MOScout Daily Update: Parson Hearts McCloskeys - Special Announcement Today? - Parson Vetoes CID Reform Bill - Ross Leads in Senate 33 and more...
Parson Joins Team McCloskey
I never would have predicted that two whiny lawyers would become a conservative cause celebre, but here we are.
Yesterday, Governor Mike Parson threw his lot in with the McCloskeys. For a guy who again and again stresses the importance of common sense, it’s mind-blowing that he would stick up for two fools waving guns and threatening peaceful protestors who would have otherwise walked right by.
What It Means
The decision to back the McCloskeys and cast doubt on the St. Louis City Prosecutor Kim Gardner are part of a new pivot for Parson. When he become governor his mantra for the first eighteen months was “workforce development and infrastructure.”
Then COVID hit, and his focus was battling COVID as well as the economy.
At yesterday’s briefing, Parson said his #1 priority was dealing with violent crime. It appears that Team Parson has decided that with the economy in turmoil his re-election theme will be law and order.
The calculation is that President Donald Trump will win Missouri, and Parson can keep the Trump voters in his camp, he’ll win too. Trump’s running on law and order, so now Parson is too.
Driving the Day
Governor Mike Parson will hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. regarding violent crime in Missouri…
This is expected to be the announcement about special session.
Meanwhile in St. Louis
With all the gnashing of teeth about Kim Gardner, she’s up for re-election in three weeks. She faces a former prosecutor, Mary Pat Carl.
Neither have filed their July quarters yet, but Carl had more cash on-hand as April ($85K vs Gardner’s $12K).
One reader has seen a couple polls on the race. They show Gardner ahead, but not by much, and well below the 50% benchmark that incumbents aim for.
It’s possible that the voters of St. Louis City will be making a change to this office next month.
We’ll see…
Parson July Quarter
Governor Mike Parson raised $481K and finished the quarter with $1.5 million on-hand, roughly the same amount that Auditor Nicole Galloway has on-hand.
Pro-Galloway reader: That's a pretty weak position for an incumbent governor who just a few months ago was seen as a favorite.
· The pro-Parson Uniting Missouri PAC hasn’t flied yet.
Poll: Ross Leads Senate 33
One MOScouter shared this quickie poll in Senate 33 (see it here), showing Rep. Robert Ross pulling ahead. Though there’s still a third undecided.
Ross: 36%
Karla Eslinger: 21%
Van Kelly: 12%
Undecided: 31%
New MedEx Ad
The new TV ad for Medicaid expansion targets rural voters. See it here.
A solution that can protect rural communities…. It would help keep our rural hospitals open, protect thousands of healthcare jobs…
MSTA Survey
Missouri State Teachers Association has released a survey of their members regarding the coronavirus. Find it here.
· 57% of people responding said they are concerned about contracting COVID-19 when schools reopen. In other question responses, many are concerned about contracting the illness and passing it on to immune-compromised relatives or students.
· More than 70% respondents think that state testing should be eliminated for the 2020-21 school year in order to add instructional time to the school year to make up for lost time from the 2019-20 school year.
Bills Signed, Vetoed
Governor Mike Parson completed his bill signings yesterday. See the list of legislative actions here. In the end he only vetoed two bills.
· HB 1854 which contained changes to CIDs and TDDs that the St. Louis business community was skittish about. See the veto letter here.
· SB 718 which would have created a department of defense in Missouri. See the veto letter here.
Among the bills signed was one which eliminates the requirement that motorcyclists wear helmets. On Twitter, newsman Brian Hauswirth noted that this brings closure to a debate has been going on for about 30 years in the Missouri legislature.
Maskless Parson
Governor Mike Parson defended his lack of mask wearing over the weekend, and the Missouri Democratic Party cruelly transcribed his answer full of sideways sentences and awkward syntax.
It’s just a choice you got to make. You know the one thing I know when I go to an event like that for example I’m not going to stand there for ten minutes or five minutes and talk to anybody. You know somebody is going to come up to you and say something and I’m going to be able to separate from them pretty quick. And I think if you listen to Dr. Williams I think really how long you maintain around somebody is important too. And then you know kind of know which way their face is pointing. You know you learn things as you go out there how to avoid those situations. And believe me if something happens or if I feel like I get anything on me we try to clean it up as soon as possible. Whether that’s going to a bathroom or hand cleaner with me. I mean every one of my security details got cleansers with them. My staff does. So you know I’m trying to do everything I can as governor to make sure I’m protected when I go out there. But again, you can’t go to every event as governor of state of Missouri and people stay six foot away. You just can’t.
· KCStar’s Jason Hancock retweets how silly this sounds. .@GovParsonMO explaining why he doesn't wear a mask: "If I feel like I get anything on me, we try to clean it up as soon as possible.” The size of a coronavirus is 120 nanometers. For comparison, the width of a human hair is approximately 75,000 nm.
Glantz Committee
One eagle-eyed reader noticed that in St. Louis County Council District 2, Barry Glantz doesn’t have a proper candidate committee. Glantz is running against incumbent Kelli Dunaway in the Democratic primary.
But Glantz’ only active committee is from the special election for the seat a year ago. He hasn’t amended it for this election, and it still lists him as an Independent. He’s now running as a Democrat.
Glantz’ January and April quarterly reports for that committee show “limited activity.” He hasn’t filed his July quarter yet.
eMailbag on Sabato Rating Change
Sabato was so prescient in 2016! Pardon if I take what he says with a shaker of salt—
Lobbyists Registrations
Stephen Eisele added PROMO.
Tim “Brink” Brinker added Tim Brinker.
Gamble & Schlemeier added SA Hospital Acquisitions Group, LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Healthcare - $600,000 from Missouri Hospital Association.
Missouri Senate Conservatives Fund - $122,000 from American Federation of Children (Washington DC).
Conservatives United for Missouri PAC - $10,000 from Magruder Paving, LLC.
Change STL PAC - $100,000 from Carpenters Help in the Political Process.
New Approach PAC - $55,000 from New Approach PAC (Washington DC).
Great Outdoors PAC - $20,000 from Seven Points LLC.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Charles Marley.
Eastside Forward PAC - $10,000 from CHIPP Political Action Committee.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Adriane Crouse.
Congratulations
Claire and David Jackson on the birth of their daughter, Lucy Elizabeth Jackson.