JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – For the first time since he announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate, Secretary of State Jason Kander is heading to Washington.

On Thursday afternoon, the Democrat is scheduled to be in the nation’s Capitol for a “meet and greet” with potential supporters – his first planned interaction with potential Washington donors as he challenges incumbent Republican Roy Blunt.

Tickets to attend the meet and greet range from $100 to $500, and the event will be hosted by the Washington-based firm, Flanagan Fulkerson & Company.

Kander, one of the nation’s youngest statewide elected officials, has made his campaign about challenging the Washington-establishment against Blunt, who has been in Washington for two decades.

While Kander has nearly $600,000 on hand in his state fundraising account, hardly any of that could be directed to a federal campaign. That leaves him with a tough fundraising hill to climb against Blunt, who has around $2 million on hand.