MOScout Daily Update: Last Blitz Senate Races - $600K More from RGA - COVID Dashboard Crash - Local Health Leaders Quit - MOScout Pick'em Contest and more...
Last Blitz
Here’s an update on 3rd Party Expenditures in the hotly contested Senate races. New reports since my Tuesday update…
Senate 1
Opposing David Lenihan
· 10/23 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $5,150
Supporting Doug Beck
· 10/28 - Planned Parenthood Votes - $10
· 10/27 - Planned Parenthood Votes - $1
· 10/27 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $13,750
Senate 15
Supporting Andrew Koenig
· 10/27 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $18,750
Opposing Andrew Koenig
· 10/28 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $10,000
· 10/27 - Clean And Accountable - $55,500
· 10/26 – Purple PAC - $87,000
· 10/26 – Majority Forward - $19,915
· 10/23 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $292,500
· 10/23 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $5,150
Supporting Deb Lavender
· 10/28 - Planned Parenthood Votes - $101
· 10/27 – Planned Parenthood Votes - $87
Opposing Deb Lavender
· 10/28 – Freedom’s Promise PAC - $50,000
· 10/27 – Freedom’s Promise PAC - $56,250
· 10/27 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $150,000
Senate 19
Supporting Caleb Rowden
· 10/27 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $16,921
Opposing Caleb Rowden
· 10/28 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $4,666
· 10/23 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $10,464
· 10/23 – Protect Missouri Freedom - $10,250
· 10/23 – Clean and Accountable - $195,000
Supporting Judy Baker
· 10/28 - Planned Parenthood Votes - $27
· 10/27 - Planned Parenthood Votes - $23
· 10/23 – Clean and Accountable - $1,700
Opposing Judy Baker
· 10/28 – Missouri Forward PAC - $139,014
· 10/28 – Missouri Forward PAC - $110,072
· 10/27 – Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $16,921
Another Day of Bad COVID Numbers
Governor Mike Parson gave a COVID briefing yesterday which skirted the bad news of the day: the state data dashboard crashed again, and when the numbers did appear, it showed a jump in cases and deaths.
Meanwhile
The dashboard continues to understate the number of current deaths from COVID. As of yesterday, it reported 88 deaths in the past 7 days. The number of actual deaths is certainly higher.
The discrepancy between the dashboard and reality is due to the reporting lag. It takes time for deaths to show up on the state dashboard. In the last seven days, the state has reported 242 new deaths.
Worse than minimizing the current death toll from COVID, this format also creates the false impression that COVID deaths are declining in Missouri. It shows that deaths are down 14% by comparing last week to the week before. This is completely misleading. There is no evidence that deaths are declining. The evidence is actually that deaths are increasing. The dashboard “decline” is a function of the data lag and the presentation of the data.
Local Health Directors Quit
Post-Dispatch reports that 12 local health department director position “in Missouri that has been vacated since the pandemic hit in March, according to Kelley Vollmar, chair of the Missouri Association of Local Public Health Agencies…. Health department directors lost over the past two months as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surged across Missouri include those in Howard, Washington, Ste. Genevieve and Audrain counties. Many are women… Vollmar, also the director of the Jefferson County Health Department, said health departments are seeing staff members retire early because of the stress and verbal attacks. Those jobs are now difficult to fill, she said…”
Why It Matters
Governor Mike Parson has pushed down decision-making responsibility in fighting the COVID outbreak to the local departments.
More on Rules
On reader offers another name to throw into the Rules Chair talk… Don’t overlook Becky Ruth. She’s handled her Committee masterfully, she works really hard, and Rob [Vescovo] trusts her…
STL Reorgs Its Civic Groups
Five St. Louis civic groups announced a merger.
From the website: Greater St. Louis, Inc. combines the strengths of five current economic development organizations to unify around a common vision and strategy for fostering inclusive growth. AllianceSTL, Arch to Park, Civic Progress, Downtown STL, Inc., and the St. Louis Regional Chamber will come together as Greater St. Louis, Inc. by the end of 2020. Leaders of the new organization will foster collaborative community partnerships to address the metropolitan area’s challenges and opportunities for broad-based prosperity.
My friend Charlie, while explaining a specific merger to me once, summed it up as “two sick cats leaning against each other.” This looks like three sick cats and a penguin and an alligator, so should be interesting to watch…
MOScout Pick’em Contest
It’s time for the MOScout Pick’em Contest. Who will win…
1. Governor:
2. Senate 1 (Sifton termed):
3. Senate 15 (Koenig):
4. Senate 19 (Rowden):
5. House 31 (Stacy, Blue Springs):
6. House 65 (Hannegan, St. Charles):
7. House 94 (Murphy, STL):
8. House 135 (Helms, Springfield):
9. TIE BREAKER - % in favor of Amendment 3
Email me your picks by midnight Friday at dave@moscout.com
Help Wanted
Missouri Limestone Producers Association seeks Executive Director. “The MLPA was organized in 1944 to promote and protect the interests of crushed stone operators located or doing business in the state. The Executive Director is responsible for leading the MLPA in a manner that supports and guides the organization's mission as defined by the Board of Directors… The position will be located at the MLPA office in Jefferson City, Missouri.” See the ad here.
eMailbag on HDCC HRCC Fundraising
· Maybe the other reason the gap between the party House committees has closed is that donors see the Dems picking up seats this cycle, maybe quite a few seats. Quade seems to be the best House leader the Dems have had for awhile.
· HRCC has largely been funded by the work of Vescovo and Cody Smith. I do not recall a time with less cooperation from House Leadership.
Lobbyists Registrations
Julie Murphy Finn added Verizon Communications And Affiliated Companies.
Rodney Boyd, Kate Casas, Brian Grace, and Kelvin Simmons added The Philanthropy Roundtable.
$5K+ Contributions
Republican Governors Association - Missouri 2020 - $600,000 from Republican Governors Association (Washington DC).
Uniting Missouri PAC (pro-Parson) - $500,000 from Republican Governors Association Missouri (Washington DC).
House Democratic Campaign Committee - $175,000 from Dem Leg Camp Com Missouri Out of State Committee (Washington DC).
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $7,000 from Plocher for Missouri.
Majority Forward (Senate Dems) - $10,000 from Southwestern Bell Telephone LP d/b/a AT&T Missouri.
MO Opportunity PAC (pro-Schmitt) - $10,000 from ARDA Resort Owners Coalition PAC (Washington DC).
Lincoln PAC (pro-Hough) - $10,000 from Bobby Allison.
Mighty Missouri PAC (pro-Vescovo) - $7,954 from Missouri Leadership Forum.
WPG PAC - $6,000 from Maximus Inc (Reston VA).
NEA Fund for Children & Public Education Non Federal Itemized Account Missouri - $50,000 from NEA Fund For Children & Public Education - Non Federal Itemized Acct (Washington DC).
CWA-COPE Political Contributions Federal Committee - $6,300 from Communications Workers of America- COPE PCC (Washington DC).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Bruce DeGroot, Kyna Iman, Vince Schoemehl, and Mark Parkinson.