MOScout Daily Update: Galloway's Closing Argument - Ashcroft Ad - STL Hospitals Near Capacity - 3rd Party Spending in Senate Races and more....
Galloway’s Final Ad
The Galloway campaign’s final ad is out today. See her “closing argument” ad here.
The next Governor will have a big job: to dig us out of this COVID mess. Let’s be real: Mike Parson will do everything the same old way… That won’t cut it anymore… It’s time for a New Way of doing things.
New Ashcroft Ad
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft released his campaign ad. See it here. It touts Ashcroft’s technology and engineering background saying that he’s the one to keep Missouri’s elections safe and secure.
Kehoe Sprints for Finish
Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe recorded a strong final fundraising period. His 8-Day Report showed $305K raised, the most of the down-ballot candidates. It even beat the usual money leader, AG Eric Schmitt ($220K).
Also, interesting to see Democrat Yinka Faleti ($146K) outraising Ashcroft ($86K).
STL Hospitals Near Capacity
Post-Dispatch reports that “at a somber and sometimes emotional press conference Monday, hospital officials and health care workers implored St. Louis area residents to take simple precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as case numbers and hospital admissions surge. Dr. Aamina Akhtar, an infectious disease specialist and the chief medical officer of Mercy Hospital South, said health care workers are tired and frightened…
Dr. Alex Garza, who leads the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, said the region is at an inflection point. Local hospitals, on average, are at around 90% capacity, Garza said…
The task force reported a seven-day average of 360 COVID-19 patients in metro area hospitals, a level not seen since mid-May. The seven-day average of new COVID-19 admissions was 52, the highest since early April…
Garza said earlier in the pandemic, the region was not seeing as many patients transferred in from outlying areas. But recently, with rising infections in rural areas, that has changed…
Bed availability also depends on the number of staff members who can care for the patients in those beds. Hospitals are having trouble filling nursing positions, because nurses are in high demand across the nation.”
What It Means
The spread of COVID across Missouri is evident in all the data.
Particularly vexing is the continued rise in hospitalization – the metric I have always considered the most consistent gauge. We started the summer with hospitalizations in the 600 range, then it jumped to the 800 range. This fall, hospitalization climbed above 1,000. Now they’re hitting the 1,400 number on many days.
It’s clear that the “boxed-in” strategy hasn’t prevented the virus from continuing to spread.
The question now is whether Governor Mike Parson pays a political price for the spread or whether folks believe it was inevitable regardless of policy choices.
Recent Third-Party Expenditures in Senate Races
Senate 1
Supporting David Lenihan
· 10/21/20 – Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee - $49
Opposing David Lenihan
· 10/15/20 – DougPAC - $39,250
· 10/20/20 – Majority Forward - $21,288
· 10/23/20 – Majority Forward - $19,678
· 10/23/20 – DougPAC - $5,275
Supporting Doug Beck
· 10/14/20 - International Union of Operating Engineers Political & Educational Fund - $362
· 10/20/20 – Majority Forward - $22,094
Opposing Doug Beck
· 10/15/20 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $17,455
· 10/20/20 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $17,455
Senate 15
Supporting Andrew Koenig
· 10/21/20 - Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee - $1,233
Opposing Andrew Koenig
· 10/15/20 – Majority Forward - $62,787
· 10/15/20 – Purple PAC - $33,511
· 10/16/20 – Purple PAC - $15,000
· 10/20/20 – Purple PAC - $15,000
· 10/23/20 – Majority Forward - $19,630
· 10/23/20 – Purple PAC - $15,000
Supporting Deb Lavender
· 10/21/20 – MO State Teachers Assoc Legislative Impact - $255
Opposing Deb Lavender
· 10/15/20 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $20,312
· 10/17/20 - Freedom’s Promise PAC - $55,000
· 10/19/20 – Freedom’s Promise PAC - $298,000
· 10/19/20 - Freedom’s Promise PAC - $31,990
· 10/19/20 - Freedom’s Promise PAC - $3,000
· 10/21/20 – Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee - $364
· 10/21/20 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $106,954
· 10/22/20 - Freedom’s Promise PAC - $20,000
· 10/22/20 - Freedom’s Promise PAC - $200,000
Senate 19
Supporting Caleb Rowden
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $26,140
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $37,493
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $82,299
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $28,430
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $136,084
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $15,511
Opposing Caleb Rowden
· 10/15/20 – Missouri Democratic State Committee - $10,917
· 10/15/20 – Missouri Democratic State Committee - $10,917
Supporting Judy Baker
· 10/21/20 – MO State Teachers Assoc Legislative Impact - $833
· 10/22/20 – Boone County Democratic Committee - $165
Opposing Judy Baker
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $39,120
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $34,122
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $68,680
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $74,057
· 10/22/20 – Missouri Forward PAC - $262,545
Lobbyists Registrations
Shawn Rhoads added Missouri Sheriffs United.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $15,000 from GSLAA PAC.
American Dream PAC - $10,000 from Western Anesthesiology Associates Inc.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $100,000 from Believe in Life and Liberty PAC (pro-Eigel).
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee (GOP Senate) - $100,000 from Tony PAC (pro-Luetkemeyer).
Tony PAC - $50,000 from American Democracy Alliance-Ridgely PAC.
Tony PAC - $7,500 from Warrenton Oil Company.
DougPac (pro-Beck) – $25,000 from United Association Political Education Missouri Committee - Federal Committee (Annapolis MD).
HealthPAC - $10,000 from Health Care Leadership Committee State Account.
STL Democratic Coalition - $7,500 from Alliance For Progress LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Kurt Schaefer, Jay Houghton, Stacey Jones Preis.