Thank you, North Missouri
November 4th, 2008The results are in: Rebecca McClanahan has won reelection with 55% of the vote.
Thank you so much for your support. We’ll see you soon!
A Leader We Can Be Proud Of
November 2nd, 2008Less than 48 hours are left. Now is the time to volunteer: call 660-627-6229.
Rebecca is the only candidate who
-Has a proven record of results on the economy, roads, healthcare, education, and more
-Is leading the fight for healthcare reform in Missouri
-New economic investment: Helped secure a $22 million investment to Kirksville and 100 new jobs
-Protected education funding from private special interests
-Fought MoDOT funding cuts to North Missouri
-Cut property taxes for seniors
-Advocated for veteran’s healthcare
-Won a tax cut for farmers
-Cracked down on employers hiring illegal immigrants
-Stood up against wasteful government spending
-Has actually supported 2nd Amendment rights
Rebecca’s opponent has spent more than $120,000 on dirty smear attacks. He’s even hired an out of state company to pay actors to pretend to be local residents on the radio. They’ve lied about her record, distorted her votes, and attacked her character.
In contrast, Rebecca has run a 100% positive campaign on the issues.
The time is now to get involved: call 660-627-6229 or click here.
A 100% Positive Campaign
October 30th, 2008It’s been stunning how absolutely negative and over-the-top the attacks have gotten in North Missouri. Rebecca’s opponent has spent more than $120,000 on dirty smear attacks. He’s even hired an out of state company to pay actors to pretend to be local residents on the radio. They’ve lied about her record, distorted her votes, and attacked her character. How would you respond?
Rebecca McClanahan has run a 100% positive campaign.
All of Rebecca’s commercials were produced here in Kirksville by actual, real-life Missourians.
We know her, we know her record, and most of all, we know she’s been there for us.
She’s taken the high road, and that’s something we can be proud of.
Now is the time to stand strong for Rebecca. Volunteer today - with just a few days left, she needs you more than ever. Call 660-627-6229 or sign up online.
Together we can beat negative politics as usual.
Happy Birthday, Rebecca!
October 24th, 2008
Thursday was a great day. Rebecca celebrated her birthday by working (as always), traveling over 100 miles across the district talking with residents, all in time for a forum on disabilities at the Kirksville Regional Center, where she rocked the house. Sen. Wes Shoemeyer said it best, “I don’t think there’s anything to add - Rebecca’s the expert on this.”
But perhaps the biggest news of the day was the historic endorsement of Rebecca by the Truman Index, a Kirksville newspaper. To our knowledge, the Index editorial board has not endorsed a local candidate in years - if ever. They sum up Rebecca and her work beautifully, and it is an honor to have their endorsement. We’ve included the text below. Please read it, and share it with your friends!
The best gift you can give Rebecca is to volunteer. With just 10 days left until Election Day, Rebecca needs you now more than ever. Click here to sign up online, or call us at 660-627-6229.
Thanks for all you do!
Our View: Index Editorial Board endorses McClanahan
Posted: 10/23/08
With all the buzz surrounding the presidential election, it can be easy to forget that Kirksville voters also will be choosing local government officials when they go to the polls Nov. 4. It’s true that a presidential election only comes once every four years, and selecting a president is extremely important. However, local and state elections should not be overlooked. These officials provide citizens with a much more immediate connection to government and are more responsive to the will of the people.
One of the posts in contention is Missouri State Representative for District 2, which includes Kirksville and the rest of Adair County, as well as Putnam County and part of Sullivan County. Representative Rebecca McClanahan, a Democrat from Kirksville, is the incumbent for this office, and the Index Editorial Board is proud to endorse her as she runs for re-election.
Most Kirksville residents love McClanahan, mostly because she’s a prominent figure in the local community. Her opponent, Republican Thom Van Vleck, also has roots in Kirksville, but lacks the level of community involvement that McClanahan has demonstrated. We appreciate McClanahan’s connections to the town, but it’s her work in the House of Representatives in the areas of health care and higher education that makes her worthy of endorsement. She has sponsored and co-sponsored several bills that would improve health care for Missouri residents, including HB2513, which would provide health insurance coverage for all uninsured children in the state. She also serves on the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, created to oversee Missouri’s public health care system.
McClanahan has shown a similar commitment to increasing the accessibility of higher education. She co-sponsored legislation such as HB 2533, which reduces income taxes for some public college tuition costs, and HB 2048, the Textbook Transparency Act. In addition, she serves on the House’s Higher Education Committee. Both the Missouri National Education Association and the Missouri Association of School Administrators have endorsed her candidacy - a testimony to her work in this field. During her time as a State Representative, McClanahan has continually advocated for improved health care and higher education, and we are confident she would continue this work during her second term.
