Monday, September 21, 2015
Baker for Treasurer
Former state representative Judy Baker has started a candidate committee to run for state treasurer. See the paperwork here. For the past few weeks Dems have reported increasing activity from Baker, and that she’s been calling supporters to feel out their receptivity to a statewide bid.
According to last weekend’s Missouri Scout poll (see it here), Baker would enter the Democratic treasurer race as the front runner against Pat Contreras – though with a very large number of undecided voters.
Baker’s ill-fated congressional race a few cycles ago may have brought her priceless lessons and make her a more formidable candidate. Still, the current handicapping would put Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt as the favorite to be the victor in November. Schmitt has $1.8 million on-hand; no primary opponent; and has cultivated a pro-business image during his time in the Senate.
Furthermore, in the general election, Baker’s time working to implement the Affordable Care Act is thought to be a killer vulnerability.
We’ll see…
Smith Schock Ties
The Hill reports on ties that Congressman Jason Smith has with former congressman Aaron Schock. See it here.
Pull Quote: Revelations that Smith, 35, accompanied Schock on the campaign trip come the same week The Hill reported that Smith has hired Schock’s former chief of staff, Mark Roman, who managed the congressman’s office at the time of his spending scandal. There's no indication that federal prosecutors have questioned or sought records from Smith, but his participation on trips now under criminal investigation could drag one of Schock's closest friends in Congress into his legal mess and undermine Smith’s political image as a humble, salt-of-the-earth fiscal conservative.
And
Congressman Jason Smith’s girlfriend, Hannah Kelly, started a campaign committee to run for House 141, as a Republican of course. See the paperwork here. The current incumbent, Rep. Tony Dugger, is termed.
Solon Contra Kinder
Rep. Sheila Solon took issue with LG Peter Kinder’s description of the atmosphere after the failed override vote. See the KC Star’s coverage here.
From Solon’s statement: The assertion that the 20 Republican Representatives “moments after” the vote on right to work were “yukking it up and high-fiving the delirious crowd from "Big
Labor” is a bold face lie… This was a prayerful and principled decision by me and my colleagues. We knew that doing the right thing is often hard and there was no glee or celebrating by any of us. There were no cheers but there were plenty of tears as it was a very difficult vote… This is a fabrication invented to defame and discredit us. The Lt. Governor needs to produce a video supporting his claim or issue a retraction.
Also in the mix is this observation… There are 24 Republican Women in the House. 9 voted No on right to work. So the Lt. Governor of the State of Missouri is calling open season on over 1/3 of the women serving in the House…
Jones, Cunningham Seek Smaller Tent
Expressing their discontent with the Republican legislative supermajorities to pass right to work, former senator Jane Cunningham, and former speaker Tim Jones took their grievance to Twitter.
@JCunninghamMO: Time 2 "right size" the R caucus. Support only 4 platform supporting members. Compliments from Hillary is shameful.
@SpeakerTimJones: 96 #MOHouse members stand w/ me. I've always been w/ the conservative majority. No more appeasement 4 those not.
Kansas Job Report Disappointing Again
Yael T. Abouhalkah makes the cringing mistake of joyfully celebrating bad news as Kansas continues to sputter in the aftermath of Sam Brownback’s haphazard tax cuts – eliminating taxes on some types of businesses, but not others; making such marginal tax cuts so as to make no impact on behavior while creating deficits that undermined confidence. See it here. Supporters of supply side policies need to first, acknowledge that not all tax cuts are good for economic growth; and second, step up their critique of the Kansas experiment before all tax cuts get a bad name.
Wilson for House 66
Terry Wilson formed a candidate committee to run for House 66 as a Democrat. The current incumbent, Rep. Tommie Pierson, has announced he’s seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Wilson ran for this seat in 2012, losing to Pierson 57% to 43%. See the filing here.
Reisch for House 44
In a note to friends and supporters, Cheri Toalson Reisch says she’ll be announcing her House bid at the Columbia Pachyderm Chili Supper next Thursday…
DEAR FAMILY & FRIENDS:
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO THE BELOW EVENT OF "ONE NATION UNDER GOD". I AM THE EMCEE AND WILL BE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCING MY CANDIDACY FOR CALEB ROWEN'S DISTRICT 44 HOUSE SEAT. PLEASE JOIN ME, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA….
See a profile piece on Reisch here.
