MOScout Daily Update: Dems on CD-2 - Pre-filing Starts - Voter Enthusiasm for 2020 - Rural Banking Decline? and more....
Cleaning out the in-box from a long weekend….
Dems on Schupp in CD-2
· Dem # 1: The Rs does protest too much. If Schupp is well funded, the race will be about whether Wagner fits the district anymore. Biggest downside oddly is the district getting carved in 2022.
· Dem #2: Anyone who thinks Jill Schupp doesn't speak the language of money is in for a rude awakening. She will be (rightfully) unafraid to ask both national, left-wing groups and establishment groups alike. If she runs, [resources] will not be her problem.
· Dems #3: Yeahhhh long voting record must really be a problem in CD-2... that explains why Hawley beat Claire in that district with his lack of record against her long one and why Cort beat Wagner with his clean record... oh wait the people with voting records won both of those races in that district?!!... These Rs sound desperate coming up with these dismissive arguments….
GOP on DGA Memo
One GOP source on the Democratic Governors’ Association memo says... “All of our internal polls – and for that matter all of the public polls – have Governor Parson over 50% on the ballot. The fact that national Democrats are touting a poll with a 9-point deficit shows how difficult their task is in Missouri.”
Driving the Day
Pre-filing of bills starts today…
And
Might as well mark your calendars if you haven’t already.
· First day of session is January 8.
· Spring Break is March 23-27.
· Final day of session is May 15.
Gallop: Voter Enthusiasm High for 2020
Gallop finds what we would all already guess is true: Americans are amped for the 2020 election. See it here.
Roughly two in three Americans (64%) say they are "more enthusiastic" about voting compared with previous elections, while 28% are "less enthusiastic" and 6% say they currently have the same level of enthusiasm as they have in the past. Americans' self-reported enthusiasm is among the highest Gallup has measured across presidential election years, similar to the levels recorded near the end of the 2004, 2008 and 2012 elections. Enthusiasm was more subdued in 2000 and 2016.
What It Means
· Republican take: Missouri is now a red state; more turnout means more red. High intensity is good for Republicans.
· Democratic take: 2016 was peak-Trump turnout. Higher turnout now will come from Dems who have had four years of motivation.
Rural Access to Banking?
We’ve heard talk about rural communities’ lack of broadband access, and struggling hospitals. “Add one more thing to the list of rural America's ails: diminished access to banks.” See it here.
Underbanked rural communities were left with even fewer banks in the span of five years. Urban communities didn't see the same substantial declines… Lack of banking services could help propel the issues plaguing rural America — including population declines (as more people move to urban areas) and economic malaise — and exacerbate the rural-urban divide… Rural counties hit the hardest by branch closures had older, poorer and less educated populations than other rural counties, Fed researchers note — groups that tend to rely on nearby banking services the most.
Keller on Parson and MedEx
Rudi Keller looks at Governor Mike Parson’s seeming ambivalence on Medicaid expansion.
“If the people of the state of Missouri — that is their will and they vote to do that — that’s what I’m supposed to do is uphold the will of the people of this state, and that’s what I intend to do regardless of whether I agree with the issue or whether I don’t,” Parson told reporters at a news conference…
Treece Complaint Filed
Columbia News Tribune reports on an ethics complaint filed against lobbyist and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece. See it here.
Columbia attorney Dan Viets has filed an ethics complaint alleging Mayor Brian Treece has violated state campaign finance laws. Viets’ complaint presents two allegations against Treece: that he failed to file required paperwork before accepting donations for a 2022 mayoral campaign and that he is illegally maintaining a campaign committee while he is a registered lobbyist… A bill passed in 2016 requires that any person registering as a lobbyist must dissolve their candidate committee, Viets noted in his filing….
It raises an interesting question because it basically prohibits lobbyists from running for local office and spending more than $500.
Branson Drama
Branson TriLakes News reports on “Mayor Edd Akers declaring [an] ‘abstain’ vote be counted as a ‘no’ vote. See it here.
“I’ve learned a lot in the first eight months of serving here as mayor of the city of Branson,” Akers said. “I’m trying to learn exactly what some of my responsibilities are. What I’m about to share with you is what I believe my responsibilities are, and I would like to read those to you.
“It is my responsibility as mayor under state law to take care of the ordinances of our city and the state law regarding our city are complied with. Under one of our ordinances, Branson Municipal Code 264, I am tasked with the responsibility of being the presiding officer of the board, and I’m required to observe strict order and decorum at all meetings of the board. Decorum (is defined as) proprietary and good taste in conduct or appearance. One of the many definitions of order is the state of peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior and respect for law and proper authority. Unfortunately, we’ve recently had a number of abstentions on votes without any proper basis for the abstention.
“The citizens of Branson elect us to make decisions on policy matters, and we must make those decisions by voting. We are obligated to vote unless a conflict of interest prevents us from doing so. The common law in the state of Missouri supports this. Although I cannot force any member of the board to cast a vote, and no member can be required to cast a vote, I do have the ability to control the order and decorum of these meetings. As a result, I’m announcing under my authority to preserve order and decorum for these meetings, that any abstentions by any member of this board during the meeting, or meetings in the future, will be recast as a ‘no’ vote.”
The announcement, was met with obvious disapproval from a few of the aldermen.
Tweet of the Weekend
Comes from State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick…. See it here.
Lobbyists Registrations
Salvatore Panettiere added Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Frank Plescia deleted Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ron Berry deleted New Venture Fund, and Center For Secure and Modern Elections.
Sherry Doctorian deleted Planthaven Farms.
$5K+ Contributions
Health Care Issues Committee of the Missouri Hospital Association - $11,550 from SSM Health.
Missourians for Healthcare - $12,500 from Community Treatment Inc.
Missourians for Healthcare - $25,000 from Missouri Primary Care Association.
Missourians for Healthcare - $50,000 from Missouri Primary Care Association.
Viceroy PAC - $6,000 from Golden Entertainment.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Brent Hemphill, Stephen Bough, and Theckla Spainhower.