Jordan Herrera

Jordan Herrera was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 2006 to 2022. He received several Air Force awards in 2017, 2020, and 2021, as well as annual awards in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018. He graduated from Sidney High School. He earned an associate degree from Air University in 2008, a bachelor's degree from Park University in 2020, and a law degree from the Southwestern Law School-Los Angeles in 2024. His career experience includes working as an advocate and attorney.[1][2]

Herrera has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]

Do Something Mo

Respect MO Voters

Indivisible KC

50501 Missouri

50501 Veterans

Boots on the Ground

Boots to Business

AFT

SET

Veteran Treatment Courts in Johnson and Jackson counties

The LGBT Chamber

The LGBT Bar Association

The KC Metro Bar Association

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Air Force Wounded Warriors

Missouri Congressional District 4

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jordan Herrera and I am running for Congress in Missouri’s Fourth District because this district deserves serious leadership.

I grew up in instability and violence. I learned early what it means when the systems meant to protect families fail. At nineteen, I joined the United States Air Force and served honorably for nearly sixteen years. I deployed overseas, supported missions across multiple continents, and led healthcare teams through the COVID crisis across eight states to make sure people had care when it mattered most.

When I came home, my service did not end. I became an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri and served six million Missourians. I have defended the rule of law, protected our communities, and worked inside government to make it work better for everyday people.

I am running because leadership matters. Missouri cannot afford representatives who misrepresent the law, chase division, and serve party interests over working families. We need leaders who understand national security, healthcare, housing, and the Constitution, and who know how to deliver results.

I am running to lower costs, protect healthcare, support veterans, and build an economy that works for working families. Missouri deserves leadership with integrity, experience, and the courage to act.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

My campaign is built around four core priorities that reflect what families in Missouri’s Fourth District are asking for.

First is economic security. This means lowering everyday costs, expanding access to affordable housing, protecting healthcare, and making sure working families can get ahead with wages that keep up with the cost of living.Second is a strong, smart national defense. National security requires a modern, ready military that protects the country while using taxpayer dollars responsibly and supporting service members, veterans, and their families.

Third is freedom and privacy. Government should protect individual rights and personal liberty, including privacy, family autonomy, and equal treatment under the law, while upholding constitutional principles.Fourth is investing in the future. Long term strength depends on education, workforce development, innovation, and infrastructure that create American jobs and prepare the next generation to compete and lead.

I am running to bring practical leadership, operational experience, and a service based approach to Congress, with a focus on delivering measurable results for Missouri’s Fourth District rather than partisan conflict.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My campaign focuses on economic security and lowering everyday costs, including housing, healthcare, childcare, and groceries. I support protecting and strengthening Medicaid and Medicare, expanding access to mental health and rural healthcare, and improving public health outcomes. I believe in a strong, modern national defense that supports service members and veterans while using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I am committed to protecting constitutional rights, privacy, and personal freedom. I support investing in education, workforce training, infrastructure, and American innovation to create good jobs. I also support small businesses, rural communities, public safety, and accountable, effective government.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

50501 Missouri, 50501 Veterans, Northland Forward, Next Generation Politics, Citizens Impeachment, Kansas City Clarity Media, and the Political Drain Podcast.

