Who is Edie McClafferty?
Edith 'Edie' McClafferty was born and raised in Butte, MT. She is a product of public education graduating from Butte High School. Like many Montanan's Edie entered the workforce after graduation. As a working mother Edie saved up, eventually enrolling at Montana Western in Dillon where she would obtain her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and minor in Special Education. She would expand this education later on by obtaining a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Montana State University in Bozeman. Edie is a passionate educator, teaching at Hillcrest Elementary School in Butte. In Helena she will continue to fight for Montana's children from the State Senate, serving as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Cultural Resources.
Edie McClafferty is a life-long public servant who has spent years in the public eye working for the people of Montana. From 1991-2001, Edie served on the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners. In 2009, she ran for the Montana State House of Representatives where she would serve until 2016. Edie was the House Minority Whip for the 2013 Legislative session. In addition to serving on numerous committees in the State House, she Edie served as the Vice Chair of the Education Committee, a position she holds to this day. In 2016, she was elected to the Montana State Senate. Currently she serves as Vice Chair of the Education and Cultural Resources Committee and is a member of the Fish and Game and Taxation Committees. In addition to serving in the State Legislature, Edie is a member of the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Commission, the K-12 Data Task Force, and the Montana College and Career Standards Commission. After serving four terms in the Montana House of Representatives and one term in the Montana Senate, Edie knows what it takes to fight for her constituents in Jefferson County and Butte.
As a Legislator, Edie has championed legislation relating to public education, mental health, and protecting our Montana way of life. She will continue to support Montana's agricultural and farming communities, listening to Ag leaders across the state and voting to keep farming and ranching communities strong. During the most recent legislative session, Edie focuses on advocacy for mental health, education, and economic issues. She did this because these are the issues that impact all ages. As a 5th grade elementary school teacher Edie has her finger on the pulse of public education and recognizes the importance of an improved mental health program. She believes that teachers and staff should be able to recognize the signs and have the ability to help children struggling with hard times. In an increasingly polarizes political climate, Edie has a strong record of being able to work with members of both parties to make life better in Montana. When republicans wanted a bill to help children with dyslexia, they reached out to Edie to sign on to the bill and together they got it passed. She reached out to a Republican representative to sponsor her bill for a mobile crisis unit. Together they got the bill passed. Her work on this bill caught the attention of the National Alliance of Mental health. In December of 2019, they awarded her with the NAMI Montana Hero Award for her work advocating for mental health care in the Legislature. She is passionate about improving the everyday lives of Montanans and will continue to work hard for 19,943 citizens of Senate District 38.
Edie has been married to her husband Danny for 32 years. Together they owned and operated Mac's Glass for 23 years. Edie knows firsthand the hardships faced by business owners and will work hard to support small business across Montana. Edie and Danny have three children and seven grandchildren. As a lifelong Montanan, Edie loves to enjoy all that Montana has to offer and will always fight to preserve our shared Montana heritage. One of her favorite things to do is to ride her Harley over the Bearthooth Pass with her husband.
Edie McClafferty has a strong record of working for the people of Jefferson and Silver Bow County. She is the only candidate who will stand up for public employees, Jefferson County's schools, public land access, small businesses and agriculture. Edie's record speaks for itself. She is far and above the best candidate for Senate District 38.
