CLAIRE McCASKILL
Born and raised in Missouri, while still an undergraduate college student, Claire McCaskill spent the summer of 1974 studying at the Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
She went on to graduate from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1975, then received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1978. Claire served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1983 to 1989, as Jackson County Prosecutor from 1993 to 1998, and then became the state auditor from 1999 to 2007.
In 2004, she ran for governor and won the Democratic primary, becoming the first person in Missouri history to defeat an incumbent governor in a primary election. She narrowly lost to Republican Matt Blunt in the general election.
In 2006, she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri, secured re-election in 2012, and faced defeat from Republican Josh Hawley in 2018.
Claire's most significant legislative accomplishment was her six-year effort to reform wartime contracting practices in Iraq and Afghanistan—the most substantial overhaul of how the federal government contracts during wartime since World War II.
Modeled after President Harry Truman's famous battle against war profiteering during World War II, she co-created the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan with Senator Jim Webb in 2007. The Commission found that the U.S. had squandered up to $60 billion through waste and fraud on contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, she led more than 20 hearings and launched more than 40 investigations at 22 federal departments and agencies, resulting in nearly 30 instances of misconduct referred to federal investigators.
Her Comprehensive Contingency Contracting Reform Act was signed into law in 2012, implementing historic reforms that save taxpayers billions of dollars by improving contracting practices and accountability across the federal government.
As a champion for veterans, Claire helped pass the 21st Century GI Bill and fought tirelessly for those who served, including passing into law a bill to deliver decades-old relief to veterans who were exposed to mustard gas during World War II.
She also successfully pushed for the removal of Army officials mismanaging Walter Reed Army Medical Center following reports of neglect and led efforts to reform management of Arlington National Cemetery after disclosures of mismarked gravesites.
Known as the "town hall Senator," Claire McCaskill held more than 50 town halls in one year in every corner of rural Missouri, demonstrating her commitment to hearing directly from constituents.
After taking the time to listen closely to the concerns of the people in her state, she went on to launch the largest congressional investigation into the business practices of opioid manufacturers and worked across the aisle to pass legislation to lower prescription drug prices. Her consumer protection efforts included improving protections against robocalls, recalled vehicles, and excessive cable bills.
Since February 2019, she has served as a political analyst for major national and local news outlets where she provides candid commentary on political events with what she calls her
"Midwest common sense."
Throughout her career, Claire ran for political office 24 times, with 22 wins. She is also the author of the memoir
"Plenty Ladylike," which chronicles her journey from a single woman in her twenties to becoming Missouri's first elected female senator—all by embracing her ambition and learning from her losses.
Claire and her husband live in St. Louis and have a blended family of seven children and 16 grandchildren.
