McCaskill tours state, campaigns for troops

Sen. Claire McCaskill poses in front of the new "McCaskill for Missouri" RV. McCaskill stopped in Fulton while on her way to Columbia Wednesday afternoon as part of her campaign, while promoting her "Veterans for Claire" grassroots initiative.
Sen. Claire McCaskill poses in front of the new "McCaskill for Missouri" RV. McCaskill stopped in Fulton while on her way to Columbia Wednesday afternoon as part of her campaign, while promoting her "Veterans for Claire" grassroots initiative.

Sen. Claire McCaskill is taking to the roads in her 2012 campaign, rallying Missouri's veterans as she goes.

McCaskill stopped in Fulton in her new "McCaskill for Missouri" RV Wednesday evening, on the way into Columbia for the first official stop of her campaign. The RV will help her reach all parts of the state for her campaign, and will also help her tour as part of her "Veterans for Claire" initiative, a grassroots coalition of Missouri veterans supporting McCaskill for re-election this year.

Co-chaired by State Representative and Marine veteran Stephen Webber, "Veterans for Claire" hopes to garner support for McCaskill's campaign based on her "record of achievement and long-standing commitment to active duty service members, veterans and military families."

The push comes at an interesting time for Callaway County. About two weeks ago, groundbreaking began on a home for Marine Cpl. Tyler Huffman. The Fulton native was shot by a sniper during his 2010 tour in Afghanistan, confining him to a wheelchair. Since then, the Jefferson City community has banded together to donate and build Huffman a new wheelchair-accessible home.

McCaskill said it's important to keep the government's word to veterans like Huffman.

"In the outpouring of love and support that Tyler has felt, we can't let that fade away with the passage of time. The Veteran's Associations have to stay hooked up to heroes like Tyler, so that 10 years from now, he still has the best wheelchair that he can possibly have ... so he is getting the medical care that he needs ... so he won't have to worry about going into his own pocket to take care of him or his family."

McCaskill said her commitment to veteran issues like those Huffman has faced comes from her father, who was a WWII veteran.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.