Tuesday, June 21, 2016
2016 Watch: Freedom Vs Mims
In House 27, Richard Brown challenging Rep. Bonnaye Mims received the endorsement of Freedom Inc.
This 2014 Pitch article indicates that Mims and Freedom have been on the outs for some time.
Pull Quote: The [Hickman Mills School District] board's policy is to competitively bid any contract exceeding $5,000…. Anderson tells The Pitch that during the 2011–12 school year alone, the year before he became board president, the board awarded $2.3 million in contracts without competitive bids. (The district disputes some of that figure.)
Missouri state Rep. Bonnaye Mims served as board president from 2008 to 2012. Freedom Inc. endorsed Mims, who still serves on the board, in her Statehouse campaign. Mims now appears to be distancing herself from the club. The practice of awarding no-bid contracts continued after Anderson first became board president in 2012…
2016 Watch: Simpson Former Dem
In House 143, Bobby Simpson, the Republican challenging Rep. Jeffrey Pogue, is the same Bobby Simpson that ran as a Democrat to replace Frank Barnitz in the House 150 in 2005.
Simpson lost to (future Congressman) Jason Smith in that special election by ten points (54%-44% with the Libertarian candidate picking up the scraps).
One Dem recalls, “Voted to give himself a raise as a county commissioner just days before the special if I remember right, the Rs ran a radio ad on it and he lost….”
2016 Watch: Pouche History
In House 14, Sean Pouche is challenging Rep. Kevin Corlew. Pouche has received big checks from David Humphreys and is on the endorsement list of Rex Sinquefield’s Missouri Club for Growth – likely resulting in another big check. The resources are one reason it’s a primary to watch. Another is that Pouche is the son for a former Rep. Fred Pouche, so there’s some residual name ID. According to the “Our Campaigns” website (see it here), Pouche’s dad, Fred, was 3-4. He lost his first three runs for House (in the Eighties), then won three, then lost his final race in 2000.
Kander Counterpunches
On Twitter Secretary of State Jason Kander punched back after his opponent Senator Roy Blunt attempted to chastise Kander with standard critique that Republicans level at President Barack Obama.
@RoyBluntMO: Despite Ft. Hood, Boston & Orlando, @JasonKander won’t acknowledge the root of threats we face: radical Islam http://bit.ly/28KAYBi #MOSEN
@JasonKander: I volunteered to serve in Afghanistan to fight radical Islamic terrorism. Think before you tweet.
LG PAC Denies Greitens Affiliation
Kansas City Star’s Dave Helling reports that LG PAC is denying any ties to the Eric Greitens camp. See it here. This is in response to KMBC’s footage of Hank Monsees yakking it up with Greitens at an event.
Pull Quote: “I have spent most of my adult life involved in Missouri Republican politics and meeting various candidates at events,” said the statement from Hank Monsees, the treasurer of the group. “LG PAC is not supporting any candidate for Governor,” the statement said. “As conservative Republicans, LG PAC’s singular focus is helping to ensure that we elect a conservative that can win in November.”
Gamble Joins Gamble
In the lobbyists’ registrations (below) Katie Gamble, daughter of principal Bill Gamble, registered to represent all of Gamble & Schlemeier’s clients. According to LinkedIn, Katie has been working as a research assistant at the firm for over a year. But now we may see her pounding the hallways.
Kansas City to Join PDMP Munis?
Kansas City Star reports that “the Jackson County Legislature on Monday afternoon is scheduled to take the first step toward creating a local database to track prescriptions of controlled substances. All nine legislators are co-sponsors of the measure… Missouri is alone in not having a statewide registry….” Read it here.
Governing Magazine: Uncontested Seats Abound
Governing Magazine reports on uncontested state legislative seats. See it here.
Pull Quote: When filing deadlines had passed in the first 27 states this year, one party or the other had failed to run candidates in nearly half the legislative seats -- 45 percent, according to Ballotpedia… That may be a mistake, says Steven Rogers, a political scientist at St. Louis University who studies uncontested elections. You can’t win a race if you don’t put someone on the ballot. In most races in most years that doesn’t matter, but politics is a game full of surprises. An especially weak presidential candidate, for instance, can open up a lot of potential races at the legislative level. “If Democrats don’t have candidates on the ballot in states where they don’t like Donald Trump, they may be leaving seats on the table,” Rogers says.
Revenue Flatish
At the half-way point of this month state revenues have been lackluster hovering just below flat. We’re nearing the end of the fiscal year and it looks like we’ll be ending up in the +3% range.
Better Way
A new PAC was formed, Better Way Missouri. Its treasurer is Josh Schisler. Its deputy treasurer is Eapen Thampy, an advocate for marijuana legalization.
