Senator Cindy O'Laughlin

Cindy O'Laughlin is a Republican member of the Missouri State Senate representing District 18, which encompasses Northeast Missouri counties including Adair, Audrain, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, and Shelby.

O'Laughlin grew up on a farm and spent much of her childhood around horses, livestock auctions, and corn fields. She is a current resident of Shelbina and has four sons, a foster daughter, and seven grandchildren. She is an animal lover with several dogs, including Basset Hounds and rescue dogs.

Prior to her election to the state Senate, she worked as a school bus driver, an administrator at a local Christian school, and served on her local school board. She is the former co-owner of Leo O'Laughlin, Inc., a trucking company and ready-mix concrete business with locations in Shelbina, Macon, Marceline, and LaBelle.

Education

O'Laughlin is a 1978 graduate of the University of Missouri.

Political Experience

O'Laughlin was first elected to the Missouri Senate in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. She was sworn into office on January 9, 2019.

In 2022, she was elected by her peers as Majority Floor Leader, becoming the first female to hold this position in Missouri state history. She is credited with improving the efficiency of the Missouri Senate during her first year in that role.

Currently, she serves as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. She previously chaired the Senate Education Committee and remains a strong advocate for school choice in Missouri. She also serves on the Children's Trust Fund Board and the Missouri State Capitol Commission.