Sarah Steelman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

This article contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election. Content may change as the election approaches.

Sarah Steelman
Born	May 3, 1958(1958-05-03) Jefferson City, Missouri, USA
Occupation	State Treasurer of Missouri
Spouse	David Steelman

Sarah Steelman (b. May 3, 1958, Jefferson City, Missouri, USA) is an American politician from Missouri, and is currently its State Treasurer.

[edit] Education and career

She attended Jefferson City public schools before attending University of Missouri–Columbia,^[1] from where she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Master of Arts degree in Economics. A member of the Republican Party, Steelman's political career began with her election to the Missouri State Senate in 1998, representing Rolla and surrounding counties. Prior to her election, Steelman served as deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. She also worked as an economist for the Department of Revenue and as an adjunct professor of Economics at Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

Steelman endorsed John McCain for president in 2000, and briefly considered running for the U.S. Senate in November 2002 against Senator Jean Carnahan, but instead she opted to run for re-election to her seat in the state Senate. In 2004, Steelman was elected State Treasurer. She became the second woman elected to that post, succeeding Nancy Farmer. Although several leaders in the Missouri Republican Party (including Governor Matt Blunt, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, House Speaker Rod Jetton, and former U.S. Senator Jim Talent) have indicated their support for Mitt Romney in 2008, Steelman reportedly is "leaning toward McCain again in 2008."^{[citation needed]}

Steelman was the first major convert^[2] to "Divest Terror", a strategy of the Center for Security Policy that enjoys some national following. As Steelman implements it, the program investments in funds that divest assets in North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Sudan.^[3] In her capacity as an ex-officio board member of a pension system for Missouri government workers, she requested similar divestments from countries on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.^[4]

On the morning of January 22, 2008, Steelman announced that she would seek a second term as State Treasurer, but changed her mind when Governor Matt Blunt announced he would not seek reelection later that same afternoon. Following Blunt's announcement, Steelman announced she would run for Governor.

[edit] Family connections

Sarah Steelman is married to David Steelman, former Republican Leader in the Missouri House. Her father, John Hearne, is a well-respected lawyer in Jefferson City and her father-in-law is the late Dorman Steelman, a former chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.

[edit] References

1. ^ Official Manual State of Missouri 2001-2002. Matt Blunt, Secretary of State, 136. 
2. ^ Jonathan Alter. "Before We Bomb Iran...". Newsweek, October 22, 2007.
3. ^ Sue Asci. "'Terror-free' investing draws public pension plans". InvestmentNews, October 15, 2007.
4. ^ Jason Rosenbaum. "50 Years of Investing". Columbia Tribune, October 6, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman - official state site
• Follow the Money - Sarah Steelman 2004 campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart - Sarah Steelman (MO) profile
• [1] Gubernatorial Campaign site