I’m told that the PAC will “support candidates that support criminal justice and drug policy reform.”
Sprengs Split
Casenet shows former Rep. Michael Spreng filing for divorce from his wife, former Rep. Churie Spreng. The attorney for Michael is former Rep. Michael Vogt.
eMailbag: MOScout Poll
The new poll shows Jay Ashcroft is a thriving member of the Lucky Spurt Club, riding his dad's first and last names to the GOP nomination for Secretary of State. Cannot fault him a bit from a purely political standpoint for capitalizing on his dad's famous name among Republicans. The general election on a ticket led by Donald Trump - that's something else again. I cannot think of much about Trump's varied vulgarities that the elder Ashcroft would endorse.
While I agree Kinder has not been up on TV yet, it's also important to note that he's quickly declining before anyone has gone negative on him.
Help Wanted
City of Jefferson seeks City Counselor. “This position provides legal services to all departments, mayor, and council of the City, including the review of City contracts and other documents, litigation in courts of law, investigation of claims made by or against the City, acquisition of real property, legal research and counsel for City government, and oversight of Municipal Court, to ensure all City business is conducted in compliance with applicable laws and the norms of legal practice. The ideal candidate must have five years of experience, preferably in municipal law. The annual salary range for this position is $80,188-$120,282 plus an outstanding benefit package…” See the ad here.
Work Wanted
Posted on LinkedIn: I'm a Free Agent… Richard (Dick) Aldrich
“If you know anybody in the mid Missouri area who could use a 40-year veteran journalist with a wide background of news gathering and marketing, management and deadline decision making, a proven winner with instant name recognition in newsrooms around the state, and 35-plus-year background with the state legislature, I'm your man…”
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Rep. Joe Adams Town Hall – Pagedale City Hall – 7PM.
Lobbyists Registrations
Kathryn Gamble added Missouri Collectors Association, Missouri Pharmacy Association, Fair Trade Missouri, Stowers Institute For Medical Research, Missouri Assoc Of County Dev Disabilities Services, Missouri Academy Of Physicians Assistants, Mosers, Care Management Technologies, Gamble & Schlemeier, Missouri Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, Kansas City Missouri, Missouri Small Telephone Companies Group, Mo Coalition Of Lifesaving Cures,
Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City Inc, Missouri Hotel And Lodging Association, Missouri Coalition Of Children Agencies, Biostl, Missouri College Of Emergency Physicians, Missouri Society For Respiratory Care, Missouri Fire Service Alliance, Primary Marking System Inc, Missouri Automobile Dealers Association, Aetna Inc, Renovate America Inc, Ameristar Casino St Charles Inc, The Kraft Heinz Company, Pharmacy Business Associates, Lkq Corporation, Gentiva Health Services, Cigna Healthcare, Coalition Of Service Providers Of St Charles County, Missouri Dental Association, Missouri Sheriffs Association, Citizens For Modern Transit, Missouri Health Care Association, Missouri State Alliance Of YMCAs, Missouri Residential Care Association, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc, Missouri Workforce Housing Association, Ticketnetwork, Teladoc, County Employees' Retirement Fund Board, Missouri Railroad Association, Special School District Of St Louis County, Air Evan Lifeteam, Penman & Winton Consulting Group Inc, True Care Pharmacy, Ameren Missouri, Preferred Family Healthcare, Missouri Society Of Anesthesiologists, Wal-mart Stores Inc, American Tort Reform Association, American Resort Development Association, American Traffic Solutions Inc, Missouri Beverage Association, Missouri Association For Career And Technical Education, Washington University, Missouri Circuit Clerks Association, and Missouri Association Of Councils Of Government.
Adam Sachs added Expedia Inc.
Zoe Krause, and Pamela Merritt added Reproaction.
$5K+ Contributions
Greitens for Missouri - $10,000 from Cap Grossman.
Koster for Missouri - $25,000 from Missouri State Council of Machinist PAC.
Rizzo for Missouri - $10,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy Law Firm.
Koster for Missouri - $50,000 from Michael Ketchmark.
Citizens for Jake Zimmerman - $50,000 from Simmon Hanly Conroy.
Scott Sifton for Missouri -$10,000 from Simmons Hanly Conroy
Schmitt for Missouri - $8,000 from MO Majority PAC.
Citizens for Brice Stewart - $16,000 from Brice Stewart.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Mike Pridmore.
Congratulations
To Auditor Nicole Galloway, and husband Jon, on her announcement of a third baby coming… From Facebook… Jon & I will be outnumbered soon! Blessed that Baby Galloway #3 will join our family Jan. 2017.