Elaine Gannon Explained

Elaine Gannon
State Senate:Missouri
District:3rd
Term Start:January 6, 2021
Predecessor:Gary Romine
State House1:Missouri
District1:115th
Term Start1:January 9, 2013
Term End1:January 6, 2021
Predecessor1:Joseph Fallert Jr. (redistricting)
Successor1:Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway
Birth Date:2 February 1953
Birth Place:Bonne Terre, Missouri
Profession:Teacher
Spouse:Dennis
Children:2
Residence:De Soto, Missouri
Party:Republican

Elaine Gannon (born February 2, 1953) is an American politician. She is a member of the Missouri Senate, representing District 3. She is also a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives, having served from 2013 to 2021. She is a member of the Republican Party.[1] [2]

Missouri State Senate

Elected in 2020, she preceded fellow Republican Gary Romine, after serving eight years in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Committee assignments

Views and response

Gannon sponsored a measure for Senate consideration in December 2022, which was aimed at extending Medicaid health insurance coverage for low-income mothers, from the current sixty days to twelve months following the birth of a baby. Bipartisan efforts to increase postnatal coverage for low-income families have been ongoing, with two bills failing earlier in 2022.[3]

In another bipartisan position, Gannon spoke against the actions of a group of Republican senators. The men, calling themselves the "Conservative Caucus", were blocking debate and delaying procedures to adopt a new congressional map. The redistricting was a bipartisan proposal which had already passed the house, but the Conservative Caucus faction obstructed action on it for several days. Speaking as part of a group of bipartisan women senators who were critical of the hardliner's intransigence and dominance of the debate, Gannon noted: "I think it's time that we the women of the Senate say what we want to say".[4]

During a March, 2022, Senate Education committee hearing, Gannon attracted negative attention when she asked a 14-year-old witness, who identified as transgender and non-binary: "Are you going to go through the procedure?". The enquiry caused "an eruption of shouts", according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and "audible groans", according to Vice News. She was also criticized for her approach throughout the hearing, where she used expressions such as "he-she" in referring to transgender persons. The Senator later apologized for the inappropriate question. The teenage witness and the parent of the 14-year-old were critical of both Gannon and the hearing, which had been called to hear views on the proposed "Save Women's Sports Act". The bill would restrict children's access to sporting activity, disallowing participation in competitions by individuals whose assigned-sex at birth differs from the sex designated for the sporting activity.[5] [6]

Personal life

She was born in Bonne Terre, and lives in De Soto, Missouri, with her husband, Dennis.

Electoral history

State Senate

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Elaine Gannon. Project Vote Smart. April 27, 2015.
  2. Web site: Missouri House of Representatives . 2016-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160927023024/http://www.house.mo.gov/bio.aspx?year=2016&district=115 . 2016-09-27 . dead .
  3. News: Erickson . Kurt . Bipartisan effort underway to extend health coverage for new moms in Missouri . 11 January 2023 . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . December 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224222906/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/bipartisan-effort-underway-to-extend-health-coverage-for-new-moms-in-missouri/article_55bae62a-de91-5f59-bc60-bc0d0de822f6.html . December 24, 2022 . en.
  4. News: Suntrup . Jack . Frustration mounts in Missouri Senate as hard-liners block redistricting action for third day . 11 January 2023 . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . February 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220210024456/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/frustration-mounts-in-missouri-senate-as-hard-liners-block-redistricting-action-for-third-day/article_6b0a9306-4f03-5f27-b725-58c5f729eb78.html . February 10, 2022 . en.
  5. Web site: GOP Lawmaker Asks 14-Year-Old Trans Kid If They're Getting the 'Procedure' . 2022-03-18 . www.vice.com . en.
  6. News: Zokovitch . Grace . Trans athlete bill up for debate again among Missouri lawmakers . 11 January 2023 . St Louis Post-Dispatch . May 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220512044459/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/trans-athlete-bill-up-for-debate-again-among-missouri-lawmakers/article_7b722b37-ba99-54a7-84a6-b91aa1a40504.html . March 2, 2022 . en.