Campaign websiteHerrera's campaign website stated the following:The Herrera Policy PlatformA Comprehensive Vision for America’s FuturePrimary ObjectivesEconomic SecurityThat every American should be able to afford housing, healthcare, quality education, and food security while working one job. Strong and Smart MilitaryI support our nation’s military and our veterans. I will never leave them behind. I took an Oath to our Constitution, but I also made a pact with my team while serving. Similarly, I cannot break that pact either. However, we cannot waste taxpayer dollars.Freedom and PrivacyThe federal government should not be able to regulate your body, your marriage, your religion in schools, or your personal life decisions.Investment in our FutureInvesting in our future means confronting the reality that whether you live in a city, a small town, or rural Missouri, the pressures are the same. Housing costs are outpacing wages. Healthcare is unaffordable or too far away. Food prices are rising. Schools and infrastructure are stretched thin. These challenges do not stop at county lines or zip codes, and neither should our solutions.Today, the two leading drivers pushing Americans into homelessness are housing costs and healthcare expenses. The fastest-growing groups entering homelessness are single mothers with children and seniors living on fixed incomes. This is not about personal failure. It is about systems that no longer match the realities of everyday life. When one medical bill, one rent increase, or one closed hospital can destabilize a family, the problem is structural and it demands a serious response.Investing in the future means expanding affordable housing in both rural and urban communities, rebuilding local healthcare access, strengthening food systems from farm to table, and modernizing infrastructure so people can live where they work and age with dignity. It means reinvesting in rural hospitals and schools while also addressing urban housing shortages and food insecurity. A country that works only for certain zip codes is not sustainable. When we connect rural and urban America through shared solutions, we stabilize families, strengthen communities, and build an economy that works for everyone.Delivering for Missouri's 4th Congressional DistrictMissouri’s 4th Congressional District deserves bold, effective leadership that delivers real solutions and not just empty rhetoric. My commitment is to revitalize our local economy, fight for working-class families, and ensure that every resident, urban and rural, has access to opportunity and prosperity. From affordable housing and infrastructure investments to supporting small businesses and agricultural development, my focus is on economic policies that create jobs, lower costs, and strengthen communities. I will work to secure federal funding for local projects, modernize transportation, and improve public safety while ensuring that Missouri’s farmers, educators, and first responders have the resources they need. This district is the heart of Missouri, and I intend to fight relentlessly for policies that uplift our people, restore trust in government, and make CD-04 a model of progress and prosperity. My vision is clear: deliver results, stand for justice, and build a stronger future for every Missourian.Housing Affordability & Economic RevitalizationRebuilding America’s Housing FutureAmerica has a housing shortage. We are short between 4 million and 7 million homes nationwide. Missouri families feel it every day through rising rent, higher utility costs, and fewer housing options. Housing is not just about buying a home. It is about whether people can afford to live, stay, and build a future in their own community. We cannot fix this overnight. But we can take clear, deliberate action.My Housing Plan1. Increase Supply at ScaleWe need to build more housing. That starts with treating this crisis with the urgency it deserves.I support declaring a National Housing Emergency to unlock federal coordination and accelerate construction by:Reducing the cost of key building materialsAddressing supply chain bottlenecksExpanding large-scale housing developmentThe goal is simple: build more homes and bring costs down through supply and competition.2. Build for Working and Middle-Class FamiliesWe cannot solve this crisis by only focusing on the lowest income brackets or the luxury market.I support creating a Middle-Income Housing Tax Credit, building on the existing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit model.This would:Support the construction of workforce housingExpand access for families earning moderate incomesEnsure housing is modern, safe, and sustainableThis is about building housing that people can actually afford to live in.3. Lower Costs and Protect RentersWe cannot build our way out of this crisis fast enough to ignore what is happening right now.Housing costs, especially rent, are one of the primary drivers of financial instability and homelessness.I support:A national cap on annual rent increases, designed to prevent extreme year-over-year spikes while allowing