Thursday, September 26, 2013
Dooley Vulnerable?
One Republican operative with experience in the St. Louis County found the recent poll released by the Charlie Dooley camp to show signs of vulnerability to the incumbent. He thinks this is the year for Republicans to win the county executive seat saying, “Bill Corrigan could beat Dooley this go round if those numbers are right.”
The thinking: “2014 is the only year it could happen. But if you look at those numbers it means his own data says he is way up with Dems – with no vote driver at the top of the ticket, and getting crushed with Republicans and Independents… 51% as an incumbent in a year with no Dem turnout driver is a dead man walking.”
Major Brands Wins in Court
Major Brands scored a victory yesterday when a court upheld Missouri’s requirement that liquor wholesalers be a resident of the state.
Pull Quote: “We believe the residency requirement further engages a wholesaler in its community, and makes us more concerned and better at avoiding the negative consequences that can come with irresponsible consumption,” McCollum said. “We couldn’t agree more with the court’s understanding of the issue.” See it here.
$70 Million Game of Pointing Fingers
From tobacco lobbyist Andy Arnold: “Have you seen the Missouri Arbitration decision? It clearly points the blame for the MSA payment reduction in the direction of the Attorney General’s office. The decision cites several factors, failure to require escrow payments, failure to file litigation against non-compliant NPM's, failure to use DOR warehouse/distributors reports to ascertain NPM sales and, failure to compile, update and publish a list of suspected contraband NPM brands. The decision clearly shows that the arbitration panel agreed with the state (Missouri apparently used the same argument that I have used for the past 10-years) that the enactment of additional legislation like Complimentary Legislation and Allocable Share Release Repeal Legislation were not a requirement of the MSA, did not aid ‘diligent enforcement’ and played no part in the panel’s decision against Missouri.”
Why Swearingen?
Why are Dems putting up a “B-lister” like Rep. Jay Swearingen against Auditor Tom Schweich in the only statewide contest in 2014? One Republican thinks it’s because Dem Gov-nominee Chris Koster wants Schweich as his opponent in 2016. So they want him to stay strong enough to fend off Catherine Hanaway’s potential ascendency.
This Republican thinks that having a suburban Republican woman like Hanaway on the ticket could bring a 5-6 point swing impact for the GOP in 2016. Koster wants to avoid that match-up.
Sheriff Faces Stalking Charges
Osage Sheriff Michael Dixon was in the news (see it here) over the summer amid stalking accusations. Yesterday, the formal charges were filed. “The victim told authorities Dixon touched her genital area with a flashlight while the harassment and stalking charges allege repeated comments of suggestive and sexual nature…” (See it here).
Dixon previously was appointed by Speaker Tim Jones to the Bipartisan Investigative Committee on Privacy Protection. Something for the Kurt Schaefer opp research file on imagines…
Grigsby Follow-Up
Yesterday I mentioned Gary Grigsby running as Democrat in House 51 against Rep. Dean Dohrman.
Grigsby is one of first endorsees of “JoePAC,” a new progressive political action committee. Others endorsed by JoePAC are Jill Schupp, Deb Lavender, Bill Otto and Sean Fauss. The plan is to raise $100K and give ten candidates $10K each. So far they’ve raised over $25K an hope to hit $50K by the end of the year.
eMailbag: Reader Remembers
“I keep reading that Roy Temple is going to save the Democrats in the Legislature by getting more Dems elected. With term limits, it is easy for people to forget that when Roy and Governor
Mel Carnahan arrived, the number of Democrats in the House topped 100 and approx 24 in the Senate. By the time Roy left, we were in the low the low 70's in the House and 14 Democrats in the Senate. Not a very good track record.”
$5K+Contributions
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Dempsey for Senate.
Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $10,000 from William Gautreaux.
Committee for Research Treatments and Cures - $7,500 from Stinson Morrison Hecker.
Missourians for Koster - $5,313 from Democratic Attorneys General Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Penny Hubbard (the big 6-0), lobbyist Mike Reid (67), and former Rep. Walt Bivins (74).