'I'm proud to announce that I'm Ready For Hillary,' McCaskill said in a statement. | AP Photos McCaskill endorses Clinton for 2016

Saying that “it’s important we start early,” Sen. Claire McCaskill on Tuesday endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in one of the first major moves of the 2016 cycle.

“Now, as I look at 2016 and think about who is best to lead this country forward, I’m proud to announce that I am Ready for Hillary,” read a statement from the Missouri Democrat, which was posted at ReadyforHillary.com.


McCaskill backed President Barack Obama over Clinton in the 2008 cycle, something she acknowledged in the statement.

( PHOTOS: Who’s talking about Hillary 2016?)

“In 2008, I was an early supporter of then-Senator Obama’s campaign,” the statement said. “I worked my heart out to elect him President.”

Clinton, the former secretary of state, is keeping active with work on the early childhood initiatives front among a slew of other activities. She also recently joined Twitter, opening an account in which she hints at future job prospects: “Wife, mom, lawyer, women & kids advocate, FLOAR, FLOTUS, US Senator, SecState, author, dog owner, hair icon, pantsuit aficionado, glass ceiling cracker, TBD…” her Twitter biography reads.

“Hillary Clinton had to give up her political operation while she was making us proud, representing us around the world as an incredible Secretary of State, and that’s why Ready for Hillary is so critical,” McCaskill said in a post on the website. “It’s important that we start early, building a grassroots army from the ground up, and effectively using the tools of the Internet – all things that President Obama did so successfully – so that if Hillary does decide to run, we’ll be ready to help her win.”