reasonable adjustments. (This already exists in the US in states like CA and OR.)Policies that address the full cost of housing, including utilities, not just rent or mortgagesMissouri has seen rents rise sharply in recent years. Families need stability while supply catches up.4. Expand Housing Through Local SolutionsWe also need to unlock housing that already exists.I support grant and incentive programs that allow homeowners to:Convert basements, garages, and unused space into livable unitsBuild accessory dwelling units within existing zoning and safety codesIn exchange, these units would include clear affordability agreements to keep rents reasonable.This approach:Expands supply without displacementHelps homeowners build income and stabilityKeeps housing development local and community-based5. Take On Corporate Consolidation and SpeculationWe cannot solve the housing crisis without addressing corporate control of the housing market.Large institutional investors, hedge funds, and private equity firms are buying up homes at scale, driving up prices and pushing families out.I support:Stronger antitrust enforcement against monopolistic housing practicesLimits on bulk purchases of single-family homes by large investorsIncreased transparency in corporate ownership of residential propertyHousing should be for people, not just portfolios.6. Restore Financial Guardrails in HousingWe have seen what happens when housing markets are left unchecked.I support restoring and strengthening financial regulations that:Prevent excessive speculation in housing marketsHold large financial institutions accountableProtect homeowners and renters from systemic riskThis includes reinforcing key safeguards established after the 2008 financial crisis and ensuring they are not weakened.Here’s My WhyThe number one driver of homelessness today is the cost of housing. If people cannot afford to stay in their homes, nothing else works. Housing is not just an economic policy. It is about dignity, stability, and whether working families can build a life in this country. We have faced national challenges before. Each time, we rebuilt by acting with purpose. This is one of those moments.Gaza, Israel, and Iran: A Call for Justice, Human Rights, and PeaceThe United States must lead with strength, but also with restraint, clarity, and moral courage.I am not a war hawk. I am a veteran. I have seen what war looks like. And I believe war must always be the last option, not the first response.My Position1. Independence and IntegrityI will never accept money from:AIPAC or similar political action committees that seek to influence foreign policyAny foreign national or foreign government, as prohibited by U.S. lawMy decisions will be made in the interest of the American people, not under outside influence.2. Gaza and PalestineWhat is happening in Gaza is not consistent with our understanding of proportional warfare. It is a Genocide. Francesa Albanese of the UN even gave a wonderful declaration as to why. Further, my grandmother taught me that you are who your friends are. My friends do not commit genocide. They do not bomb women and children. They do not prosecute war on food and humanitarian lines. Civilians have been cut off from food, water, and medical care. Hospitals, schools, and shelters have been struck. When an entire population is deprived of necessities, we have crossed into a humanitarian crisis of the highest order.I support:An immediate ceasefireFull humanitarian access to food, water, and medicineA halt to offensive U.S. military support in the conflictThe Palestinian people deserve dignity, safety, and the right to determine their own future.3. Support for Israel, With LimitsIsrael is an ally, and allies have the right to defend themselves. But alliance does not mean unconditional support.I support:Defensive cooperation with Israel – without delivery of munitions to IsraelOpposition to offensive actionsConditioning U.S. aid to ensure compliance with international law and upholding human rightsTrue friendship requires honesty and accountability. If our allies cannot rise to the level of dignity we demand, then we must distance ourselves from those relationships.4. No More Endless Wars, Including IranI am strongly opposed to escalating conflict with Iran. The United States cannot enter another war without clear justification and lawful authorization.Under the War Powers framework:The President must notify Congress within 48 hours of military actionSustained conflict requires congressional authorizationI will not support:Another “forever war”Military action based on unclear or unverified claimsSending American troops into another prolonged conflict in the regionI served during a war justified by claims that did not hold up. We lost lives over it. Never again.5. Recenter American Foreign PolicyOur role in the world must be grounded in:Diplomacy firstPeace-building over escalationRespect for all people, regardless of religion or nationalityJudaism is not the state of Israel. Islam is not Hamas. The people of the Middle East are not our enemies. They are communities