Jerry Moran

Jerry Moran is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Kansas, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented Kansas's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2011. Throughout his career in Washington, D.C., Moran has established a reputation as a conservative advocate for agriculture, veterans' affairs, and rural economic development.

Early life and education

Jerry Moran was born in Great Bend, Kansas, and grew up in the small town of Plainville. His father was a banker and his mother a schoolteacher, instilling in him an early appreciation for Midwestern values and community service. He attended the University of Kansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in economics in 1976 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1981. During his time in Lawrence, he was actively involved in student government and developed a strong interest in public policy.

Political career

Moran began his political career in the Kansas Senate, where he served from 1989 to 1997 representing a district in northwestern Kansas. In 1996, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Kansas's 1st congressional district, succeeding Pat Roberts who successfully ran for the U.S. Senate. During his seven terms in the House of Representatives, Moran served on influential committees including the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. He became known as a steadfast conservative, particularly on fiscal issues, and built a strong base of support across the vast, rural district.

U.S. Senate tenure

In 2010, Moran was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Democratic nominee Lisa Johnston. He assumed office in January 2011, joining fellow Kansas Republican Pat Roberts. In the Senate, Moran has secured seats on several powerful committees, including the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. He has championed legislation supporting National Institutes of Health funding, military construction projects like those at Fort Riley, and broadband expansion in rural America. He served as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2014 election cycle.

Political positions

Moran is a conservative Republican whose voting record is aligned with party leadership on most issues. He is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association. He is a pro-life advocate, having supported numerous restrictions on abortion. On fiscal matters, he has consistently voted for tax cuts and against the Affordable Care Act. He has broken with some party orthodoxy at times, such as advocating for the protection of the Dodd–Frank Act's provisions for rural banks and expressing concern over certain tariff policies that impact agricultural exporters. He has been a vocal critic of the Federal Communications Commission regarding net neutrality.

Electoral history

Moran has won election to the U.S. Senate twice, in 2010 and 2016. In 2010, he won the Republican primary against fellow U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt before defeating Democrat Lisa Johnston in the general election. In 2016, he won re-election against Democratic candidate Patrick Wiesner. Prior to his Senate service, he was routinely re-elected to the House of Representatives from Kansas's 1st congressional district with large margins, often facing only nominal opposition in both the primary and general elections due to the district's strong Republican lean.

Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from Kansas Category:Republican Party United States senators