Kit Bond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kit Bond
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| United States Senator from Missouri |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Eagleton |
| Succeeded by | Roy Blunt |
| Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee | |
| In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | John Kerry |
| Succeeded by | John Kerry |
| In office January 4, 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Dale Bumpers |
| Succeeded by | John Kerry |
| 47th and 49th Governor of Missouri | |
| In office January 12, 1981 – January 14, 1985 |
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| Lieutenant | Ken Rothman |
| Preceded by | Joseph P. Teasdale |
| Succeeded by | John Ashcroft |
| In office January 8, 1973 – January 10, 1977 |
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| Lieutenant | Bill Phelps |
| Preceded by | Warren E. Hearnes |
| Succeeded by | Joseph P. Teasdale |
| 28th Auditor of Missouri | |
| In office January 11, 1971 – January 8, 1973 |
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| Governor | Warren Hearnes |
| Preceded by | Haskell Holman |
| Succeeded by | John Ashcroft |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christopher Samuel Bond
March 6, 1939 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | May 13, 2025 (aged 86) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Arthur D. Bond (father) |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) University of Virginia (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Christopher Samuel Bond (born March 6, 1939 – died May 13, 2025), known as Kit Bond, was an American lawyer and politician from Missouri. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Bond served as a U.S. Senator from 1987 to 2011. Before that, he was the governor of Missouri for two terms. He served from 1973 to 1977 and again from 1981 to 1985. He also spent two years as the State Auditor of Missouri from 1971 to 1973. His first election as governor was a big deal because it ended 28 years of Democratic governors in Missouri.
In 1986, Bond was elected to the U.S. Senate. He won against Democrat Harriett Woods. He was re-elected three more times. On January 8, 2009, he announced he would not run for a fifth term. Roy Blunt, another Republican, took his place in 2011. After leaving the Senate, Bond became a partner at a law firm called Thompson Coburn.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kit Bond was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 6, 1939. His family had lived in Missouri for many generations. His father, Arthur D. Bond, was a football captain at the University of Missouri. He was also a Rhodes Scholar.
Bond's grandfather, A.P. Green, started a company that made fireclay. This company was a major employer in Bond's hometown of Mexico, Missouri.
Bond went to Deerfield Academy and then Princeton University. He graduated from Princeton in 1960. He then studied law at the University of Virginia School of Law, graduating in 1963. He was the top student in his class.
After law school, Bond worked as a law clerk for a judge in Atlanta, Georgia. He then practiced law in Washington, D.C. for a few years.
Starting in Politics
In 1967, Bond moved back to Mexico, Missouri. He ran for Congress in 1968. He lost to the Democratic Congressman William L. Hungate, but it was a close race.
In 1969, Bond became an Assistant Attorney General for Missouri. He led the office's Consumer Protection Division. In 1970, at age 31, Bond was elected Missouri State Auditor. He defeated the person who had held the job for 17 years. As auditor, he hired more certified public accountants to help with the work.
Governor of Missouri
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In 1972, Kit Bond was elected governor of Missouri. He was 33 years old, making him the youngest governor in Missouri's history. He was also the first Republican governor in Missouri in 28 years.
During his first term, Bond was seen as a moderate leader. He supported the Equal Rights Amendment, which some conservatives did not like. On June 25, 1976, he signed an order that officially canceled an old order from 1838. This old order had called for the removal or extermination of all Mormons from Missouri. Bond also apologized to Mormons on behalf of Missouri.
In 1976, Bond ran for re-election but lost to Joseph P. Teasdale. Bond later said he lost because he didn't respond to his opponent's negative attacks. He focused on his accomplishments instead. After this, Bond went back to practicing law.
In 1980, Bond ran for governor again and won. His second term had some financial challenges for the state. One of his important achievements was helping to make the Parents As Teachers program available across the state. This program helps parents support their children's early learning.
In 1984, Bond decided not to run for a third term as governor. John Ashcroft, a Republican whom Bond had appointed as State Auditor, became the next governor.
U.S. Senate Career
After Senator Thomas Eagleton decided not to run again, Kit Bond was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He won against Harriett Woods. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004.
On January 8, 2009, Bond announced he would not seek a fifth term. He retired from the Senate in January 2011. Roy Blunt took over his seat.
Key Issues and Votes
- Environmental Issues: Bond received low ratings from some environmental groups. He supported oil drilling in different areas. He also supported using nuclear power for energy.
- Taxes: Bond was critical of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) when they suggested taxing a person who caught a record-breaking baseball. He felt it showed why the IRS was disliked.
- Free Trade: Bond strongly supported expanding free trade with developing countries. He voted for agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA. He also supported normal trade relations with China and Vietnam.
- Government Reform: Bond voted to ban members of Congress from receiving gifts from lobbyists. However, he generally opposed other campaign finance reforms.
- Social Issues: Bond consistently voted against same-sex marriage. He supported a proposed constitutional ban on it. He also issued an apology to Mormons on behalf of Missouri during his time as governor.
Committee Work
As a U.S. Senator, Kit Bond was part of several important committees:
- Committee on Appropriations: This committee decides how the government's money is spent. Bond was a leader on subcommittees dealing with transportation, housing, and urban development.
- Committee on Environment and Public Works: This committee handles issues related to the environment.
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: This committee focuses on helping small businesses.
- Select Committee on Intelligence: Bond was the Vice Chairman of this committee, which oversees U.S. intelligence agencies.
After Government Service
After leaving the Senate in 2011, Bond joined the law firm of Thompson Coburn. He also served as a co-chair of the Housing Commission at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
In 2011, Bond started his own firm called Kit Bond Strategies. He also joined the advisory board for a firm called alliantgroup.
Missouri Moon Rock Mystery
Near the end of his time in politics, Bond and his team helped solve a mystery. Missouri state officials thought they had a special Moon rock from the Apollo 17 mission. It turned out they only had Moon dust from Apollo 11.
It was discovered that Bond had accidentally taken the Apollo 17 display when he left the governor's office years earlier. He returned the display to the governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon. Bond was one of four former governors who had mistakenly taken their state's Moon rock displays.
Personal Life
Kit Bond's son, Sam, graduated from Princeton University. He became an officer in the United States Marine Corps and served in Iraq.
Bond's first wife, Carolyn, divorced him in 1994. In 2002, Bond married Linda Pell, who is now Linda Bond. She works for a fundraising firm that supports Republican groups.
In 2009, Bond co-wrote a book called The Next Front: Southeast Asia and the Road to Global Peace with Islam.
Bond had permanent vision loss in one eye. He believed it was from an eye condition he had as a child.
Kit Bond passed away in St. Louis on May 13, 2025, at the age of 86.
Places Named After Kit Bond
Several places are named after Kit Bond to honor his service:
- Christopher S. Bond Bridge (Hermann, Missouri)
- Christopher S. Bond Bridge, Kansas City
- Christopher S. Bond United States Courthouse, Jefferson City
- Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center – University of Missouri (Columbia)
- Christopher S. "Kit" Bond Science and Technology Incubator – Missouri Western State University
- Kit Bond Visitor Center (USACE project office) Stockton, Missouri
Images for kids
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Bond with President George H. W. Bush
See also
In Spanish: Kit Bond para niños