with deep history, culture, and humanity. We must build relationships based on mutual respect, not perpetual conflict.Here’s My WhyI have seen what happens when people do not have freedom.I have seen:Communities without access to food and basic healthcareYoung girls are treated as property instead of human beingsFamilies forced to choose between survival and dignitySystems where suspicion alone can cost someone their lifeI have also seen it here at home, where families must choose between medical care, keeping the lights on, or putting gas in the car. War does not just destroy nations. It destroys people, families, and futures. That is why I believe in restraint. That is why I believe in accountability. That is why I believe America must lead with both strength and humanity.Student Loan Reform & Educational AccessRebuilding America’s Education SystemEducation is not a luxury. It is not a gamble. It is not a debt sentence. Education is an infrastructural need for a dignified life in America. Right now, we are failing that standard.My Education Plan1. Defend and Strengthen Public EducationIt starts with public schools. I will always support:Full and fair public school fundingHigher pay for teachersModern resources and classroom supportIn rural communities like the one I grew up in, public schools are not optional. They are the foundation of the entire community. Policies that strip funding from public schools do not create choice; they create collapse.If public education fails, everything that comes after it fails.2. Make Education Affordable, Not a Lifetime DebtThe student loan system is broken. Borrowers do not choose their servicer. They do not control their interest rates. And many spend decades paying without ever escaping the balance.I will fight to:Cap student loan interest ratesEliminate capitalized interestEnsure income-based repayment never exceeds 10% of incomeExpand and fix Public Service Loan ForgivenessProvide full forgiveness for borrowers paying for 20+ years in good faithThis is not about giveaways. It is about ending a system that traps people in debt for trying to better themselves.3. Restore Investment in Higher EducationPrevious generations benefited from strong public investment in higher education. Today’s students are being asked to carry far more of the cost.I will fight to:Reinvest in public colleges and universities (previous generations had their higher education subsidized up to 70% – 80%)Reduce the cost burden on students and familiesTreat higher education as a public good, not a private burdenWhen we invest in education, we invest in:Doctors and nursesEngineers and scientistsTeachers and public servantsHighly skilled engineersElectrical EngineersIf we choke off access, we choke off our future workforce and innovation.4. Expand Pathways Beyond CollegeA four-year degree is not the only path to success. For millions of Americans, especially in rural communities, a high school diploma IS the terminal degree. That means we must prepare students for success before they graduate.I support:Expanding trade schools and apprenticeshipsStrengthening career and technical education (CTE)Building pipeline programs directly from high school into jobsPartnering with unions and local industries for workforce trainingWe should value people who work with their hands just as much as those who pursue degrees.5. Break the Grip of the Student Loan IndustryThe current system concentrates power in a small number of large financial actors. Borrowers have limited choice, limited flexibility, and limited protection.I will push for:Stronger oversight of loan servicersConsumer protections for borrowersA system that prioritizes students over profitsEducation financing should serve the public, not extract from it.6. Keep Education Independent from ExploitationI reject the idea that the only path to affordable education is military service. I have heard it my entire life: “If you want a free education, join the military.” I did. And I will ask the question I always ask: If someone wants to teach a third grader that three plus three equals six, should they have to risk their life to do it? The answer is no. We can build a system that does better.Here’s My WhyI have seen what happens when people do not have access to opportunity.I have seen:Young people with potential locked out of educationFamilies forced to choose between paying loans and living their livesSystems where opportunity is determined by wealth instead of effortI have also seen what education can do. It creates mobility. It creates stability.It creates freedom. If we want a stronger country, a more competitive economy, and a more just society, we must invest in education at every level.Healthcare Cost Reduction & Pharmaceutical AccountabilityRebuilding America’s Healthcare SystemAmerica’s healthcare system is not just expensive. It is unsustainable. I have worked inside this system. I have seen the pricing structures, the procurement chains, and the way profit is prioritized over patients. We can do better. And we must.My Healthcare Plan1. Lower Costs and Take On Price