Joshua Smith – Editor in Chief
Before making a recent campaign stop in Pittsburg, Democratic congressional candidate Matt Kleinmann conducted an email interview with the Collegio on May 31. Unexpectedly, Kleinmann answered every question that was sent to him, including a couple of questions that were not meant to be taken seriously. An edited version of this interview was published in the June 21 issue of the Collegio. The following online exclusive is the full interview.
Alright, let’s start with who you are. Can you go ahead and introduce yourself, going into a bit of what you’re running for?
“My name is Matt Kleinmann, and I am running for the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas to represent us in the U.S. House of Representatives. Running for office in any capacity is a challenge, and it’s not one taken lightly. However, in my community, I’ve seen firsthand how federal resources make new opportunities possible and how laws can help protect the rights of my neighbors. I am running for Congress because I believe that we deserve representation that can work across the aisle to solve everyday issues, stand up for our rights, and return our government to a sense of basic decency where we show mutual respect for all people.”
What brings you to Pittsburg specifically?
“I’m excited to come to Pittsburg at the invitation of Dr. Emily Walters, who is my campaign treasurer and has become a friend throughout this process. I’m looking forward to visiting with people, touring the Family Resource Center to discuss childcare and early childhood development, and visiting the Wesley House to discuss rural housing and caring for the unhoused population. I’m familiar with these issues in Wyandotte County, and I think it’s important for me to see firsthand how Pittsburg is rallying to take care of its own. This helps me better understand their needs so that I can be a more effective representative on these issues.”
I see that your recent experience is in non-profit healthcare, can you walk me through that?
“I currently work for Vibrant Health as their Director of Community Development, though I’m on a leave of absence as I run my campaign. Vibrant Health is a federally qualified health center, much like the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas. My experience at Vibrant Health has included serving those in under-resourced communities and helping them access the healthcare services they need. I find it very fulfilling professionally to be part of an organization whose mission is to heal people, as that aligns with my values and my faith.”
What inspired you to go from architecture to healthcare?
“I studied architecture at the University of Kansas while playing basketball and initially thought it would be a natural extension to go into sports architecture. However, I graduated during the recession when only about 10% of graduates had jobs, so I went to graduate school for urban design, where I learned about how cities work and became passionate about community building. I came to appreciate that when you ask communities what they want, rather than giving corporations big tax breaks, they wanted better schools, repaired sidewalks, clean parks, and nearby grocery stores. I have dedicated my career to figuring out how to achieve these goals with community members in Wyandotte County. I learned that public health considers how the built environment affects health outcomes through the social determinants of health framework. And that understanding set me on a path to work within healthcare institutions who had an interest in building up communities that helped prevent people from getting sick in the first place.”
What plans do you have for the young Democrat voting bloc? What policy positions do you hold that will benefit them specifically?
“I look forward to sharing how young Democrats would benefit from policy positions I hold when I roll out my policy platform soon.”
*According to Pew Research, among 18- to 29-year-olds, 13% say they see hardly any difference between the two parties. What sets you apart and why should un-motivated voters care?
“I can understand voters not being motivated when you look at the national media talking points or whatever is trending on social media. However, when you really stop and look into any issue you care about, there are stark differences between how Republicans and Democrats respond to key issues. While a two-party system may not be the perfect system of governance, it is the one we must work with to make a difference. What sets me apart is my belief in the power of community to come together and decide what’s right for themselves, rather than being told who to love, what to believe, or how to care for their own bodies. If someone was unmotivated, I would want to sit with them and learn what issues they care about, and how learn how we can better address those issues in Congress. Even if they don’t vote, their neighbor is voting, and if you want your voice to be heard, the only way to enact change on the things you care about is to be present, get connected, and start building something you believe in. And it may not start with an election; it may be as simple as helping with a food drive or volunteering to clean up a park. These actions have value in building up a community. And as you go upstream to ask, ‘Why people are hungry?’ or, ‘Why do we not have funds to maintain our infrastructure?’ You will start to ask questions about the role of the federal government in supporting our communities. Working on questions like that is what inspired me to run for office so that we can fix what’s broken rather than just talking about it.”
What can young voters do other than, “vote harder,” to improve conditions in their local communities?
“One of the biggest things I see in the work I’ve been a part of is the lack of trust that things will get better. For all people, but especially young voters, building up trust within your community is critical. My recommendation is to start at the scale of your own neighborhood. You have people who share a common interest in seeing your neighborhood do well, and if you can work with them—regardless of their political beliefs—you will find that they trust you more because you are present, accessible, and getting things done. There is no shortage to the challenges we face in every part of this district and state. It can be hard to fend off the apathy that comes when the person you voted for doesn’t immediately change your circumstances. But participation in democracy is not about electing a strong leader; it’s about the everyday actions we take to listen to those closest to the problems and then using our own two hands to connect resources and change policies that can improve the situation. It is both hard work and heart work. When you take on small tasks that you can achieve, you begin to build trust with your community and yourself, knowing that you are having an impact. I encourage young voters to not stop at the ballot box but to find meaningful ways to contribute to a better community every day because government alone cannot save us. We must roll up our sleeves and do this work together to build the community we want to live in. And when you do it with people who share your vision and values, there is a joy in serving your community.”
