Christopher "Kit" Bond

Christopher "Kit" Bond, a two-time governor and former U.S. Senator who spent four terms representing Missouri in Washington, died May 13, 2025, in his native St. Louis at the age of 86.?

When Bond was first elected governor of Missouri in 1972, he not only became the first Republican governor of the state in 28 years; at age 33, he also became the youngest governor in state history. He served two terms as a largely moderate Republican, opting not to seek a third and instead running for U.S. Senator in 1986. Bond won, his first of four such victories, setting the stage for a career in the Senate that saw him serving from 1987 to his retirement in 2011. In the Senate, Bond was more conservative than during his days as governor. He voted to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, opposed restrictions on how the CIA could interrogate people, and supported a federal ban on same sex marriage, among other hot button topics. He also brought billions in federal funding back to his home state; supported the Family and Medical Leave Act; and as governor, supported recognizing the Northern Cherokee Nation of the Old Louisiana Territory, winning praise from Republicans and Democrats alike.

Colleagues from both sides of the aisle praised Bond's work for the state. Democratic State Senator Karla May said on the social media platform X, "U.S. Senator Christopher Bond was one of a kind. He made sure federal earmarks & other funds came to my district. If Kit promised you something, no excuses, he delivered and our region was the better off for it. It was a different day. A delightful different politician." Congressman Emanuel Cleaver called him "a superb statesman, an exemplary public servant, and a dear friend to myself and Missourians across the Show Me State."?

By Eric San Juan

(Image: U.S. Congress via Wikimedia Commons)