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With Bailey set to move to a position in President Donald Trump’s administration after a surprise announcement Monday, the Republican governor named Catherine Hanaway to take over the 400-person office on Sept. 8.

Hanaway, 61, has served as chair of the Husch Blackwell law firm and has a lengthy history in public roles.

Hanaway served as U.S. attorney in Missouri’s eastern district, which is based in St. Louis. She also served as speaker of the Missouri House from 2003 to 2005, and as a staffer for the late U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond.

“The role of Attorney General is incredibly significant for state government, serving as the chief legal officer of the state, and there is not a more qualified person to serve Missourians as our next Attorney General than Catherine Hanaway,” Kehoe told reporters in his office.

He said her views on crime reflect his, signaling the office may focus more on prosecution than litigation.

“A former U.S. Attorney, Catherine is a talented, trusted prosecutor who has a passion for enforcing the rule of law,” Kehoe said.

She first ran for elected office in 1998, winning a seat representing a St. Louis County district in the Missouri House. She also made an unsuccessful bid for Secretary of State in 2004, losing to Democrat Robin Carnahan.

Bailey, who had been mentioned as a possible attorney general candidate under Trump, will become co-deputy director of the Federal Bureau Investigation in the administration, serving alongside Dan Bongino.

The move was announced by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Monday, prompting Bailey to announce his resignation, effective Sept. 8.

The gears were set in motion last week and Hanaway said she first was approached about the possible vacancy Aug. 12.

Hanaway will take over an office that has seen three previous attorneys general over the past six years as Bailey, Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley have used the post as a stepping stone to Washington, D.C.

Bailey modeled his office on the same partisan underpinnings as his predecessors, using the position to insert Missouri into headline-grabbing fights in support of Trump.

He pushed culture war issues ranging from transgender health care to immigration.

Unlike Schmitt and Hawley, who became U.S. senators, Bailey is becoming co-deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Hanaway said she intends to run for a full term in 2028.

“It is a humbling honor to be selected for this role, and a duty I do not take lightly. Attorney General Bailey has done an incredible job fighting for Missourians, and I am eager to get to work on behalf of Missourians to uphold the rule of law, protect the Constitution, and ensure a strong future for our state,” she said.

“Fighting crime is and will remain Job One in this office,” she added.

Her appointment won bipartisan support.

“Catherine Hanaway will be a vast improvement over her incompetent and unprofessional predecessor,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, who added that House Democrats believe she can restore integrity to the office.

U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, a Ballwin Republican, called Hanaway a trailblazer in being the first and only woman to serve as Missouri House Speaker and now as attorney general.

“There is nobody more qualified to serve as Missouri’s next Attorney General than Catherine Hanaway,” Wagner said.

Hanaway was not shy about expressing her support for Trump as far back as 2016, when he was running against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

During her unsuccessful primary run for governor in 2016, for example, Hanaway was among two of the four candidates who expressed no hesitancy to campaign with Trump as he ran for president.

“Will I campaign with Donald Trump? Of course, I will,” said Hanaway, rattling off a list of issues — immigration, abortion, likely Supreme Court nominations — in which she found his views preferable to Clinton’s.

Hanaway takes over amid Bailey’s push to remove St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery from office over alleged nepotism and controversial spending.

“I intend to continue to pursue that,” Hanaway said.

Bailey’s office also convinced a grand jury to indict St. Louis County Executive Sam Page for using tax dollars to campaign against a ballot question.

During her tenure as U.S. attorney, Hanaway prosecuted former state Rep. John Bowman, a north St. Louis County Democrat, for bribery in a credit card scheme. Bowman, who was convicted on misdemeanor charges, now is running for a state Senate seat.

Hanaway and Bailey have been on opposite sides of some issues.

While Bailey worked to upend a massive, multi-state power line project known as Grain Belt Express over issues of eminent domain, Hanaway was the power operator’s attorney, arguing against efforts to stop it.

“The Attorney General has no authority to interfere with the Missouri Public Service Commission or its final approval of this project,” Hanaway said during the dust-up. “Grain Belt Express seeks to bring an end to the AG’s unlawful and politically motivated investigation.”

As a private attorney moving into a public role, Hanaway said she will be recusing herself from cases involving her law firm.

Kehoe said he hopes Hanaway sticks around longer than her three predecessors.

“I’m interested in providing that office stability,” the governor said.