Steve Watkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Watkins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Lynn Jenkins
Succeeded by	Jake LaTurner
Personal details
Born	Steven Charles Watkins Jr. (1976-09-18) September 18, 1976 (age 48) Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Fong Liu
Education	United States Military Academy (BS) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS) Harvard University (MPA)

Steven Charles Watkins Jr. (born September 18, 1976) is an American politician and a former military officer. He was a U.S. representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 2019 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party. He studied at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), and Harvard University.

Steve Watkins' Early Life and Military Service

Steven Charles Watkins Jr. was born on September 18, 1976, in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He went to high school in Topeka, Kansas. After high school, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and graduated in 1999.

Military Training and Experience

Watkins completed several special military training programs. These included Ranger, Airborne, Sapper, Air Assault, and Pathfinder schools. In 2000, he was stationed at Fort Richardson in Alaska. He served in combat in 2004 in Khost Province, Afghanistan. During this time, he conducted patrols near the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. He reached the rank of captain in the United States Army. He served five years on active duty.

Life After Active Duty

After leaving active military service, Watkins worked as a defense contractor in Afghanistan starting in late 2004. He also developed a unique hobby: dog sledding. He began running dogs in Alaska in 2000. He even competed in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In 2015, he finished the race in 58th place. He also started the 2018 race but did not finish it.

Steve Watkins in the U.S. House of Representatives

Steve Watkins served as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district. This role meant he helped make laws for the country.

How Steve Watkins Was Elected

The 2018 Election Campaign

In 2018, Steve Watkins ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. His father, a doctor, helped by setting up a special group called a political action committee (PAC). This PAC helped pay for his campaign ads. Some local Republican leaders were concerned because Watkins had not voted in Kansas for a long time.

Watkins won the primary election with 26.5% of the votes. He beat six other candidates. His family's PAC spent a lot of money to support his campaign.

Steve Watkins' first official portrait in Congress

During the 2018 election, some questions were raised about Watkins' background. For example, he had claimed on his website that he was praised for his leadership on Mount Everest. However, the person he mentioned said they never made that statement. This claim was later removed from his website.

There were also questions about where Watkins lived. He owned homes in Alaska but not in Kansas. Public records showed he had not lived in Kansas since high school. Despite these questions, Watkins' campaign called the accusations "fake news."

The election against Democrat Paul Davis was very close. Watkins supported building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. He also talked about protecting Social Security. On November 6, 2018, Watkins won the election by a very small margin. He won most counties, but lost the two largest ones.

The 2020 Election Campaign

In 2019, some Republican leaders looked for someone to run against Watkins in the next election. State Treasurer Jake LaTurner decided to challenge Watkins.

On August 4, 2020, Watkins lost the Republican primary election to Jake LaTurner. LaTurner then went on to win the general election in November.

What Steve Watkins Did in Congress

Committee Work

While in Congress, Steve Watkins was part of several important committees. These committees help review and create laws on specific topics. His committee assignments included:

• Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism
• Education & Labor
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment
• Veteran Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Technology Modernization
  • Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

Important Events

In October 2019, Watkins was one of about thirty House Republicans who entered a secure room during a confidential hearing. This room is called a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF). Watkins had permission to be there as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He said he supported his colleagues who entered the room to seek "transparency." This event caused a delay in the hearing.

Watkins also spent money on radio ads and mail to communicate with people in his district. This is a common way for elected officials to share information.

Voter Registration Issue

In December 2019, questions arose about Watkins' voter registration. He had listed a UPS Store address as his home address on his voter registration. Local officials investigated this. Watkins said it was a simple mistake and that he had no intention to mislead anyone. He cooperated with the investigation.

In March 2021, Watkins agreed to a special program. This program allowed the charges to be dropped if he successfully completed it. He stated, "I regret the error in my voter registration paperwork that led to these charges." All charges against Watkins have since been dismissed.

Steve Watkins' Personal Life

Steve Watkins is married to Fong Liu. She is a doctor who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology.

Election Results

Here are the results of the elections Steve Watkins participated in:

Images for kids

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  Official photo of Steve Watkins