In 1998, McCaskill was elected as State Auditor with 50.3 percent of the vote in the general election.
She was the second female to hold the post, the first having been her immediate predecessor, Margaret B. Kelly.

When McCaskill ran for reelection in 2002, the winner of the Republican Party primary was Al Hanson, who had previously been incarcerated for fraud.
Hanson said he was qualified to detect fraud because he had committed fraud himself.
Because of Hanson's history, the leader of the Missouri Republican Party urged voters not to vote for Hanson in the general election.
McCaskill was reelected with 60 percent of the vote.
In 1998, McCaskill was elected as State Auditor with 50.3 percent of the vote in the general election. She was the second female to hold the post, the first having been her immediate predecessor, Margaret B. Kelly.
When McCaskill ran for reelection in 2002, the winner of the Republican Party primary was Al Hanson, who had previously been incarcerated for fraud. Hanson said he was qualified to detect fraud because he had committed fraud himself. Because of Hanson's history, the leader of the Missouri Republican Party urged voters not to vote for Hanson in the general election. McCaskill was reelected with 60 percent of the vote.
Claire McCaskill