Eapen: No Endorsement for New Approach
Marijuana activist Eapen Thampy writes on Facebook: Recently I was asked to endorse the Missouri campaign PAC New Approach Missouri. Unfortunately, I declined to do so...the organization is controlled by Oregonians Travis Maurer and Leah Maurer who think they understand Missouri politics. In fact, the Oregonians who control New Approach Missouri spent most of the last year trying to prevent me fundraising for Show-Me Cannabis and mounted a campaign to have me kicked out of that organization even though I have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Show-Me Cannabis.
How Republicans Sweep the Statewides in 2016?
Here’s one Republican’s dream slate – if everyone will just play along…
I just would love for Chris Koster to have some serious competition. Peter Kinder should raise a bunch of dough and then switch back to LG. Catherine Hanaway should move over to AG. She could win and she has the perfect background being a US attorney. And then they’d just let Eric Greitens have a shot with a one-on-one matchup with Koster.
Left unsaid in this moving of chess pieces is John Brunner… St. Louis County Executive 2018?...
Call the Capitol Coppers!
Embarrassing! “Which Republican party leader thought it was a good idea to exchange phone numbers using a Thomas Hart Benton mural as the backboard for her pen work?....” See it here. Over a thousand Facebook shares later… the apology.
Follow-Up on Jung
I wrote about the semi-retirement of Frank Jung, moving from the Auditor’s office to the AG’s office, and a reader sent in this reminder of Jung’s previous moments in the spotlight, getting replaced on the gaming commission when a license was at stake. See it here.
New Ag: Changing Egg
From Politico’s Influence: "The nation's largest egg industry group is conceding the fight over a proposed ballot initiative in Massachusetts that would bar the in-state sale of meat or eggs from caged animals raised anywhere in the nation. The decision hands animal rights advocates a partial victory in their push for more humane treatment of livestock. 'We don't have any options,' United Egg Producers President Chad Gregory said in an interview with POLITICO. "The activists are ripping apart conventional cages, and we have no middle ground to go to."
Meanwhile, from the Washington Post (see it here): McDonald's announced this morning that it will begin working toward eliminating all eggs purchased from farms that cage their hens, in both the United States and Canada… McDonald's commitment to cage-free eggs, however, is more than simply a testament to the growing concern with questions of animal welfare among consumers. It's also a harbinger of standards-to-come in an industry that has historically sided with methods of production that prioritize low costs and high efficiency… At present, more than 90 percent of egg-laying hens are still housed in cages in the United States, according to the Agriculture Department. But McDonald's, which uses more than two billion eggs per year in the United States alone, or almost 5 percent of all eggs produced in the country, is particularly well-suited to change that.
Bits
Collin Reischman tweets that he’s leaving his post at the Missouri Times to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 as their new Communications Director.
From the White House: On Monday, September 21, Dr. Jill Biden will travel to St. Louis, Missouri, to deliver remarks at the Women’s Democratic Forum of Greater St. Louis. Dr. Biden’s remarks at 12:00 PM CT are open press.
Today’s Events
From Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Reps. Dave Muntzel & Chuck Basye Golf – Hail Ridge Golf Course – Boonville – 11AM.
Lobbyists Registrations
Dana Koehn added Baxalta US Inc.
William Ray Price added Alkermes Inc.
Jason Wetzel added General Motors LLC.
Jewell Patek added Acardia Healthcare Company Inc, Columbia/Wegman O’Fallon LLC; and deleted RKV Technologies, Missouri Charter Public School Association, and Parents As Teachers National Center.
$5K+ Contributions
Greitens for Missouri - $5,001 from Jonathan Crystal.
Koster for Missouri - $25,000 from Missouri Hospital Association PAC.
Koster for Missouri - $10,000 from Andrew O Brien.
Missouri Corn Growers Association State Political Action Committee - $10,000 from Missouri Corn Growers Association.
HealthPAC - $7,200 from Committee for Quality Healthcare.
Koster for Missouri - $20,000 from CHIPP Political Account.
Greitens for Missouri - $10,000 from Richard R Arnoldy.
Returning Government to the People - $32,000 from Fred N Sauer.
Missouri Health Care Association PAC - $36,261 from Missouri Health Care Association.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $15,000 from AT&T.
Koster for Missouri - $8,000 from Marathon Administrative Company Inc.
Missourians for Mike Cierpiot - $7,500 from Grow Missouri.
Koster for Missouri - $10,000 from Laclede Political Action Committee.
Citizens to Elect Kurt Schaefer Attorney General - $10,000 from Sam Fox.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to former Rep. Roman LeBlanc (44).