Catherine Hanaway, a longtime figure in Missouri Republican politics, will return to public office next month to become the state’s next attorney general.
Hanaway, 61, will take over one of the most coveted offices in state politics on Sept. 8, after her predecessor, Andrew Bailey, resigns to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She will be the first woman ever to hold the position.
The appointment, announced Tuesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe, marks a political homecoming of sorts for Hanaway, a former federal prosecutor, Missouri House speaker and candidate for governor.
Originally from Nebraska, Hanaway had been well-known in Missouri politics before leaving public life to work on her law career, including in her current role as partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell in St. Louis.
In the early 2000s, Hanaway served as the first and only female Missouri House speaker, arguably the most powerful position in the Missouri General Assembly. She is often credited for helping transform Missouri’s bellwether reputation into a Republican powerhouse.
Hanaway went on to work as a federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. After a hiatus from politics, Hanaway ran unsuccessfully for Missouri governor in 2016, losing to former Republican Gov. Eric Greitens.
A few years later, she attracted attention again when she joined the legal team that represented Greitens’ campaign committee as the scandal-plagued governor fought impeachment in 2018.
Pathway to higher office
In her return to politics, Hanaway will take over most of the most sought-after positions in Missouri. The office has often been used as a political launching pad and Missouri has seen four different attorneys general in six years.
In addition to Bailey’s departure, his most recent predecessors, Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley, used the office to launch successful campaigns for U.S. Senate.
Despite the office’s revolving-door reputation, Kehoe’s decision to appoint an established and experienced politician could signal a change of course for the position. Hanaway’s three most recent predecessors were all early in their careers and Kehoe said on Tuesday that he was seeking more stability in the office.
Hanaway told reporters on Tuesday that she planned to finish out the remaining three years of Bailey’s term and is interested in running for a full term.
“That’s my game plan,” she said.
Hanaway’s new role
One of Bailey’s main focuses as attorney general centered on fighting abortion rights after voters overturned a ban on the procedure last year. Hanaway has signaled that she would continue those efforts.
“I have a long history of being pro-life,” Hanaway said on Tuesday. “Like...many women we had some infertility struggles. I’m empathetic to that, but I believe In the sanctity of human life.”
Hanaway also suggested that curtailing crime and cultivating close relationships with law enforcement would be a main focus of her new role, echoing a key talking point from Republicans nationally and in Missouri.
One new target of the office under Hanaway, however, would center on addressing artificial intelligence or AI, she told reporters. That acknowledgement appeared to surprise Kehoe, who said he had not spoken with Hanaway about AI but was glad she mentioned it.
“It will be a priority of mine to be a leader in realizing the efficiencies that AI can provide, but also a leader in protecting Missourians from any abuses that may be rendered through AI,” Hanaway said.
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