy Hospital, NourishKC, YouthBuild KCK, Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, and University of Kansas.[2]
Elections
2024
See also: Kansas' 2nd Congressional District election, 2024
Kansas' 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 6 Republican primary)
Kansas' 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (August 6 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Kansas District 2
Derek Schmidt defeated Nancy Boyda and John Hauer in the general election for U.S. House Kansas District 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Derek Schmidt (R) | 57.1 | 172,847 |
 | Nancy Boyda (D) | 38.2 | 115,685 | |
 | John Hauer (L) | 4.7 | 14,229 | |
| Total votes: 302,761 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Michael Soetaert (D)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Kansas District 2
Nancy Boyda defeated Matthew Kleinmann in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kansas District 2 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nancy Boyda | 51.7 | 13,571 |
 | Matthew Kleinmann | 48.3 | 12,670 | |
| Total votes: 26,241 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joseph Swain (D)
- Eli Woody IV (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kansas District 2
Derek Schmidt defeated Shawn Tiffany, Jeff Kahrs, Chad Young, and Michael Ogle in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kansas District 2 on August 6, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Derek Schmidt | 53.1 | 34,971 |
 | Shawn Tiffany | 19.8 | 13,013 | |
 | Jeff Kahrs | 17.7 | 11,634 | |
 | Chad Young | 5.2 | 3,412 | |
 | Michael Ogle | 4.3 | 2,858 | |
| Total votes: 65,888 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kansas District 2
John Hauer advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kansas District 2 on April 20, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | John Hauer (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kleinmann in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 20, 2024 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Matthew Kleinmann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kleinmann's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I was born and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, and later attended the University of Kansas as a walk-on for the KU men's basketball team, helping to win the 2008 National Championship. I balanced athletics with academics, earning a degree in architecture. I then attended Washington University in St. Louis, where I earned my master's in Architecture and Urban Design.
After working for an architecture firm in Kansas City, Missouri, I began teaching architecture at the University of Kansas. There, I helped launch Dotte Agency, an award-winning community engagement collaboration between KU students and community members in Wyandotte County, Kansas. Together, we worked to build up our community by listening to the needs of residents and translating them into tangible improvements.
For the past decade, I have dedicated myself to improving health outcomes, increasing access to affordable housing, helping young people develop their careers, and caring for the most vulnerable residents. I've seen how federal resources impact access to a better life.
I'm running for Congress to ensure our community invests in good-paying jobs, supports our teachers and unions, and provides opportunities for everyone to thrive.- The Kansas Second Congressional District needs more investment. We need to support local businesses, affordable housing, and good schools. Our infrastructure should connect us to jobs and ensure fair wages. In Congress, I’ll fight for federal investment in roads, bridges, internet, schools, and power to create jobs and opportunities.
Everyone deserves a safe, affordable home. I’ll work to increase housing with federal incentives so Kansas families aren't left behind.
Good infrastructure supports our economy. I will work to make Kansas one of our nation's energy leaders, creating good-paying jobs that reduce carbon emissions.
Homelessness needs real solutions. I’ll push for healthcare, mental health support, and housing-first solutions. - We must ensure everyone has access to life-saving care. Abortion is healthcare, and Kansans voted overwhelmingly in 2022 to protect access to abortions. Everyone deserves the right to make their own healthcare decisions, including gender-affirming care. I will fight to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs and advocate for paid sick time. We must support the vulnerable, including children without health insurance and families facing mental health and addiction challenges. Every child deserves a safe, healthy upbringing. We need to invest in working families by lowering childcare costs and supporting seniors so they can age in place with dignity. And we must back first responders and provide mental health support for the homeless.
- As a Christian, I was raised to Love God, Love My Neighbor, and to leave it better than I found it. I believe in an America founded on prosperity and justice for all. I don’t believe that government or corporations should take away our rights to love our spouse, care for the vulnerable, or make choices about our bodies. I will fight to ensure everyone can choose what is right for their own bodies and families, including access to abortion, IVF, and contraception. I will work for pragmatic immigration reform, balancing our nation's security with compassion for our neighbors. And I will champion working-class families, farmers, and labor unions by prioritizing people over profit.
