Cindy O'Laughlin

O’Laughlin served as vice president and co-ownder of Leo O’Laughlin, Inc, a trucking company and ready-mix concrete business. She also worked as a school bus driver and administrator at a Christian school. She has participated in various civic organizations such as the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Shelby County Economic Development Board, the Associated Builders and Contractors, and the Missouri Club for Growth.

In October 2017, O’Laughlin announced her candidacy for state senate.{{Cite web |url=https://www.whig.com/20171010/olaughlin-enters-missouri-senate-race/ |title=O'Laughlin enters Missouri Senate race}} She won the Republican primary against three other candidates. She successfully ran against Democrat Crystal Stevens in the November election.{{Cite news|last=KHQA|date=2018-08-07|title=Cindy O'Laughlin wins Republican nomination for State Senate in District 18|url=https://khqa.com/news/local/craig-redmon-concedes-in-district-18-race|access-date=2021-07-08|website=KHQA}}

O’Laughlin serves as the chair of the Missouri Senate Committee on Education and also the Missouri General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Education.{{Cite web|author=Missouri Senate|title=Joint Committee on Education|url=https://www.senate.mo.gov/jc-education/|access-date=November 18, 2020}}

On July 6, 2021, O'Laughlin visited the Schuyler County Courthouse in Lancaster. The goal of the visit was to let residents talk about current Missouri issues. Topics brought up included gun rights, broadband and road infrastructure. Residents also talked about Medicaid, which had been approved by Missouri the previous month.{{Cite web|last=McGee|first=Caelan|date=2021-07-06|title=State Senator Cindy O'Laughlin meets with Schuyler County residents|url=https://ktvo.com/news/local/state-senator-cindy-olaughlin-host-update-in-schuyler-county|access-date=2021-07-08|website=KTVO}}

On joining the Senate, O'Laughlin was initially a member of the conservative caucus, but left in 2021 due to their disruptive tactics. In 2023, she was the first woman elected as majority leader of the Missouri Senate.{{Cite web |last=Keller |first=Rudi |date=2023-01-09 |title=‘She doesn’t have a tribe’: Cindy O’Laughlin’s new role tests ability to bridge factions |url=https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/09/she-doesnt-have-a-tribe-cindy-olaughlins-new-role-tests-ability-to-bridge-factions/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Missouri Independent |language=en-US}} In 2025, she was the first woman to serve as president pro tem.{{Cite news |last=Manley |first=Emily |date=2024-11-19 |title=Cindy O’Laughlin makes history as first woman to lead Missouri Senate |url=https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/cindy-olaughlin-makes-history-as-first-woman-to-lead-missouri-senate/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241121023657/https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/cindy-olaughlin-makes-history-as-first-woman-to-lead-missouri-senate/ |archive-date=2024-11-21 |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=FOX 2 |language=en-US}}

In 2025, O'Laughlin supported a measure to reverse a constitutional amendment passed by a majority of Missouri voters the previous year. As pro-tem, she facilitated the interruption of oppositional filibuster using an uncommon procedural move. O'Laughlin told media that the measure was a compromise for officials who campaign on opposing access to abortion.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-15 |title=Republican legislators approve ballot item that would again ban most abortions in Missouri |url=https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-05-14/missouri-republican-legislators-approve-ballot-item-that-would-again-ban-most-abortions |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=STLPR |language=en}}

O’Laughlin was an early opponent of state and national lockdowns as it related to the COVID-19 pandemic and advocated for the state to allow visitors to return to nursing homes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.moberlymonitor.com/news/20200323/orsquolaughlin-questions-validity-of-stay-at-home-orders |title=O'Laughlin questions validity of stay-at-home orders |date=March 23, 2020 |last=Cliburn |first=Erik |website=The Moberly Monitor-Index |access-date=November 18, 2020}} An editorial by The Kansas City Star called her advice “dangerous.”{{Cite web |url=https://www.maconhomepress.com/articles/2876/view |date=April 1, 2020 |title=O'Laughlin criticized for now deleted Facebook post regarding stay-at-home orders |last=Nelson |first=Benjamin |website=The Macon County Home Press}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article241488356.html |title='Get on with the business of life'? Missouri lawmaker offers dangerous COVID-19 advice |date=March 25, 2020 |website=The Kansas City Star}}

