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A native of Wichita, Kansas, state Senator Donald Betts is a young man who overcame early obstacles to become a leader in the Kansas legislature. When he was a child, Donald, his mother and his brother were homeless several times until they moved to Las Vegas where his grandfather offered them a place to stay. While in junior high and high school, Donald lived in that city’s projects which were filled with violence, drugs and prostitution. He attended school and worked in casino arcades to support his family. He saw his school friends succumb to drugs and crime. His brother eventually spent time in prison. After Donald graduated from high school, he returned to Wichita where he worked his way through college at Friends University and was elected student body president. Upon graduation he became a counselor for at-risk juveniles working in both the juvenile justice and Wichita public school systems. He has served his state legislative districts in both the Kansas House and Senate.

Now Donald wants to serve in the U.S. Congress for both those who struggle to make a living and those who are watching the living they make shrink with each passing month. He is weary of the Bush administration’s indifference to the plight of so many Americans and its insensitivity to health care for children, a faltering economy, ending the war in Iraq and so many other issues that need to be addressed. Donald is dismayed at how the 4th District incumbent congressman consistently supports the President with his votes.

A man of faith, Donald has strong family values. With his help, his mother and brother now live and work in Wichita. He is newly married to Tania, an Australian businesswoman. They met when he was chosen by the American Council of Young Political Leaders to study government in Australia. Tania is in the process of becoming an American citizen. Donald is a member of St. Mark Methodist church in Wichita. He is a Wichita alumnus of Kappa Alpha Psi. We are all absolutely thrilled that Donald plans to keep his blog at Everyday Citizen. You can browse through and read entries from Donald's complete historical blog archives here.