Sen. McCaskill backs group urging Hillary 2016 run

Just because the next presidential election is more than three years away doesn't mean lawmakers can't start placing their bets now.

Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill on Tuesday announced her support for a pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to do so.

The group Ready for Hillary is urging the former secretary of State to enter the 2016 race for president. Though Clinton has not publicly announced her plans, McCaskill joined those nudging her into the race.

"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 statement. "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."

McCaskill was an early supporter of then-Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 race.