Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill (born July 24, 1953), is a U.S. Democratic Party politician, and the State Auditor of Missouri. She is currently the leading Democratic candidate against Senator Jim Talent in 2006. Recent polling shows that the race is competitive, with each candidate receiving 46% of the vote in a hypothetical matchup.http://rasmussenreports.com/2005/Missouri%20Senate.htm

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July 24 - 1953 - Democratic Party - State Auditor - Missouri - Senator - Jim Talent - 2006

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Claire McCaskill was born in Rolla, Missouri and spent her early childhood in the small Missouri towns of Houston, later moving to Lebanon, and eventually Columbia where her father served as a state insurance commissioner and her mother became the first woman to serve on the Columbia City Council. She earned a B.S. in political science from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1975 and later graduated from law school at the same institution.

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Rolla, Missouri - Houston - Lebanon - Columbia - University of Missouri - Columbia - 1975 - Law school

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After graduating from law school, she became a law clerk at the Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City. She later joined the Jackson County prosecutor's office where she specialized in arson cases. From 1983 to 1988, she represented the Kansas City area in the Missouri House of Representatives. She became the first Missouri state lawmaker to give birth while in office. In 1993, she became the first woman elected Jackson County Prosecutor, the largest local prosecutor's office in the state, and served in that office until her election as State Auditor in 1998. In April, 2002, she married St. Louis businessman Joseph Shepard. They have seven children from previous marriages, and one granddaughter.

Related Topics:
Court of Appeals - Kansas City - Jackson County - Arson - 1983 - 1988 - Missouri House of Representatives - 1998 - 2002 - St. Louis

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On August 3, 2004, she defeated Governor Bob Holden in the Democratic primary race, becoming the first person to defeat an incumbent Governor in Missouri, and the first primary challenger to defeat an incumbent Governor in the United States, since 1994, when Bill Janklow defeated Walter Dale Miller in South Dakota.

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August 3 - 2004 - Governor - Bob Holden - United States - 1994 - Bill Janklow - Walter Dale Miller - South Dakota

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On November 2, 2004, she was defeated by then-Secretary of State Matt Blunt 50.8%-47.9% in the general election. Despite her loss in the gubernatorial race, she would not have had to face reelection as State Auditor until 2006.

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November 2 - 2004 - Matt Blunt

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On August 30, 2005 McCaskill announced that she will forego reelection as State Auditor in order to challenge Talent in 2006. She'd long been rumored to be considering a run against Talent, especially in light of Governor Matt Blunt's sagging poll numbers.

Related Topics:
August 30 - 2005 - 2006

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