Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Q&A #1: What Does Alabama Mean? (Same Q&A as yesterday, different answer)
Short answer: choose your own answer.
Good News for McCaskill
The mid-terms are looking better for Dems. From Ron Brownstein’s twitterfeed (see it here): File away for 2018: Per AL exit 93% of voters who disapprove of Trump voted Democratic. In VA Gov it was 87%. In NJ 82%. Next year R's will be defending lots of places where Trump approval won't be as high as Alabama (48)
Last MOScout poll showed Trump approval at 50%.
Bad News for McCaskill
This removes Roy Moore as a caricature of old men Republicanism to run against and to rally suburban women against. But… is there any doubt that President Donald Trump will give McCaskill and Dems more ammo on this attack line between now and November 2018?
Drebes: Eh
This Alabama special election was nothing more complicated than something we’ve seen many times before in politics: a major party nominates the wrong person and loses a general election race they should have won.
But there’s a lesson for conservatives: don’t let a small fraction of the base (homophobic or chauvinistic) hijack your party. Remember what it is to be conservative.
And the same lesson goes for Greitens: If you want to be conservative, be conservative. Kill the Confide. Conservatives want a smaller, and transparent, government that they can keep a close eye and tight leash on. Nothing conservative about hiding insert here (tax returns, transition emails, inaugural donors, PAC donors, text messages…).
Allen for City Council
Former Rep. Sue Allen filed to run for Town and Country City Council. See it here. This is the seat of Linda Rallo. Rallo is an early childhood advocate who spearheaded the cigarette tax which failed last cycle. Rallo isn’t running for re-election. The two have been friends since they room together in Jefferson City when Allen was a rep and Rallo LA-ed for Cole McNary. Rallo’s husband, Nick, will be Allen’s treasurer.
Hill Jokes MeToo
Rep. Justin Hill’s “MeToo” joke on Facebook that a few folks sent me screen captures of. (It’s still up. See it here.) His Facebook friends all find it funny, but the folks who pointed me to it thought it was tone deaf at best. One female in the building: “Elected officials… shouldn’t post stuff on social media making light of the #metoo movement which was meant to give voices to those who have suffered rape, molestation, unwanted advances etc…”
Follow-Up on Ray for County Executive
The news that Bill Ray started a campaign committee to run for county executive of St. louis County as a Democrat brought various responses.
We’ll see how a Ray candidacy plays out… But one MOScouter saw his entry as good for incumbent Steve Stenger because it splits the anti-incumbent vote (with Mark Mantovani). Another saw it as natural that the African American voting bloc in St. Louis County would produce a candidate behind whom they could rally.
Fitzwater to Handle Eigel Tax Reform in the House
The media advisory: Representative Travis Fitzwater and Senator Bill Eigel will be hosting a press conference on Wednesday December 13th at 11:00am in the Thomas Hart Benton House Lounge to discuss tax reform efforts in Missouri and will be available to answer questions related to tax reform…
MO #40 on Health Ranking
Missouri ranks 40th (down 3 from last year on United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings Annual Report. See it here.
The press release: For 28 years, the report has analyzed a comprehensive set of data on behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care and outcomes to provide a holistic view of the health of the nation… 2017 Missouri Strengths: Higher number of primary care physicians; High percentage of high school graduation; Small disparity in health status by educational attainment. 2017 Missouri Challenges: High prevalence of smoking, Lower number of dentists; High violent crime rate… [S]ince 2012 drug deaths increased 18% from 14.9 to 17.6 deaths per 100,000 population, and cardiovascular deaths have increased each year since 2014 (from 281.1 deaths in 2014 to 288.6 deaths per 100,000 population)…
Polling on Tanning
Tipster says that they were polled – live poll no less – on proposals relating to tanning beds. There’s legislation again this year to add some restrictions. See Rep. Nick Schroer’s bill here which makes it illegal for kids under 18.
Former Gov Blunt Doing Well While Doing Good?
Just in time for Christmas… Director Matt Blunt sold 116,667 shares of the stock [Copart] in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.96, for a total transaction of $4,895,347.32….
Lobbyists Registrations
J “Bret” Johnson added J. Bret Johnson Consulting, and Coonial Management Group LP.
Kathy Lloyd deleted Supreme Court of Missouri.
Jessica Petrie and David Winton deleted Missouri Retailers Association.
Rachel Hassani deleted Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
Dale Amick deleted Missouri Farmers Care.
$5K+ Contributions
Find the Cures - $40,000 from Bradley Bradshaw.
Teamsters Local Union 688 Political Action Committee - $10,750 from DRIVE Committee.
CLEAN Missouri - $8,812 from Fight for Reform Missouri.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Dan Shaul, former Reps. Gary Fuhr and Curt Dougherty, and Jennae Neustadt.