Klippenstein represented the 5th District, encompassing all or parts of Buchanan, Clinton, De Kalb and Gentry counties in northwest Missouri.

[citation needed] He attended Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1955.

Representative Klippenstein received his higher education at Penn State University, earning a degree in Animal Science in 1959.

He ran for the 5th District House of Representatives in 2010, defeating Ken Gillespie and Glen B. Crowther in the August Republican primary.

In the November general election he beat out Democrat Judy Wright and Constitution Party candidate Gary Murray to succeed the term limited Jim Guest.