I grew up as the second child in a family of five children. We lived in several states, including Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and California. This gave me the opportunity to make friends from a variety of backgrounds and demographics. I married Christine Mortensen in 2008, and we have six children. We moved to Missouri from Washington D.C. in 2015 and have found it a wonderful place to raise our family.

Since coming to Missouri, I’ve been an active volunteer in the community, including serving on the board of the local Boys and Girls Club and in various positions at my church. These roles have given me a first-hand perspective on the challenges associated with generational poverty in Missouri—both for those experiencing poverty and for those trying to help people out of it.

In my early 20s, I spent time learning as much as I could about both our country and the rest of the world. I did internships in every branch of government, which gave me a first-hand look at how our cities, states, and our country really operate. I also lived in Europe and the Middle East, which gave me a deep love for diverse cultures and increased my appreciation for the exceptionalism of the U.S. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle East Studies and Arabic from BYU and a law degree from Harvard.

After Harvard, I spent a brief stint at a D.C. law firm before being recruited to help run a business in Joplin, Missouri. My business experience over the past eight years has allowed me to get to know business owners all over Missouri and develop a deep understanding of how government regulation impacts businesses—for better and for worse.

All these experiences have prepared me for public service as a U.S. Senator. My unique combination of international experience, legal knowledge, business acumen, and empathy for the downtrodden will make me a knowledgeable and compassionate Senator who can tackle the challenges this country faces.