Thursday, August 22, 2013

Curls in House 36 – And What it Means

Darrell Curls, uncle to Sen. Kiki Curls, filed a campaign committee to run for House 36.  That seat is currently occupied by Rep. Kevin McManus, a fellow Democrat.

Curls lost to McManus in a 4-way primary in 2010.  Curls placed second, garnering 28.9% of the vote.  Previously Curls had run for House in 2002, losing to Kate Meiners narrowly (52-48).

So what’s up?  Rumor is that McManus is weighing an early exit from Jefferson City.  He is considering returning to Kansas City and running for county council. 

There is a confluence of factors which make this possible scenario: McManus has a small child, it would be easier on his legal day job not to be out-of-town five months each year; and obviously Democrats in the House are in such a minority, he might feel like he could have a greater impact in Kansas City politics rather than state politics.

One observer thinks that Curls won’t necessarily have an easy run for the House though, as there may be others who look at the race if McManus makes the decision to eschew re-election.

The court’s redistricting data for House 36 has it as a 69% Democratic district, with a 51% minority population.

Dolan, Missouri Health Care Association Split

The statement from Missouri Health Care Association: “Timothy Francka, President of the Missouri Health Care Association, announced today that Executive Director Jon Dolan has left the Association, effective August 20, 2013.  Mr. Dolan has served as Executive Director since 2005. He entered in a time of great transition and successfully increased membership and restored our national affiliation with the American Health Care Association. In his tenure, Missouri skilled nursing facility providers received eight Medicaid rate increases in eight years and saw regulatory relief and collaboration increase across the profession… Mr. Dolan’s replacement has not been named. The Association has appointed Lorie Towe, MHCA Director of Regulatory Affairs, as Interim Executive Director.  The Interim Director will serve while a comprehensive search for Mr. Dolan’s replacement is conducted…”

It’s said that Dolan will likely be working directly with some of the providers who are members of MOHealth Care Association.

From the Vault

I wrote a piece about Dolan nearly eight years ago called The Puzzle of Jon Dolan… 

“If Jon Dolan were a child, we would call him ‘precocious.’ Talkative to the point of saying too much. Curious, and yet brimming with answers. He would be as much of a handful as a seven-year-old. Of course he isn’t seven; he’s a 38-year-old state senator representing Lincoln County. That means rather than precocious, he’s ‘a loose cannon…’ Dolan says what he thinks. There’s no internal censor. Things come out. In other words, Dolan isn’t your typical politician. And actually not your typical Republican.  He’s conservative enough -- pro-life, anti-gay marriage. He cast a high-profile, controversial, deciding vote on the conceal-and-carry gun legislation... Still, he doesn’t quite fit. He fashions himself as a McCain Republican and cherishes that streak of independence. It shows. In a political age when the Republican orthodoxy says that to tax is to sin, Dolan has two new taxes on his mind. He’s favorably disposed toward the recent call for an increase in the cigarette tax to pay for higher Medicaid reimbursements. He needs to study it more before he gives it an endorsement, but that’s where he’s leaning. He also believes that the state will eventually need another tax increase to fund transportation projects, and he’s not afraid to say it.” October 2005.  See it here.

Former Lembke Staffer for House?

Jamey Murphy, former staffer to Jim Lembke, signaled a possible state rep run yesterday, tweeting this: “I have been asked by many friends and supporters to run for the Missouri House. #decisioncomingsoon”

Murphy would be running in House 108 where Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger is termed and running for Senate.  It’s said that Murphy would have Gatschy’s support.  If so, that’d make him the early front-runner.

Murphy was thrust into ten-minutes of Missouri twitter fame during the redistricting process when he used his twitter account to blast the fellow Republicans who he felt were leaving his boss vulnerable with a bad map.  Lembke ultimately was felled in the tougher district by Sen. Scott Sifton.

Pollock to Rural Co-ops

Zach Pollock, recently the governor’s liaison to the Department of Agriculture, is said to be headed to the Missouri Rural Electric Cooperative.

Fowler on Record as No

Yesterday I placed Rep. Dennis Fowler in the camp of Republican legislators who were against HB 253, but would begrudgingly “be the 109th vote” if their caucus needed them.  Not so.  Fowler went on record with the Daily Statesmen saying he’s a firm No.  See it here.

And This Could Get Ugly

The Fee-bees are investigating the contract awarded to Charlie Dooley appointee Gregory Sansone.  See it here.

Pitch for New Subscribers

Have a friend who would love MOScout?  I’m running a one-time “summer special” this week.  New subscribers will get two months free with their annual subscription.   And for the referral – I’ll buy you a beer sometime next session. 

$5K+Contributions

HealthPAC - $13,000 from Heal PAC.

Lobbyist Registrations

From the Pelopidas website:

Rodney R Hubbard added Missouri Insurance Coalition.

Jorgen Schlemeier, Bill Gamble, Sarah Topp and Jeff Brooks added Valued Pharmacy Services.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Glenn Burleigh (34).