GougingHealthcare costs in America are driven by consolidation, lack of competition, and price manipulation.I will fight to:Enforce antitrust lawsInvestigate and stop predatory pricing practicesUse federal authority under the Bayh-Dole Act, including “march-in rights,” to ensure taxpayer-funded drugs are accessibleAllow generic drug production when corporations engage in price gougingCap costs on essential medications where markets failWhen taxpayer dollars fund research, the public deserves a fair return.2. Build Toward Universal CoverageHealthcare is a right. It is my belief that healthcare is an infrastructural need for a dignified American life. My long-term goal is Medicare for All, but the path forward must be practical and achievable.I support:Strengthening and expanding the Affordable Care ActBuilding a true public option within the ACA framework that anyone can buy into at a low costExpanding Medicare to include dental, vision, and hearingThe goal is simple: create a system so strong and affordable that it becomes the standard.3. Restore and Expand Rural HealthcareRural healthcare is in crisis. Hospitals across Missouri rely heavily on Medicare and Medicaid. When those programs are cut, hospitals close. When hospitals close, communities lose access to care.I will fight to:Protect and expand Medicaid and Medicare fundingInvest in right-sized healthcare networks, including smaller clinic-based systemsExpand telehealth and mobile care accessProvide transportation solutions for seniors and isolated patientsStrengthen recruitment and retention of rural providersHealthcare should not depend on your zip code. And it should never be a choice between keeping the lights on, staying fed, or staying healthy.4. Fully Support Veterans’ HealthcareAs a veteran, this is personal.I will fight to:Expand VA healthcare accessStrengthen community care networksRestore and grow the VA workforceEnsure veterans receive timely, high-quality careWe made a promise. We need to keep it. Why is it personal? This is the first year I am paying out of pocket at a 100% permanently and totally disabled veteran, for medication.5. Shift from Reactive to Proactive HealthcareOur system is built around treating people after they get sick. That is the most expensive and least effective model.Preventive care costs a fraction of emergency care. For example, managing chronic disease early can reduce long-term costs by 30% or more, while preventing hospitalizations that can cost tens of thousands per patient.I support:Incentives for preventative care, including annual checkups and screeningsExpanded access to mental health, dental, and vision careInvestment in addiction recovery and rehabilitation programsSmoking cessation, counseling, and long-term health supportWhen people stay healthy, costs go down, and lives improve.6. Recognize Care in All Its Forms, Including ChildcareHealthcare is not just what happens in a hospital.It includes:ChildcareElder careDisability supportHome and community-based servicesChildcare is essential infrastructure. If we invested in a national childcare workforce, even at an example wage of around $17 per hour for approximately 1 million workers, the cost would be on the order of tens of billions annually, a fraction of what we already spend in other areas of the federal budget. Under the One Big Tax Giveaway Bill last year, Trump returned $450 BILLION to the top 5%, 1%, and corporations, ten times the amount needed to pay for universal childcare.We have done this before. In 1971, Congress passed the Comprehensive Child Development Act, which would have created a national childcare system. It was vetoed by Richard Nixon. Programs like Head Start, created in 1965, still exist today and continue to serve millions of children, but they have never been expanded to meet the full need. We know what works. We just have to choose to do it.7. Protect Reproductive FreedomHealthcare decisions belong to individuals, not the government.I will:Defend access to safe abortion and contraceptionProtect maternal healthcareExpand prenatal and family support programsBodily autonomy is fundamental. I will defend it. I will also fight to support life. Make no mistake, after all the restrictive laws went into place last year, they had a negligible impact. I believe in making sure single mothers and new families do not walk out of the delivery room in debt. That will incentivize life. I believe in making sure babies have a system to support them with WIC, SNAP, and fully funded school meals. Providing families with public schools that are clean, well-run, and competitive. I believe in making sure that single parents and young working families can have a home to live in. That’s how you prevent abortions: you support a person’s life.Here’s My WhyI’ve seen what happens when people don’t have access to care. I’ve seen patients wait too long because they couldn’t afford to come in sooner. I’ve seen families break under the weight of medical bills. I’ve seen people forced to choose between treatment and survival, between staying alive and staying housed. And I’ve seen the