In an opinion piece written by you and published last year in the Kansas Reflector, you defended the LGBTQ community, called on legislators to use their values for compassion, and echoed the claim of Kourtney Vincent Woodbury that SB 180 “fails to do anything to support women…” and “It only weaponizes ‘women’s rights’ against the transgender community…” No matter their own views, can voters use this to calibrate their expectations of your stances as a congressional candidate?
“In that article, I was trying to lift up the people who are directly helping vulnerable individuals in our state navigate legislation that targeted them for being who they are. Every comment made and shared that day was important for people across Kansas to hear. Testimony like that can influence people’s perceptions of an issue, and my goal was to lift those voices and also consider, as a Christian: What I am called to do here? Am I called to throw stones or to love my neighbor? When you see people hurting and struggling to find a reason to stay in a state that does not want them to exist, the Christian thing to do is to speak up for justice and freedom. As a candidate, I am guided by my values. Whether you agree with me on the issue or not, my stance on all issues is to support those who are most impacted so that they too can have an equal opportunity to thrive.”
With issues like health care in rural communities, the need for healthcare is not partisan, so why is healthcare seen as something only championed by the Democratic Party?
“I’m old enough to remember that before Obamacare it was Romneycare. It has not always been the case that only Democrats cared about healthcare. But we saw a Democratic president create a solution to the millions of uninsured Americans across the country, and that led to divisive politics that led to Republicans voting repeatedly to deny Americans access to healthcare. When the ACA (Affordable Care Act) was first rolled out, there were so many fears that never came to pass. Instead, it has provided healthcare to millions of Americans, helping them stay employed, take care of their loved ones, and be healthier, more productive citizens overall. But many Republicans prefer we didn’t have not just ACA, but also Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, or any other social safety net programs. The consequence of that approach is that we would see more people suffer, and that’s not right.”
What policy views do you have on infrastructure?
“I recently served as a member of the Mid-America Regional Council’s Total Transportation Policy Committee, where we set policy recommendations for our regional metropolitan planning organization. In general, I believe that experts should be listened to in whatever field they’re in because they have the wisdom that elected officials rely upon to make informed decisions. In transportation, its primary benefit is creating economic development opportunities. In Kansas City, MO, the recent streetcar line was advertised not just as transportation, but as a catalyst for development along its route. But infrastructure isn’t just roads and bridges; it’s also what’s underground, like sewers, water lines, and utilities, and what connects us, like the internet. We must balance our desire for world-class service while ensuring everyone has access to the same opportunities. For that reason, I support multimodal transportation, accessible public transportation, affordable internet, and reliable sewer systems. Part of the role of the federal government, and what I would do as an elected representative of the 2nd Congressional District, is to ensure that more federal resources come back to our community.”
The drive to places like Kansas City from here is really boring, when can we get high speed rail?
“By sending more Democrats to Congress, we can get it sooner rather than later. In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with bipartisan support—even though our current Republican representative for the 2nd district voted against it—which authorized $108 billion [about $36,772 per person in the state of Kansas] to support federal infrastructure programs, including passenger railway infrastructure. Half a million dollars was allocated to extend Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer. Unfortunately, the closest that line would get to Pittsburg is Newton, KS, but this type of infrastructure is what our country needs to create more economic opportunity and growth in our state. Electing more Democrats won’t make the drive to Kansas City more interesting, but it will ensure more federal investments come home to Pittsburg.”
When thinking of Route 66, we often think of a rustic moment frozen in time, but in its day, the aesthetic we imagine was cutting edge. What plans do you have to bring Kansas back to the cutting edge of what American life can be like?
“Route 66 was a federally funded effort to connect urban and rural communities, creating economic opportunity and symbolizing American freedom and mobility as people migrated west. With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Governor Laura Kelly has committed matching funds to support local projects that connect people in a similar way. This aligns with my experience in asset-based community development, an approach where communities identify and support the strengths they already have. The cutting edge of what Kansas has to offer is pretty straightforward: we can be an affordable and welcoming place to find a job that pays a living wage, own a home, and start a family with good public schools. While this may seem conventional, it is becoming increasingly rare across our country. The values we’ve been raised with can create communities that attract people seeking a higher quality of life, bringing innovative ideas and new energy to revitalize our main streets. We see examples of this throughout our district, from KCK and Pittsburg to Humboldt and Matfield Green, where new ideas are breathing life into old buildings. This type of investment is exciting and could be further supported by more federal investments.”
