Monday, March 21, 2016

Burlison for Senate 20

Rep. Eric Burlison will be running in Senate 20 in 2018.  Burlison is term limited and has expressed a desire to run for Senate, but he had kept his options open as to which district he would run in.  His campaign account only said that he was running for Senate, but didn’t specify which seat.

Now word is that he’s moved into Senate 20 and will run for that seat.  The current incumbent, Sen. Jay Wasson, is termed in 2018.

Burlison had $175,258 on-hand as of his last report.

Greitens Keeping $1 Million as Matter of Principle

The Republican gubernatorial debate last Thursday night included some fireworks over $1 million in contributions to Eric Greitens from a successful Silicon Valley investor now embroiled in a sex abuse lawsuit.

Both Catherine Hanaway and Peter Kinder attacked Greitens for failing to immediately return the contributions as Republican presidential candidate John Kasich did.

Rudi Keller’s story (see it here) reports that the donor, Michael Goguen, was a recent attendee at a Greitens fundraiser, indicating that Greitens isn’t distancing himself at all.

Keller also mentioned a detail I’d missed in the initial reports of the lawsuit that ups the ickiness factor even more, that “Goguen’s relationship with the accuser began when the woman was 15.”

Greitens was unbowed: “I will not collapse in the face of the attacks from career politicians and their allies in the media.”

Business Groups Coalesce Against SJR 39

The big business groups marshalled together last week to denounce SJR 39 – the religious exemption resolution.  The groups included the St. Louis Regional Chamber, St. Louis Civic Progress, the Regional Business Council, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Meanwhile SJR31 sponsor Sen. Bob Onder tweaked Governor Jay Nixon on twitter (see it here).  @BobOnderMO: Profiles in Courage: the Gov who couldn't get Natl Guard to Ferguson takes on florists and bakers! #moleg #SJR39

And

A website has been launched to support SJR39…. See it here.

Paycheck Vetoed

Governor Jay Nixon vetoed HB 1891, the paycheck protection bill.  See the veto letter here.

This sets up an override effort when the legislature returns from Spring Break.  It’s a House bill so it will start there.  There’s an open question whether the House will be able to override.  It passed with just enough votes for the override, but no margin for error.

If it gets by the House, then the Senate – already in a fragile state – will be tested whether the highly partisan issue will tear the tenuous operations of that chamber.

NO on E-Tax TV Ads

The anti-earning tax effort appears to be focusing their message on the issue of fairness.  That some firms have been able to negotiate out of it as an incentive to stay in the city.  See their TV ad here.

2016 Watch: Stream Fundy

Former Rep. Rick Stream held a St. Patty’s Day fundraiser for his Senate 15 bid.  The host committee was Rep. Sue Allen, former Sen. Jane Cunningham, L.B. Eckelkamp, and Dave Spence.

From one supporter: Rick and his team are having a great response with heavy door knocking.  Most voters know him in a positive way which was enhanced, I'm sure, by the highly visible and tight County Executive election. It also helps that his brother is running for Mayor of Kirkwood….

MCN for Gray, Jones for Gerth

In the large contributions below, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal is sending $25K to help Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray in her St. Louis County Council race.  Gray is the daughter of North County powerbroker Elbert Walton.  Chappelle-Nadal had $181,009 on-hand as of her last report.  That’s money she can’t use for her congressional campaign.

And Rep. Caleb Jones sent $5K to help Nicholas Gerth.  Gerth is running to replace Rep. Andrew Koenig in House 99.  That’s a four-way Republican primary. Jones had $251,078 on-hand as of his last report.  Jones is – so far – uncontested as he seeks his fourth and final term in the House.

New Filings

Elad Gross filed to run for secretary of state as a Democrat.  He joins Bill Clinton Young and presumed favorite, former TV anchorwoman Robin Smith.  Gross’ LinkedIn profile says he works for the attorney general’s office and is also president of the Education Exchange Corps, a “nonprofit organization based in St. Louis, Missouri that provides at-risk children with better educational opportunities by involving community members in the education of our nation's children.”