other side of it, too, what happens when people do get care early. They live longer. They fight harder. They recover. They get to go home to their families. That’s the difference.This system isn’t broken because we lack the resources. It’s broken because we’ve made a choice to prioritize profit over people. I’m running to change that.LGBTQIA+ Rights & Equality in GovernanceProtecting LGBTQIA+ RightsLGBTQIA+ rights are human rights. That is not a slogan. That is the moral, constitutional, and lived truth of this country. I served under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I know exactly what it feels like to wear the uniform of the United States and be told that who you are has to stay hidden. I know what it means to serve your country when your country refuses to fully see you. So this is not theoretical to me. This is personal. And I am not going to sit quietly while politicians try to drag this country backward.My Plan to Protect Equality, Dignity, and Freedom1. Defend Marriage Equality and Family StabilityMarriage equality is settled law. It must remain that way.I will defend:Respect for Marriage ActFederal protections require all states to recognize lawful marriagesNo American should have to wake up and wonder if their marriage will still be valid tomorrow. That is not freedom. That is instability by design.2. Guarantee Equal Protection Under the LawNo one should lose a job, a home, or access to public life because of who they are.I will fight to pass:Equality ActStrong enforcement of Bostock v. Clayton County, which already affirms workplace protectionsThis is not radical. This is about making sure the law applies equally to everyone.3. Protect Healthcare Access and End Politicized MedicineHealthcare decisions belong to patients, families, and doctors. Period.I will:Protect access to gender-affirming care under nondiscrimination protections in the Affordable Care ActOppose blanket bans that strip families and doctors of decision-making authorityEnforce standards for providers receiving federal fundsLet me be very clear here: If a provider is using their position to push ideology instead of care, especially in something like so-called “conversion therapy,” they are not practicing medicine. They are causing harm. We have overwhelming evidence that conversion therapy leads to higher rates of depression, trauma, and suicide. That is not treatment. That is damage. And if someone wants to engage in that kind of conduct, then they should not receive a single dollar of federal funding. No Medicare. No Medicaid. No federal grants. Nothing. You do not get taxpayer support to harm patients.4. Defend the Right to ServeI will make sure discriminatory policies like Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell never return in any form. And I will be crystal clear about this: Trans service members, gay service members, every LGBTQIA+ American has the same right to serve this country as anyone else. I have served with them. I know what they bring to the fight.Nobody in Iraq cared about your orientation. Nobody in Afghanistan cared who you loved. The only thing that mattered was this: Can you do your job? Can you protect the person next to you? Can you complete the mission? And I will tell you from experience, they could.So I find it laughable when politicians like Donald Trump and Mark Alford try to dictate who is fit to serve, when they themselves never had to make those decisions under fire. You do not get to question the courage of people who have actually worn the uniform and carried the burden.5. Protect Voting Rights and Push Back on Harmful LegislationI strongly oppose legislation like the SAVE Act. This is not about election security. We already have laws that make it illegal for non-citizens to vote, and cases of that are extremely rare. What this does is create barriers.It risks disenfranchising:Married women who changed their namesVeteransSeniors without updated documentsTrans Americans whose documents may not matchIt is a “show your papers” system that solves a problem that does not exist, while creating new ones that absolutely do.That is not how you strengthen democracy. That is how you restrict it.Here’s My WhyI’ve lived this. I’ve served this country while being told to keep part of myself hidden. I’ve deployed, I’ve led, I’ve performed at the highest levels, and not once did my sexual orientation stop me from doing my job. Not in Iraq. Not in Afghanistan. Not in the courtroom. Not in public service. The only place it ever seemed to matter was in politics. And that tells you everything you need to know. I am an LGBTQIA+ veteran running in Missouri. And if someone has a problem with that, I’ll say this plainly: It never stopped me before, and it’s not going to stop me now.I’ve worked alongside conservatives, I’ve delivered results in conservative spaces, and I’ve helped shape policy that improved lives across this state, including for trans Missourians and those living with HIV. That is what leadership looks like. This fight is not about identity politics. It is about whether people in this country get to l