2019 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Crystal Quade, 33

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Then: District 132, Missouri House of Representatives
Now: Minority floor leader, Missouri House

It’s been a momentous year at the state Capitol for Crystal Quade. The House democrat was elected by her peers as minority floor leader for the 2019 legislative session.

“Having both the speaker and minority leader from the same community will be great for Springfield, and I am excited to see what we get done,” she says, pointing to Rep. Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield. “I consider becoming minority leader a personal life change, as well as professional. The Missouri Democrats are in a unique time of rebuilding. We have diverse and young leadership and are making a lot of infrastructure changes.”

First elected to office in 2016, Quade was re-elected in November 2018, when she defeated Republican challenger Sarah Semple. Her legislative priorities this session include protecting the state Sunshine Law, funding care for older Missourians and people with disabilities, and education and tax issues.