Catherine Hanaway

During her tenure as Speaker, Catherine successfully passed Missouri's first concealed carry law by overriding a veto from Democratic Governor Bob Holden.[13] She also supported legislation to protect gun manufacturers from lawsuits.[14] In addition to her pro-gun stances, she was also a champion of pro-life values and passed bills supported by Missouri Right-to-Life.[15] Hanaway also rejected multiple tax increase proposals from Governor Holden as Speaker. During a 2003 budget dispute in which Holden had requested a tax increase, Hanaway publicly asked him "What part of 'No' don't you understand?"[12]

With the 2002 death of 2-year-old Dominic James in Springfield, the need to reform Missouri's foster care system became broadly evident.[10] Hanaway worked to pass a foster care reform bill that was named after James.[10]

Hanaway ran for Missouri Secretary of State in 2004. She was endorsed by the National Rifle Association[16] and Missouri Right to Life.[17] In a year that Republicans carried most contested state offices, she lost to Robin Carnahan, the daughter of former Missouri governor Mel Carnahan.[18] She was defeated in her home county of St. Louis by fourteen percentage points.[19]

Hanaway as U.S. Attorney

After the appointment of Raymond W. Gruender to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Hanaway was appointed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri,[20] taking office on July 19, 2005.[21] As the chief federal law enforcement for half of Missouri, Hanaway prosecuted over 4,000 cases.[22] On taking office, she made a point of visiting every local prosecuting attorney in her district, the first time in over two decades that a U.S. Attorney had done so.[23]

One of Hanaway's focuses as U.S. Attorney was the prosecution of methamphetamine manufacturers and dealers, including illegal immigrants bringing in the drug from outside of Missouri.[24]

She also focused on prosecuting child exploitation cases[25] and government corruption. In a highly publicized case, she successfully sued nursing home chain Cathedral Rock Corp. for Medicaid and Medicare fraud.[25] She also prosecuted a number of public officials, including a state representative who pleaded guilty to bribing a bank official.[26]

On February 11, 2014, Hanaway announced that she was running for Governor of Missouri in the 2016 election.[27] She announced her candidacy after Democrat Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced his, and vowed to "build the largest and best grass-roots campaign in Missouri history."[28] She is endorsed by former U.S. Senator Kit Bond,[29] South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley,[30] Kansas Governor Sam Brownback,[31] and Congresswoman Ann Wagner.[28]

Her campaign employed Jeff Roe as a political consultant,[32] Hanaway suspended her campaign for a month after Schweich's suicide.[33]

Hanaway has been very critical of Governor Jay Nixon's response to the unrest in Ferguson. She feels that he was insufficiently supportive of law enforcement.[34] She also criticized a gubernatorial rival , state Attorney General Chris Koster, for failing to prosecute those who assaulted police officers, looted, and set fires during the unrest.[35]

She has similarly attacked the "lawlessness" at the University of Missouri, and called for the firing of Professor Melissa Click, who was caught on tape calling for "muscle" to be called in to prevent a student journalist from recording certain events at the campus protests in November 2015.[36] Click was eventually charged with assault[37] and fired.[38]

On November 3, 2015, Hanaway launched a two-week statewide "Restore Conservative Values to Missouri Tour" in an RV nicknamed "Tiger One." The focus of the tour was supporting law enforcement, fighting abortion, and expanding Second Amendment rights.[39]

Hanaway launched a second bus tour on February 25, 2016, which she called the "Safe and Strong Tour," focusing on her prosecutorial experience and rising crime rates.[34]

In a televised debate on March 17, 2016, Hanaway criticized rival Eric Greitens for accepting a $1 million campaign contribution from venture capitalist Michael Goguen, who has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a woman who had been the victim of sex trafficking for over a decade.[40][41]

Hanaway lost the Missouri Republican primary to Eric Greitens, she finished fourth with 19.95% of the popular vote.