I know that good policy requires compromise and finding common ground.
Our nation suffers from a lack of trust in our elected officials and government. To rebuild that trust takes time, but elected officials must be willing to listen, compromise, and act in the best interest of their constituents.
I have served my community for a decade, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and diverse perspectives are included in making informed decisions. This requires that elected officials be present in and listen to the community they serve, be an accessible resource that shares their knowledge and wisdom, and get things done that show tangible progress.
With a career spanning architecture, education, nonprofit work, and health equity initiatives, I have consistently worked to improve access to education, nutritious food, and quality healthcare for working-class communities.
My dedication to strengthening Kansas communities and my proven advocacy for community well-being reflect my commitment to serving others.
Our two-year election cycle requires our representatives to be responsive and accountable, which results in a dynamic reflection of public opinion.
This structure also allows for a diverse range of voices and perspectives, which helps to represent the varied interests across America.
In theory, this allows our government to better adapt in response to our evolving priorities, which in turn allows our legislation remains responsive to our needs.
Understanding real-world issues can be just as valuable as political experience.
For the last decade of my career, I've been a public servant working alongside working-class families to elevate their issues and provide tangible relief in under-resourced communities.
First and foremost is addressing income inequality, which we're seeing as the bedrock issue in almost every other issue we face. Americans should receive an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, and in the richest country in the world no child should go hungry or homeless.
If we can do that, we can ensure that we have affordable healthcare for all. Right now, insurance and drug companies have created a 'sick-care' system, where you are only treated when you are sick, and IF you can afford it. I believe we can do better by passing healthcare reform that ensures every American the right to healthcare.
Allowing for fresh perspectives and new ideas in government is healthy if our democracy to continue to grow and evolve.
However, the details of how term limits are implemented is important. Having institutional knowledge can be critical to overcoming the polarization we see today in our politics.
The father, a veteran and labor union member, was unable to work due to disability. The mother, a home healthcare worker, had to work two jobs to make ends meet.
As a family, they were being crushed by medical debt, which impacted every aspect of their lives, and the lives of their children.
Kansans deserve a country where one bad diagnosis does not ruin our lives.
When we have more diversity around the decision-making table--whether that be based on our personal characteristics or political views--we can identify barriers to success and create more balanced and practical legislation that can succeed.
I would use this authority to ensure that we have a fair tax system, and work to fund programs that benefit working families and vulnerable communities.
We must work to build public trust in the integrity of our democratic institutions.
Elected officials must be open about their finances and decision-making processes to prevent corruption and ensure that they serve the public interest.
This includes the need for reforms on stock market trading by members of Congress to prevent insider trading and conflicts of interest.
We must also enforce ethical standards for the Supreme Court of the United States to maintain its integrity and impartiality.
It's also crucial to end Citizens United to reduce the corrosive influence of unlimited money in politics to ensure that our laws serve the people, not corporate interests.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Note: Kleinmann submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 1, 2024.
Campaign website
Kleinmann’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Build Up Our Communities
Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, and by increasing our affordable housing supply, we ensure that no family is left behind. I will sponsor legislation that helps first-time home buyers make down payments more affordable, incentivize landlords to offer more affordable rental housing, and ensure that children aging out of foster care have a place to call home. We can close racial disparities in home ownership while preventing evictions and displacement so that nobody loses their home due to irregular income. It's time for Congress to make a safe and welcoming home possible for every American.
Reliable infrastructure is the backbone of our communities, enabling economic growth and providing the foundation for local businesses to thrive. Kansas has the potential to become our nation's energy breadbasket, which means good-paying jobs and thriving local economies.
By supporting fair wages, we help working families achieve financial stability and dignity, making our communities stronger and more resilient. I will support collective bargaining and an increase to the federal minimum wage for the first time since 2009.
Homelessness is a concern across the country and to address it we must support the services that actually work to reduce it. I will advocate for better healthcare, mental health support, substance use treatment, and job training services for the homeless community. It takes a wraparound service and housing-first approach that includes lowering the barrier to entry to ensure that service providers can get people off the streets and into stable housing. We must recognize that providing permanent supportive housing that supports people in a holistic way is a better use of our taxpayer dollars than criminalizing homelessness.
