MO-Sen: Claire McCaskill gets more heat over use of private plane

After U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) was discovered to have been using her private plane between stops on a campaign RV tour last month, critics of the incumbent are seeking to capitalize on the opportunity to brand her as out of touch with Missouri voters.

How's that?

President Donald Trump dubbed McCaskill "Air Claire," calling her a "phony" on Twitter after the senator confirmed the plane use.

The campaign of Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley — McCaskill's presumed GOP opponent this fall —  didn't waste any time in releasing a video entitled "Air Claire, Ready for Takeoff."



And on Wednesday, the group, Missouri Rising, spent seven figures on a statewide TV ad to make the case that McCaskill's wealth and lengthy political career makes her too much of an elite to relate to voters in her home state.



But the National Republican Senatorial Committee took a lighter approach, trolling Sen. McCaskill with a fake "ground crew" when she stopped during another RV tour. A "worker" dressed as an airport wing walker pretending to be directing ground traffic — and video was posted of the scene.



What does McCaskill say?

Sen. McCaskill is seemingly unfazed by the attacks. She defended her plane use, saying, "Paying on my own dime to visit more Missouri veterans is not something I'm going to apologize for."