Gen Williams filed to run for U.S. Representative - District 7 as a Democrat.  That’s Congressman Billy Long’s seat.

Bill Pinkston filed to run for House 99 as a Democrat.  This is Rep. Andrew Koenig’s seat where there’s a hot four-way primary.  It’s a safe Republican seat.  Pinkston was the Democratic candidate in House 99 in both 2012 and 2014, winning 40% and 36% of the vote respectively.

New Committees

Victor Hurlbert started a committee to run for Clay County Treasurer as a Republican.  On his Facebook campaign site (see it here), he writes, “Ever since 9/11, I've felt a deep calling to public service. That led me to the Navy and still motivates me to now run for Clay County Treasurer. I do not see elected office and politics as a profession, but, as long as the people give me the privilege of public service, I intend to humbly fulfill their trust.”

Nate Branscom started a committee to run for House 131 as a Democrat.  The current incumbent is Republican Rep. Sonya Anderson.  Branscom has not yet filed as a candidate with the secretary of state’s office.  Branscom’s LinkedIn profile describes him as “‎Co Founder at Make Springfield Weird.”

Help Wanted

Post-Dispatch seeks Statehouse Reporter.  “We seek a dynamite journalist with a strong sense of urgency to join our two-person Capitol bureau in Jefferson City, Mo. We need a versatile reporter who knows how to stay ahead of the pack and who understands the importance of watchdog journalism. We want a quick study capable of jumping into a wide range of issues -- from the budget, to education, to the environment. We want a writer who can understand and explain the ins and outs of politics. And we want a hustler who will be a daily contributor to Missouri's leading site for political news…” See the ad here.

Lobbyists Registrations

David Winton and Jessica Petrie added Netchoice.

Rodney Boyd, Kelvin Simmons, and Brian Grace added DraftKings Inc., and FanDuel Inc.

Rodney Boyd and Brian Grace added Steven R. Carroll/xcaliber.

Richard AuBuchon added TIAA.

Karen Englert added American Heart Association.

Scott Zajac added Rockwood Asset Management

$5K+ Contributions

Greitens for Missouri - $5,001 from David O’Reilly.

Missourians for Affordable Energy - $25,000 from MEDA PAC.

MO Insurance Coalition PAC - $10,000 from RightCHOICE Managed Care Inc.

Daryl Dudley for City Council - $10,000 from Central Missouri Development Council.

Daryl Dudley for City Council - $50,000 from Citizens for a Better Columbia.

Raise Your Hands for Kids - $9,233 from RAI Services Company.

Campaign for Clean Water STL - $20,000 from Hermann Oak Leather Co.

Committee to Elect Vicki A Schneider for State Senate - $10,000 from Perryville Investment LLC. Committee to Elect Vicki A Schneider for State Senate - $20,000 from MO Majority PAC.

Citizens for Steve Stenger - $8,000 from Robert Blitz.

Returning Government to the People - $130,000 from Fred N Sauer.

Reinvest STL - $10,000 from Lathroip & Gage LLP.

MEDA PAC (MO Energy Dev. Association Political Action Committee) - $100,000 from KCP&L.

Friends of Ken Horton - $6,500 from Ken Horton.

Citizens to Elect Gray - $25,000 from Citizens for Maria Chappelle-Nadal.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Action Fund - $6,529 from UFCW Local 655.

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Political Account - $15,987 from Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

Friends of Nicholas Gerth - $5,001 from Friends of Caleb Jones.

New Approach Missouri - $10,000 from Show-Me Cannabis Inc.

Raise Your Hand for Kids - $26,918 from RAI Services Company.

Grow Missouri - $21,625 from Rex Sinquefield.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to former Rep. Thomas Long, Trent Summers and Clay Rodgers.

Congratulations

To Shawn and Melissa Furey on the birth of their daughter, Ella Madison… 8lb.3oz, 20 1/2 in.