Monday, July 9, 2012

Stream to be Budget Chair

Rep. Rick Stream will assume the powerful chairmanship of the Budget Committee. Look for a press release out of the Speaker-elect’s office as early as today.

Stream is currently the vice-chair of Budget and the chair of the Fiscal Review Committee.  Rep. Tom Flanigan will take Stream’s spot as vice-chair of Budget and chair of Fiscal Review.

Flanigan was said to be in the running for the top spot himself.  But Stream won out because he’s paid his dues as a good team player, has displayed a mature demeanor, and is well-liked by his colleagues.  Also Stream only has two years left before he’s termed and Flanigan has four.  So… for those looking down the road, Flanigan is the obvious Budget chair in January 2015 (it comes sooner than you think).

Part of the knock on Stream was geography.  With Speaker-elect Tim Jones and presumptive Floor Leader John Diehl both from St. Louis County, some thought the Budget chair should hail from elsewhere.  Perhaps to address this concern, Jones is expected to include the chair of Fiscal Review (Flanigan) in leadership meetings.

Also part of the announcement may be the well-worn rumor that Rep. Jeanie Riddle will be the chair of the Rules Committee next year.  Her flirtations with a state senate race were undone when the long and winding road to a new map ended with the new Mid-MO senate district (Senate 7) not appearing until 2014.  Rules chair keeps her in the leadership mix during the next two years.

And

These sort of long-range projections are always tenuous, but….  Looking at 2017, the front-runners for Budget chair would appear to be Reps. Marsha Haefner and Lincoln Hough. Haefner is slightly more intriguing as it’d give Republicans a woman leading Budget and because the geographic tilt due to term limits will have moved away from St. Louis County again.

On the Air

As of today, Sarah Steelman is on the air.  So all three Republican Senate candidates are on TV.

And as of last week, LG Peter Kinder hitting the airwaves.

Bits

In House 79, Martin Casas adds former governor Bob Holden to his list.  See it here.

Sen. Scott Rupp announced he has made preparations for his lawsuit against Secretary of State Robin Carnahan… “Robin Carnahan lost her race for US Senate in 2010 but that hasn’t prohibited her from actively working to implement President Obama’s agenda right here in Missouri.”

See Carpenters’ endorsement list here.  They’re leaving some Dem family fights open – CD-1, Senate 5, for example.

And thanks to the peerless John Combest, pointing to the mighty Jason Rosenbaum, who does a nice research piece at the Beacon giving us the top ten political donors in the state from 2008-2010.  See it here. #1 on the list: Donorsaurus Rex Sinquefield.  Interesting note from the Baum: 8 of the top ten were basically Republican donors.

House 97

Former state representative Sam Komo is supposed to be one of the Dems’ best pick-up possibilities. Incumbent Rep. John McCaherty had won a Democratic tilting district two years ago, but redistricting moved it yet another point or two in the Dem direction.

Between the better district, the name ID of a former Rep and a better environment, Komo is considered the favorite here.  However there are warning signs that this is on a trajectory to be a toss-up race instead.

First, one Republican crows that McCaherty is pulling down labor endorsements which Komo was counting on.  Then a Dem, wonders why is Komo spending his time doing call time for Rep. Joe Fallert’s senate race instead of his own race?

And

That Dem concerning McCaherty, Rep. Paul Wieland and other Republicans getting labor endorsements texts: “I think labor is hurting itself in the long run this cycle.”

Tweet of the Day

Claire McCaskill ‏@clairecmc “Off to KC for fundraising lunch with VP Biden.”

And

As Vice President Joe Biden arrives for a fundraiser for Sen. Claire McCaskill in Kansas City, Republicans will stage a counter press conference at a local small business to provide a contrast.  On that stage will be AG candidate Ed Martin and Speaker-elect Tim Jones.

Lobbyists Registrations

From the Pelopidas website:

Jodi Winegar terminated her lobbyist registration.

Rita Joan Simeone Gralike deleted National Popular Vote Initative.

John Hancock deleted Business Interest of Robert E Low, Prime Inc and Related Companies.

$5K+ Contributions

McGhee for Senate - $50,000 from David Humphreys.

House Republican Campaign Committee Inc. - $5,005 from Committee to Elect Tom Flanigan.

Teamsters Local Union NO 688 PAC - $9,550 from I.B.T. Drive.

Missourians for Health and Education - $10,000 from Burns & McDonnell.

Citizens for Largent - $5,001 from Friends of Chris Molendorp.

United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Fund - $6,281 from United Food & Commerical Workers Local#655Elect Political Fund

MO Democratic State Committee - $10,000 from United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.

Spence for Governor - $10,000 from Mark Mays.

Schoeller for Missouri - $10,000 from Gerald Cook.

Fred Sauer Governor - $50,000 from Fred Sauer.

Cash Commentary

The $50K check to Mike McGhee from David Humphreys has some people wondering if that race will now be competitive. One check does not a competitive race make, but certainly it can make it one to watch.

Rep. Chris Molendorp puts his money behind his colleague Rep. Scott Largent in Senate 31. It’s said that Moely is helping Largent in Cass County, and Bubs Hohulin is backing Largent “in a big way” in Emery’s hometown of Barton.

Shane Schoeller continues to show the most fundraising muscle in the Republican primary.  This morning there’s another $10K check for him.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Rep. Don Ruzicka (55) and MORx’s Ron Fitzwater (58).