In 2022, she opposed the Joe Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine requirements for health care workers.{{Cite web|last=Bacharier|first=Galen|title=U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments from Missouri on vaccine mandates for health care workers|url=https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/07/supreme-court-vaccine-mandate-2022-arguments-missouri-health-care-cms/9129863002/|access-date=2022-01-08|website=Springfield News-Leader|language=en-US}}

O’Laughlin serves as the chair of the Missouri Senate Committee on Education and also the Missouri General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Education. She has sponsored legislation to expand charter schools and is a supporter of school choice. Prior to being elected to the Missouri Senate, O’Laughlin served as a member of the school board at her local public school and as an administrator at a local private school.

In 2020, O’Laughlin sponsored legislation to require transgender high school athletes to compete based on their assigned sex at birth.{{Cite web |url=https://www.kmov.com/news/missouri-senator-proposes-trans-student-athletes-to-play-sports-on-gender-identified-at-birth/article_09a8ff2e-36df-11ea-bd91-4fb6daa856cb.html |title=Missouri senator proposes trans student-athletes to play sports on gender identified at birth |website=CNN |date=January 14, 2020 |access-date=November 18, 2020}}

O'Laughlin opposed sick leave provisions in a constitutional amendment passed by a majority of Missouri voters in 2024, calling required sick leave for employees an "economic bomb." The provision was upheld by Missouri Supreme Court.{{Cite web |last=Suntrup |first=Jack |date=2025-04-29 |title=Passage of minimum wage, sick leave law ‘valid,’ Missouri Supreme Court rules |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/article_0ab9bc71-0b95-4526-889c-aa6f30ff7a62.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en}}

O'Laughlin lives in Shelbina, Missouri. She has four sons, a foster daughter and seven grandchildren, and a passion for basset hounds.

__NOTOC__

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Republican Primary Results{{cite web|url=https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750004535|title=State of Missouri - Primary Election, August 07, 2018|work=Missouri Secretary of State|date=November 16, 2018}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Cindy O'Laughlin

| votes = 9,893

| percentage = 36.70%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Craig Redmon

| votes = 7,236

| percentage = 26.84%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Nate Walker

| votes = 5,340

| percentage = 19.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Lindell F. Shumake

| votes = 4,489

| percentage = 16.65%

}}

{{Election box margin of victory no change

| votes = 2,657

| percentage = 9.86%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 26,958

| percentage = 100.0%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Missouri's 18th State Senate District, 2018{{cite web|url=https://enr.sos.mo.gov/|title=State of Missouri - General Election, November 06, 2018|work=Missouri Secretary of State|date=November 16, 2018}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Cindy O'Laughlin

| votes = 46,225

| percentage = 70.30%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Crystal Stephens

| votes = 19,528

| percentage = 29.70%

}}

{{Election box margin of victory no change

| votes = 26,697

| percentage = 40.60%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 65,753

| percentage = 100.0%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=Missouri's 18th State Senate District, 2022{{cite web|title=Election Results; Official Election Returns|date=December 9, 2022|publisher=Missouri Secretary of State|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/2022GeneralElection.pdf|accessdate=January 8, 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Cindy O'Laughlin

|votes = 42,989

|percentage = 75.78%

|change = +5.48

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Ayanna Shivers|votes=13,739|percentage=24.22%|change=-5.48}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 56,728

|percentage = 100.0%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Republican Party (US)

}}

{{Election box end}}

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{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Caleb Rowden}}

{{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Missouri Senate|years=2023–2025}}

{{s-aft|after=Tony Luetkemeyer}}

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{{s-ttl|title=President pro tempore of the Missouri Senate|years=2025–present}}

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{{Missouri statewide political officials}}

{{Current U.S. State Senate Presidents}}

{{Missouri State Senators}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:OLaughlin, Cindy}}

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:21st-century members of the Missouri General Assembly

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party Missouri state senators

Category:Women state legislators in Missouri

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)