Fighting for what’s right: Meet Claire McCaskill

When Senator Claire McCaskill started in politics more than 30 years ago, there were rigid ideas about where women belonged.

She was told: “You’re too young; your hair is too long; you’re a girl…”

To understand how she proved the cynics wrong, we have to start from the beginning:

From left to right: Claire graduating from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1978; Claire specialized in arson cases as an assistant prosecutor right out of law school and often visited fire scenes; Claire enjoying a moment early into her career.

Claire has lived in Missouri her whole life. She was born in Rolla (the year Missouri’s Harry Truman left the presidency), raised in Lebanon, and earned her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Missouri in Columbia. She has deep roots in the Show-Me State.

And she has deep roots in Missouri politics: Her mom, Betty Anne, was the first woman to win a seat on the Columbia City Council. Claire quickly followed with some firsts of her own…

Claire serving as a state legislator in 1988 with her son, Austin.

…the first woman in the Missouri State Legislature to have a baby while in office.

…the first woman elected Jackson County Prosecutor — running the largest county prosecutor’s office in the state, all while raising a 4-year-old, 2-year-old and a newborn.

…the first and only woman elected to the Senate from Missouri, winning a seat once held by Harry Truman.

Claire, a lifelong Mizzou fan, got a surprise visit from a very special guest out on the campaign trail in 2012.

But Claire’s career has never been about checking boxes to be the first or seeking political popularity — it’s been about doing what’s right.

Unafraid of taking on her own party establishment to stand up for Missourians, Claire is the only person in the state’s history to defeat a sitting governor in a primary.

Claire has been a longtime advocate for her youngest constituents.

In 2006, Claire shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman elected to the Senate from Missouri. And she fought in 2012 and took down Todd Akin — the extreme right-wing Republican who infamously argued that victims of “legitimate rape” have a way to “shut down” resulting pregnancies — which allowed her to continue fighting in the Senate to curb sexual assault in our military and on our college and university campuses.

Now it’s your turn: Click here to say you’re on Senator McCaskill’s team and join her in standing up for what’s right!

In 1982, Claire began her legislative career in the Missouri House of Representatives.