Of course, McClanahan’s ties to the Kirksville community certainly are a plus. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University (back when it was still Northeast Missouri State) and worked here as a professor of nursing for more than 30 years. When the House isn’t in session, she and her husband live in Kirksville. It’s not uncommon to spot her at local restaurants and businesses, where she typically is chatting away with local residents. This just goes to show that McClanahan is extremely accessible. She usually is more than willing to listen to her constituents’ concerns and talk to the press. She also has an intimate knowledge of the issues facing the University and the town and has demonstrated her willingness to advocate legislation that is in their best interest.
McClanahan takes her role as a State Representative seriously, demonstrating her commitment to her constituents and her passion for improving health care and higher education through the legislation she has supported. Most politicians and government officials are notoriously self-absorbed and power-hungry, but the fast-talking, backroom-dealing Jefferson City politics haven’t changed McClanahan. When interviewed for an article in the Oct. 17, 2007 issue of the Index, McClanahan said she was “just honored to serve.” This service-oriented attitude is what has made her a successful State Representative, and what will ensure her success in the future.
New TV Ad - “Living Her Values”
October 17th, 2008Special Healthcare Announcement
October 13th, 2008Rep. McClanahan Appointed to State Healthcare Oversight Panel
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – State Rep. Rebecca McClanahan, D-Kirksville, announced her appointment Monday to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee, a panel created by a 2007 state law to oversee the Missouri’s public health care system.
The oversight committee has the authority to review the MO HealthNet program, formerly known as Medicaid, and to approve changes designed to improve health care services. McClanahan is one of just two members of the House of Representatives on the 18-member committee, which primarily consists of health care professionals.
“I’m honored and humbled by this responsibility,” said McClanahan. “As the only nurse serving in the Missouri legislature, I bring a unique perspective from the front lines. I know how policy affects us at the bedside – in the hospital, senior care, or at home.”
McClanahan said she was concerned with the direction of healthcare in Missouri. “We have a moral and financial responsibility to do this right: 73,000 Missouri children have been cut off of healthcare in the past few years. And at the same time, Missouri has turned away $1.5 billion in federal funding for healthcare. That’s wrong by any measure,” said McClanahan.
McClanahan also cited the economy as a reason to reform the healthcare system. “Our government is wasting money on bad planning when we could be saving money with coverage that makes sense,” McClanahan said. “We’re wasting $5,000 at the emergency room when a five-dollar prescription the week before could have prevented the problem. That must change, and I know how to do it.”
The focus of McClanahan’s work in the House has been on rolling back the Medicaid cuts of 2005, increasing healthcare coverage for children, reforming the healthcare system to a prevention model, and assisting small businesses in providing health coverage for their employees.
Before she was elected in 2006, Rep. Rebecca McClanahan was a nurse and educator in North Missouri for over 30 years, training hundreds of nurses for Missouri’s hospitals. Rep. McClanahan serves Missouri’s Second Legislative District, encompassing Adair, Putnam, and part of Sullivan County.
Some points of interest:
- Rep. McClanahan is the only nurse in the Missouri legislature.
- This appointment represents a major step forward for rural Missouri, who will now have a representative directly in touch with the needs on the ground.
- After two years of tireless work on healthcare issues, Rep. McClanahan is now in an even greater position to bring positive change to healthcare in Missouri. She is now on the HealthNet oversight committee, and is in line to be the ranking Democrat on the health appropriations committee in the House.
- A major cornerstone of her legislative agenda is to roll back the Medicaid cuts of 2005 that left 73,000 Missouri children without healthcare coverage.
Education Endorsements
October 9th, 2008State Rep. Rebecca McClanahan Receives Major Education Endorsements
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Major education organizations endorsed State Rep. Rebecca McClanahan today in Kirksville, a strong affirmation of support for her reelection bid.
The Missouri National Education Association (MNEA) and the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) both endorsed McClanahan, making her the only candidate for State Representative to be endorsed by education organizations.
“I am proud to have earned the endorsements of both the MNEA and the MASA,” said McClanahan. “Before I was elected in 2006, I taught nursing in Kirksville for 30 years – I understand the importance of public education. It’s a cornerstone of our economy, not just in training our students, but also as one of our region’s largest employers.”
McClanahan added, “There’s a lot at stake in this year’s election. Special interests are still trying to take money from our public schools and give it to private academies in St. Louis and Kansas City. It’s wrong, I’ve fought and won against them in the past, and I will keep fighting those efforts in the next session.”
“These endorsements illustrate one of the clearest distinctions in this race,” said McClanahan, “I am honored to have the support of the education community.”
Rep. McClanahan was first elected in 2006 and is now running for her second term in the Missouri House of Representatives. In the legislature, she serves on healthcare, education, and agriculture policy committees.