Here in Pittsburg, we have initiatives to bring businesses to our historic downtown area to get blood pumping again. What can you say to business owners to help them know they are making the right decision by investing in the communities in your district?
“When small business owners invest in a community, it’s not just a commitment to the local economy but also a connection with the community on almost a spiritual level. You might be that business where someone gets their first job, meets a loved one for the first time, or provides your employees with opportunities for them or their kids to go through college. What resonates in our district is our values, and if a small business owner aligns with those values and sees an opportunity to make a profit leveraging the resources and benefits we can offer, we should encourage them to do so. It is not easy to open a business, and it takes considerable risk and investment to make it work. But our small businesses shape our community, and we need to listen to their needs and find more ways to provide them with resources they need to continue to exist and support us all.”
Why is your candidacy important to you?
“My candidacy is important to me because it allows me to elevate the issues my community cares about and support the people who have been left behind by politicians too focused on what divides us rather than what unites us. As the cost of living has increased, we are not seeing Congress work together to increase the minimum wage. As the cost of housing has increased, we are not seeing enough federal dollars to increase the supply of affordable housing. And as Republicans have grown more extreme in their views on abortion and marriage, we are not seeing common sense solutions that recognize everyone’s right to live a happy and healthy life”
Why is your candidacy important to Pitt State students?
“This campaign is about the kind of future students want to enter when they graduate. When I graduated from college, an unregulated banking system crashed our economy and left millions of new graduates without work. Like many, I took on student debt to pay for graduate school, with federal laws governing how that debt accrues interest and can be discharged. I’ve committed myself to a life of public service, in small part because of the federal laws that made it possible for me to pay back my student loan debt while providing service to my community. This has impacted my quality of life and what I can afford to do for years to come. If Pitt State students want to graduate into an economy where they can find opportunity, be welcomed, and live in a Kansas that reflects their values, I would welcome their vote as a candidate who works to represent them every day in Congress.”
Why is your candidacy important to Pittsburg as a whole?
“The majority of Crawford County voted no against the abortion amendment in 2022. If you follow what Republicans are saying these days, they are proposing a radical agenda that would ban not only abortions—including those that would save the life of the mother—but also contraception and IVF. My candidacy stands in contrast to an ideological agenda that is growing increasingly out of touch with Pittsburg and Kansas as a whole. There are opportunities for us to come together and build up our community without tearing each other down. When we disagree, we can find diplomatic ways to express those disagreements without resorting to violence. My candidacy is about bringing back common sense, trust in our government, and love for our neighbors so that we can all go on living our lives.”
For the young voting bloc, what social media influencers do you follow? Playing any video games? Any binge-worthy tv shows?
“While I try to limit my time on social media for my mental health, there are a few influencers I follow because they have expanded my perspective on the world, including @loud_light, @RevDrBarber, and @jamestalarico. As someone who enjoys architecture and urban design, I like to relax by playing city-building video games. The best binge-worthy show I’ve seen lately is ‘The Bear.’” 
What do you hope readers get out of this interview?
“My hope is that people reading this understand that I am committed to being a champion for their needs in Washington. This includes lowering everyday prices on things like groceries, housing, and healthcare, raising their wages while protecting their rights, and making our communities a better place to live through federal investments. To do that, we must face many challenges, but it starts by setting aside our political differences and finding common ground where we can work together. In my experiences in community development, I’ve worked alongside people from all political persuasions because we understood that we could do more when we worked together and that more perspectives on any issue helped us find a better way forward. We need that approach in Congress now more than ever. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, or just frustrated with politics altogether, know that I care about our community and want to see us all succeed.”
What advice do you have for Pitt State students?
“I have two pieces of advice. First, grow your network; it is the only thing that goes with you. You may find yourself moving between jobs or even cities, but if you can continue to build relationships and invest in the people you meet along the way, those are the people you can lean on when you need them most. Second, follow your Ikigai, a Japanese word that roughly translates to ‘your reason for being’ or ‘what gets you up in the morning.’ More than your career or purpose, it is the intersection of what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, what you get paid well for, and what serves a need in society. This concept has changed how I approach what I do, so that I can find joy in my work.”
Without asking you to endorse anyone, who in congress are you looking forward to working alongside?
“It is hard to pick just one, as we have two amazing representatives in the Kansas City area: Representative Sharice Davids and Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Beyond them, I look forward to working alongside members of Congress like Representative Katie Porter. I respect how she secures more resources for working families, and I enjoy how she makes complex legislation more accessible for us all.”