Crystal Quade (born 1985/1986) is an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

who serves as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

in the

Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...

. She currently serves as the House Minority Leader.

Early life

Quade was the first person in her immediate family to graduate from high school. She graduated from Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in social work. Quade developed a strong interest in politics after taking a college course in policy, and, after graduating from college, Quade worked as a legislative staff member for then- U.S. Senator

Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskill (; born July 24, 1953) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Missouri from 2007 to 2019 and as State Auditor of Missouri from 1999 to 2007. McCaskill is a native of Rolla, Missouri. She g ...

. Prior to being elected to a seat in the

, Quade was the former chapter services director of Care to Learn, a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that provides funding to address health, hunger, and hygiene needs of schoolchildren in multiple Missouri public school districts.

Electoral career

In 2016, then-Missouri State Representative Charlie Norr did not seek re-election. Two Democrats, two Republicans, and one Libertarian filed to run in the 2016 race in the 132nd Missouri state representative district. Quade defeated Bob Sweere in the Democratic primary to win the Democratic nomination, and Quade defeated Republican nominee Thomas Quinn and Libertarian nominee Chris Burros by receiving 5,215 votes to Quinn's 4,243 votes to Burros's 521 votes. In 2018, Quade ran for re-election in the 132nd Missouri state representative district, winning the Democratic primary unopposed and running against Republican nominee Sarah Semple in the general election. Quade was re-elected by receiving 5,383 votes to Semple's 2,982 votes.

Legislative career

As a state legislator, Quade serves on the Budget Committee and the Committee on Government Efficiencies, as well as the Missouri General Assembly's Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. In September 2017, less than a full year after being sworn into office, Quade was elected vice chairperson of the minority caucus of the Missouri House of Representatives by her Democratic colleagues. Following the 2018 state legislative elections in Missouri, Quade was elected Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives for the 2019 Missouri legislative session.

References

External links

Official Missouri House of Representatives website for Crystal Quade
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quade, Crystal 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians Living people Democratic Party members of the Missouri House of Representatives Missouri State University alumni Politicians from Springfield, Missouri Women state legislators in Missouri Year of birth missing (living people)