More Day After Bits
More bits from last night… in no special order… reading time: 10 minutes…
Prosecutor Jackson
Mike Jackson, the father of Gateway Group’s David Jackson, defeated the incumbent to become the new Wayne County Prosecutor… see it here.
Commissioner Nolte?
Former Rep. Jerry Nolte took the first step toward becoming Clay County Commissioner defeating incumbent Pam Mason in a tight race (51%-48%) for the Republican nomination. He’ll face the Democratic nominee, Rep. Jay Swearingen, in November.
StudentsFirst 6 for 6
StudentsFirst press release touting the success of their endorsed candidates… “StudentsFirst Missouri supported a group of six bipartisan candidates, all of whom will advance to the November general election. Wins on both sides of the aisle underscore the fact that reform-minded leaders will be supported at the polls when running on their commitment to providing a high quality education… Following are the pro-reform candidates endorsed by StudentsFirst Missouri in Tuesday's primary: Rep. Kurt Bahr, Sen. Dan Brown, Rep. Penny Hubbard, Rep. Mike Moon, Rep. Holly Rehder, and Rebecca Roeber…”
Mims Recount?
In House 27, Rep. Bonnaye Mims upset loss to India Williams was just by 17 votes. That’s less than one percent, meaning she’s entitled to a recount. However, veterans of elections know that recounts rarely change the outcome by more than a few votes. Seventeen votes is probably insurmountable.
Scharnhorst Didn’t Just Lose
In House 98, Rea Scharnhorst, wife of incumbent Rep. Dwight Scharnhorst, didn’t just lose last night, she took last place in the three-way primary. To have that name ID in her favor and still only garner 21% of the vote is remarkable.
Parson Helps Pass Right to Farm
Sen. Mike Parson “did a bunch of stuff to blunt the liberal ‘No’ votes coming out of the cities.” He met with union leaders, talking to any group that would have him, including helping make the last minute endorsement from Mayor Francis Slay happen. Question of morning in St. Louis City… What did Slay get for the robocall endorsement?
But What It a Strategic Mistake?
One keen observer wonders if the pro-farming movement hasn’t made a terrible blunder in passing the constitutional amendment. His thinking: They have complete control of the state legislature. As long as the battles were waged in statutes, any anti-farming regulations faced a steep uphill battle. But now the battleground has shifted to the constitution. If the Humane Society or someone else wants to clamp down on CAFOs for example, can’t they just run a statewide constitutional amendment to the new Farming Amendment, and have a chance at winning?
Speaking of Strategic Mistakes…
Another group that seems to be winning in the legislature is the low-tax movement. Yes they were beaten last summer by Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of HB 253, but they recovered with an override this year. Was Missouri Club for Growth’s aggressive $973K expenditure to punish four wayward Reps a counterproductive move?
Answers
I will definitively answer these questions five years from today.
Schneider’s Spending
The 30-Day After Reports are always interesting. In Senate 2, will we see yet another repayment of Vicki Schneider’s second loan showing it was all a bluff?
House Supermajority
Republicans get their supermajority back as the special elections that Governor Jay Nixon called took place yesterday. Speaker Tim Jones’ statement: “[T]oday Republicans won two of these seats, restoring our record 110 member House supermajority. Next month, the House will reconvene for veto session, and we will put this supermajority to good use for the people of our great state…”
Sisco, The Temporary Rep
In House 120, Shawn Sisco is in that strange place of wining the special election, but losing the primary (narrowly to Jason Chipman 51%-48%). He’ll be the state representative for veto session next month, but then Chipman will take over in January.
MASW on Future Transportation Funding
Here’s the statement from Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director for The Missouri Association for Social Welfare (MASW), on the defeat of the transportation tax: “We agree that our highways, bridges, ports, and mass transit need adequate funding, and the defeat of Amendment 7 creates an opportunity for proponents and opponents to sit down together and find a better solution,” Oxford continued. MASW cites the following as more fair and appropriate funding sources for transportation, as well as other essential state programs and services: Modernization of Missouri’s outdated fuel tax, which has not been increased since 1996; Elimination of the Missouri income tax deduction for federal taxes paid – Missouri is one of only six states with this tax feature, and 83% of its benefit goes to the wealthiest 40% of Missourians; An overhaul of Missouri’s inadequate, outdated, and unfair income tax system – the tax table was last updated in 1931 and the top tax bracket starts at only $9,000 of taxable income; Closing of corporate tax loopholes…
Count Schaaf a Winner
Sen. Rob Schaaf’s electronic privacy amendment passed strongly, giving the sometimes unpopular senator a nice win.
Or a Loser?
But the animosity between Sen. Rob Schaaf and Rep. Holly Rehder might have some downside. Rehder is popular with the House Republican Caucus and with leadership. It has one hallway source predicting that the prescription drug monitoring bill might be one of the first bills the House passes next year…
Look Where Luetkemeyer Watched
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer was at the Right to Farm’s watch party last night. Some see him jumping into the Republican gubernatorial primary. Another sign of such possible maneuvering: his upcoming fundy with Boehner in Mid-MO… Says one observer: “When a congressman has the Speaker of the House in to raise money and does it in a tiny place like Jefferson City (rather than St. Louis County with its big Republican donors), it’s notable… suggests a desire to renew JC ties in advance of a gov bid perhaps…”