I will fight to restore the U.S. Postal Service to its former glory by reversing harmful policies that have led to slower mail, higher prices, and fewer hours at rural post offices. The Postal Service is a vital lifeline for our communities, especially for seniors, veterans, and those in rural areas. We need to invest in modernizing postal infrastructure, ensuring timely delivery, and expanding services to meet the needs of the 21st century. Let's make the Postal Service great again by putting the needs of the American people first.
I will fight to lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. And I will work with state legislators across Kansas to expand Medicaid. Everyone in Kansas deserves quality healthcare, regardless of income or background.
The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is worsening, with Black women dying at more than twice the rate of white or Hispanic women. We must address this crisis by supporting the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which makes historic investments to address every driver of maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities. By ensuring better healthcare access, expanding Medicaid, and providing critical support for maternal mental health and substance use disorders, we can save lives and promote equity in maternal health. Our moms and babies deserve the best care, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) exploit their power to inflate drug costs and squeeze out independent pharmacies. This hurts all of us, especially our seniors, by driving up drug prices and limiting access to essential medications. I will fight to regulate PBMs by demanding transparency and fairness in the prescription drug market. We need policies that protect patients, support local and rural pharmacies, and reduce the overall cost of healthcare. By standing up to these middlemen, we can ensure that everyone has access to affordable medications without sacrificing the livelihoods of our Main Street pharmacies.
Together, we will advocate for increased mental health services for our first responders and the homeless population to provide the necessary support to those who protect and serve our communities and those in need.
We will secure paid sick time for working families. No family should choose between earning a paycheck and caring for their health or their child's well-being.
We will ensure that our seniors can age with dignity and access to healthcare. Our elderly deserve to spend their later years in comfort and security with a sustainable healthcare workforce that can meet their needs.
People deserve the right to make healthcare choices about their bodies. That process should include parents, not politicians, for young people. Non-binary and trans youth are no exception. I believe all people have the fundamental right to access life-affirming care.
Project 2025 is a dangerous plan crafted by far-right politicians to dismantle decades of progress in civil rights, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, and environmental protections. Their extreme agenda aims to establish an authoritarian government that prioritizes a white, Christian nationalist vision. I will fight to stop Project 2025 and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms that define our nation. We cannot allow extremist politicians to end America as we know it. Together, we will safeguard our democracy and ensure justice and equality for all.
We must stand against any efforts that interfere in the doctor’s office. Far-right Republicans have worked to strip away these rights, but voters in the Second Congressional District of Kansas voted overwhelmingly to protect the right to an abortion in 2022. I will fight so that each individual can choose what healthcare is best for them.
We need an immigration system that actually works for Americans. Despite efforts by extreme far-right Republicans to kill bipartisan deals, I will work to find common ground on pragmatic immigration reform. We can fix a broken immigration system to protect Kansas residents who have contributed to our economy while ensuring Americans have the opportunity to work good-paying jobs. Kansans across the district want both better security and a more compassionate approach. We can do both while ensuring that immigrants are not exploited.
We must protect and restore the voting rights and civil rights of every American, with a particular focus on addressing systemic injustices faced by the Black community. As someone that lives in a community that was unfairly gerrymandered, I strongly support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I will fight against voter suppression and work to ensure that every citizen has a voice in our democracy.
I will fight to get money out of politics and focus on supporting working-class families, farmers, and labor unions. We must rebuild our middle class so everyone has the right to economic prosperity. And we must put people over corporate profits by safeguarding our data privacy from big tech corporations.
Farmers like my Grandpa Gene and Uncle Brent know what it takes to take care of their equipment. They don't need big corporations exploiting them for thousands of dollars in software and repairs just because they can. These restrictions lead to longer wait times and more expensive repairs that can cripple farms. I support legislation that restores the Right to Repair, ensuring farmers can maintain their equipment, support independent repair shops, and boost rural economies. By empowering farmers with the tools they need, we can support homegrown entrepreneurship in rural America. [3] |
” |
| —Matthew Kleinmann’s campaign website (2024)[4] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Kansas District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 6, 2024
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 1, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Matthew Kleinmann’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed July 25, 2024
