Wednesday February 19, 2014

Hanaway to Resign RNC Post

On a Missouri Republican Party committee conference call yesterday, Chairman Ed Martin announced that Catherine Hanaway would be resigning from her post as Republican National Committeewoman.

It’s said that although there’s nothing that specifically bars a candidate from holding the position, it does create complications, and some hard feelings among other potential candidates that she’d be using that position as a platform for her candidacy rather than promoting the Party as a whole.

On the Subject of Parties…

Politico had a piece earlier this week about how money is flowing through SuperPACs and third parties, rather than the traditional state parties.  Read it here.

"State party officials across the country say the explosion of money into super PACs, nonprofit groups and presidential campaigns has made fundraising more difficult. And some of those outside groups are starting to take over the traditional local roles state parties play, spending big on voter contact and outreach operations.  The effect is that candidates can be more beholden to national organizations or single-issue groups rather than state party leaders."

Just as the Missouri Republican Party has struggled with fundraising, so have other state parties around the nation.

"The New Mexico Democrats had just over $3,000 in cash on hand at the close of the year and was more than $30,000 in debt. The Delaware Republican Party had just under $2,000 on hand at the close of 2013, while the Kansas and Maryland GOP state parties had about $900 each. The Mississippi Democratic Party had $2,817.30 on hand, with nearly $6,000 in debt."

In Missouri, there’s no shortage of alternative funding sources beyond the state party.  One observer referred to “Rexland” where Rex Sinquefield has built a network of organizations devoted to his causes (taxes, education, St. Louis unification, chess…).  Congresswoman Ann Wagner is seen as increasingly building her own organization.  Consultants of course come into play.  David Barklage has been constructing a franchise of regional business organizations in the Lewis & Clark model.

Against this backdrop, Attorney General Chris Koster’s faithfulness to the Democratic Party is remarkable.  Whereas Governor Jay Nixon mostly did his own thing operating in a parallel universe from the Party, Koster has embraced his role as standard-bearer with financial commitments. 

Marriage of Money and Muscle

The most recent example of Koster showing Party leadership is the early voting initiative.  Koster consultants are in charge of the paid signature collection, but they’re working in tandem with liberal constituent groups like Jobs for Justice who are organizing volunteer signature collection.

Early Voting Not a Dem Elixir

In theory, early voting would help Democrats giving their less affluent constituent groups more convenient time to get to the polls.  But… studies say there’s no increase in turnout with early voting – maybe even a decrease!  Read it here.

Pull Quote:  A team of University of Wisconsin political scientists analyzed 2008 election returns in each of the nation's 3,100 counties, controlling for variations in demographics, geography and political dynamics (ie. whether a county was in a battleground state). Turnout in counties with early voting was about three percentage points lower than in counties without it… They suggested that early voting attracts those most likely to vote regardless of whether an early option is available…  Wisconsin researchers also cited previous studies suggesting that early balloting erodes the intensity of traditional get-out-the vote efforts in the final days, weakening "the stimulating effect it would otherwise have on non-voters."

SIGHT’EM

Speaker Tim Jones and Sen. Kurt Schaefer spent some time together last night at the Jefferson City Country Club… Too early to say where the rapprochement leads, but there’s plenty of time until 2016 for the big boys to avoid a primary…

Hegeman Rolls Out Support

In Senate 12, Dan Hegeman announced his county coordinators.  The sprawling senate district includes 15 counties.

Mark Schneider, a local farmer and Chairman of the Andrew County Republican Central Committee

Stan Griffin, a veteran and farmer living in Atchison County.

Ben Wierzbicki, former Central Committee Chairman and longtime political campaign volunteer in Clay County.

Dan Snodgrass, a farmer and Central Committee Chairman in Clinton County.

Candice Prentice, the president of the Daviess County Republican Club.

Larry Zieber, a local banker and former Republican Central Committee Chairman in DeKalb County.

Wanda Shupe, chair of the Gentry County Republican Central Committee.

Jacob Black, a member of the Trenton City Council and son of Gary Black, the chair of Grundy County’s Republican Central Committee.

Dr. Caleb Guernsey, a chiropractor and brother to Rep. Casey Guernsey, in Harrison County.

Connie Gordon, Chair of the Holt County Republican Central Committee.

Shane Grooms, a farmer and Associate Commissioner in Mercer County.

Kevin Rosenbohm, a farmer, small businessman and Chair of the Nodaway County Republican Central Committee.

Don Summers, a farmer and former state representative in Putnam County.

Chris May, a farmer and current presiding commissioner of Sullivan County.

Tammy Ueligger, a small business owner and former economic developer in Worth County.

Bits

State Board of Education took financial control of the Normandy School District.  See the Post-Dispatch article here.

The Board also unveiled a new draft plan outlining the steps of intervention they would take to aid struggling districts.  See it here.

It’s said that the Farm Bureau is taking no position on Rep. Casey Guernsey’s HCR16 which disapproves the State Tax Commission’s assessment rates for agriculture land.  Perhaps it’s a realization on the part of that advocacy group that the proposal of a 5% raise is modest enough not to be fought.

The Senate perfected Sen. Ryan Silvey’s SB 668 which mandates insurance companies to make the out-of-pocket costs of oral chemotherapy that same as traditionally administered chemotherapy.

Governor Jay Nixon appointed Nancy Watkins as Associate Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit, which covers St. Louis County.  The move was cheered by some Dem women who have previously bemoaned what they felt was a lack of women among Nixon appointees.

eMailbag on Ameren-Noranda Fight

“Everyone is missing the point that Noranda can buy cheaper power on the open market. That would leave all the other consumers in a much worse position than the rate design adjustment.”

$5K+ Contributions

Committee to Re-elect Judge Prewitt - $31,132 from Philip Prewitt.

MO Chamber PAC - $10,000 from Caesars Entertainment.

MO Democratic State Committee - $100,330 from Democratic Victory Committee.

MO Democratic State Committee - $98,147 from Missouri Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.

Lobbyist Registrations

From the Gate Way Group website:

Kevin Westrope added Westrope and Associates.

Fundraising Calendar

Powered by Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:

St. Louis Chamber/AGC Breakfast – Capitol Plaza, Jefferson City – 7-8:30 a.m.

Rep. Brandon Ellington Reception – J Pfenny’s, Jefferson City – 6 p.m.

Equality Day in the Capitol Building – Rally starts 10:30 a..m. in 1st floor rotunda.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to former Rep. Rodney Schad (60), Jay Kanzler, and Catalyst’s Alex Eaton.