Cynthia L. Davis
Encyclopedia
Cynthia L. Davis is a former Republican
member of the Missouri House of Representatives
. She lives in O'Fallon, Missouri
.
. She majored in music at Nyack College
of Nyack, New York
before marrying Bernie in 1980.
After moving to Missouri Christmas Eve of 1984, she with her husband opened the Back to Basics Christian Bookstore in O'Fallon in 1989.
in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Other elected offices:
Republican Committeewoman for Dardenne Township, State Committeewoman for the Second Senatorial District, Vice-President of the First Capitol Federation of Republican Women
She served on the following committees: Chairman of the Children and Families Committee, Chairman of the Interim Committee on Poverty, Member of Healthcare Policy Committee, State Parks and Waterways Committee, and Elections Committee.
Davis filed a bill calling for a state ban on elective abortion
s. She said the bill would "protect public safety, health and welfare".
Davis left the Republican Party to join the Constitution Party
over what amounts to a loss of party principles. She sent a letter to Republican Central Committee declaring her reasons for leaving. On October 2, 2011, she announced her run for Lieutenant Governor as a Constitution Party candidate.
The Daily Star-Journal
said that Davis "seems to have missed a lesson in humanity," concluding that "Schools provide real parents a real place where their real children can get a real meal, which is a lot more filling than empty advice from politicians." St. Louis Today characterized Davis as "oblivious," declaring that "When you chair a state special committee on children and families, you probably ought to learn something about the needs of children and families." Springfields New-Leader columnist Roger Ray called Davis "clueless" and noted reports that Davis had been seen "stealing food at state dinners to take home to her children.". Missouri House Minority Floor Leader Paul LeVota
requested Davis be removed as chairwoman of the Children and Families Committee. And Missouri's junior U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill
responded that "Fagin
agreed that hunger was a motivator for children. I don't."
Davis was named the daily "worst person in the world" more than once on Countdown with Keith Olbermann
for her comments. Stephen Colbert
mocked Davis's comments about the motivational effect of hunger, telling Missourians "If you see Representative Davis at a restaurant or a hot dog stand or even through the window of her own dining room, do the right thing and take her food away." Los Angeles Times
columnist Patt Morrison concluded that "Questioning the need for school meals doesn’t prove that there is no need for them – only that someone’s not paying attention, or chooses not to.".
Davis has responded by stating her comments were taken out of context, saying "We all agree on the importance of feeding children, but we differ on who should do this."
Ms. Davis is no longer a Missouri State Representative (term limits). She lost a primary race for state senator in 2010. She also lost an election for the St. Charles County Ambulance Board. She recently stepped down as the head of the St. Charles County GOP Committee to concentrate on further elective political office; there was controversy with the Committee about her tenure.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Missouri House of Representatives
Missouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
. She lives in O'Fallon, Missouri
O'Fallon, Missouri
O'Fallon is a suburban city along Interstate 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in Saint Charles County, Missouri. It is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census population of 79,329, it is the seventh largest city in the state and the largest in St. Charles...
.
Personal life
She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Needham High School in Needham, MassachusettsNeedham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. She majored in music at Nyack College
Nyack College
Nyack College is a private, evangelical, liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and home to the Alliance Theological Seminary, one of the denomination's seminaries. The main campus is located in Nyack, New York...
of Nyack, New York
Nyack, New York
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
before marrying Bernie in 1980.
After moving to Missouri Christmas Eve of 1984, she with her husband opened the Back to Basics Christian Bookstore in O'Fallon in 1989.
Political career
In 1992 she was appointed to chair the legislative committee for the O'Fallon Business Association. She was first elected to the O'Fallon Board of Aldermen in 1994, served as its president in 1995, and was thereafter elected to five consecutive terms. She was elected to the Missouri House of RepresentativesMissouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Other elected offices:
Republican Committeewoman for Dardenne Township, State Committeewoman for the Second Senatorial District, Vice-President of the First Capitol Federation of Republican Women
She served on the following committees: Chairman of the Children and Families Committee, Chairman of the Interim Committee on Poverty, Member of Healthcare Policy Committee, State Parks and Waterways Committee, and Elections Committee.
Davis filed a bill calling for a state ban on elective abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s. She said the bill would "protect public safety, health and welfare".
Davis left the Republican Party to join the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
over what amounts to a loss of party principles. She sent a letter to Republican Central Committee declaring her reasons for leaving. On October 2, 2011, she announced her run for Lieutenant Governor as a Constitution Party candidate.
Lunch controversy
In June 2009, remarks made by Davis in her constituent newsletter received local and national criticism. Davis attacked programs providing subsidized meals for school-age children from lower-income families during the summer months, claiming that such programs "could break apart more families" and asserting that "Hunger can be a positive motivator."The Daily Star-Journal
The Daily Star-Journal
The Daily Star-Journal is a daily newspaper in Warrensburg, Missouri published by the News-Press & Gazette Company .-History:The paper traces its history to the Warrensburg Journal which began publishing April 17, 1865 by James Douglas Eads -- seven days after the end of the American Civil War and...
said that Davis "seems to have missed a lesson in humanity," concluding that "Schools provide real parents a real place where their real children can get a real meal, which is a lot more filling than empty advice from politicians." St. Louis Today characterized Davis as "oblivious," declaring that "When you chair a state special committee on children and families, you probably ought to learn something about the needs of children and families." Springfields New-Leader columnist Roger Ray called Davis "clueless" and noted reports that Davis had been seen "stealing food at state dinners to take home to her children.". Missouri House Minority Floor Leader Paul LeVota
Paul LeVota
Paul LeVota is a candidate for State Senator in Missouri’s 11th District. This district includes Independence, Raytown, Sugar Creek, parts of South Kansas City, and unincorporated Jackson County. Paul believes our community deserves a senator who will stand up for common sense accountability.Paul...
requested Davis be removed as chairwoman of the Children and Families Committee. And Missouri's junior U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
responded that "Fagin
Fagin
Fagin is a fictional character who appears as an antagonist of the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel as a "receiver of stolen goods", but referred to more frequently within the actual story as the "merry old gentleman" or simply the "Jew".-Character:Born...
agreed that hunger was a motivator for children. I don't."
Davis was named the daily "worst person in the world" more than once on Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
for her comments. Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
mocked Davis's comments about the motivational effect of hunger, telling Missourians "If you see Representative Davis at a restaurant or a hot dog stand or even through the window of her own dining room, do the right thing and take her food away." Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
columnist Patt Morrison concluded that "Questioning the need for school meals doesn’t prove that there is no need for them – only that someone’s not paying attention, or chooses not to.".
Davis has responded by stating her comments were taken out of context, saying "We all agree on the importance of feeding children, but we differ on who should do this."
Ms. Davis is no longer a Missouri State Representative (term limits). She lost a primary race for state senator in 2010. She also lost an election for the St. Charles County Ambulance Board. She recently stepped down as the head of the St. Charles County GOP Committee to concentrate on further elective political office; there was controversy with the Committee about her tenure.
External links
- Lt. Governor Campaign site
- Profile at the Missouri House of Representatives.