Rui Xu | |
---|---|
Member of the KansasHouseofRepresentatives from the 25th district | |
Assumed office January 8, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Melissa Rooker |
Personal details | |
Born | Rui Xu 1989 (age 35–36) Switzerland |
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | University of Southern California [1] |
Occupation | Sports analyst |
Rui Xu (born 1989) is a Chinese American politician. He is a Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives for the 25th district since 2019 and Co-Chair of the Kansas chapter of Future Caucus. [2]
He is the first Chinese American to serve in the Kansas Legislature and the only Asian American currently serving.
Xu was born in 1989 in Switzerland before moving to Rolla,Missouri. When he was twelve became a US citizen. [3]
Xu studied economics at the University of Southern California. [3]
Rui was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives for the first time in 2018,defeating incumbent Republican Melissa Rooker. [4] With the victory Xu became the first Chinese American to serve in the Kansas Legislature. [5] As of the 2024 election cycle he is the only Asian American currently serving. [6]
In 2020 and 2022,Xu ran for the seat unopposed. [7] [8] In 2024,he ran against Republican challenger Greg J. Schoofs. [9]
Xu has served on the Kansas House committees for Agriculture,Education,Higher Education Budget,and Financial Institutions and Pensions. [3] He also served on the 2020 Special Committee on Kansas Mental Health Modernization. [10]
Xu is a member of the Democratic party. He opposes restrictions to abortions,he was against the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum which sought to restrict abortion in the state. [11] He has been endorsed by the nonprofit health services organization Planned Parenthood. [12]
Xu has proposed several bills to address climate change. He supports expanding LGBTQ rights in Kansas,condemning the passage of a bill that restricted same-sex couples from adopting children. [12]