MOScout Daily Update: 6-1-1 Map? - Parson Wants New Jobless $$$? - Dems Still Seek Auditor Candidate - Tilley PAC Amends Filing and more...
6-1-1 Map?
There’s a new possibility as Republican lawmakers consider congressional redistricting: a 6-1-1 map.
Previously the two main alternatives were a status quo-ish 6-2 map or a 7-1 map. The 6-2 map would fortify Congresswoman Ann Wagner’s district, but retain the two Democratic majority districts in St. Louis and Kansas City.
The 7-1 map would seek to create 7 majority Republican districts leaving Congresswoman Cori Bush as the sole Democrat from the state’s delegation. Some have argued that it is a doable map for Republicans, while others think it’s doable but not sustainable as turnout fluctuated over the years. “Saundra McDowell lost three Congressional districts in 2018.”
The 6-2 map seemed to have won the day in this tug-of-war.
However, with Republicans riding high after their upset win in the Virginia gubernatorial race, I wondered if there’d be another look at the 7-1 possibility.
I’m told that “6-1-1 is a possibility. Basically, make [Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s district] a 50/50 and see who wins.”
Dems Still Lack Auditor Candidate
It’s a little shocking, but Democrats are still without an auditor candidate for next year’s election. I can’t recall as time when one of the major parties hasn’t had at least someone running at this point in the cycle for any statewide office. I asked around a bit yesterday. Here’s what folks are saying…
· Democratic Party Chair Michael Butler is leading the selection process.
· It sounds like Rep. Donna Baringer, at one time asked to consider the race, has declined.
· Word is that Dems are looking for someone with a CPA, or accounting background, and that’s limiting the options.
· One Dem shrugs, “maybe after redistricting mixes things up, it will push someone [to run].”
But the bottom-line is that Dems don’t have much of a bench, and they don’t have much enthusiasm. We’ve reached what might be “peak pessimism” for MO Dems. Winning statewide feels impossible after the schlacking last cycle when Nicole Galloway raised oodles of money and still lost by 17 points.
Parson Mulls Unemployment $$$??
Post-Dispatch reported that Governor Mike Parson is considering giving unemployment benefits to workers who get fired for not complying with their company’s COVID policies. It sounds ridiculous – taxpayer money to incentivize folks to not work and not get vaccinated in the middle of a labor shortage and pandemic. Yet…
· “The governor is always open to making improvements to any program in state government especially when it comes to protecting the workforce from overreaching federal vaccine mandates,” Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said Tuesday.
Once More With Feeling…
· The vaccines are safe and effective.
· Getting folks vaccinated is good for people’s health and it’s good for the economy.
Tilley PAC Files Amended Reports
After Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger wrote about numbers not adding up in two PACs related to Steven Tilley, one of them has filed amended returns.
MO Majority PAC LLC went back over the past year, filing amended returns. They added in more contributions to candidates that hadn’t been reported before. But the largest amendment was reporting an investment - $75,000 worth of stock in a local bank, Reliable Community BancShares.
The other PAC, Missouri Growth PAC, has not yet filed amendments.
eMailbag on Possible New-SAPA Next Session
Interesting to hear people think that the 60 minutes piece will out any real pressure to change the SAPA legislation. My 2 cents…. The Speaker’s opponents (mostly Dems) seem to believe that all they need to do is convince the press as a referee to come in and throw a flag on the play as if that changes anything? If they aren’t campaigning on it from the perspective of endangering law enforcement and hanging increased crime around the neck of the party in charge all that the Speaker/Majority will learn is they get to please their base while the courts will bail them out on consequences. There are no refs in a street fight.
Help Wanted
Missouri Public Utility Alliance seeks Manager – Advocacy & Regulatory Analysis. “Position delivers analysis on, and engagement in, legislative, regulatory, and industry developments as part of a team of government affairs professionals. Position reports on activities to senior leadership and organizational membership and activates grass-top and grass-roots engagement for change. Position routinely interfaces with member utility leaders, state and federal regulatory officials, consultants, attorneys, and technical staff…” See the ad here.
New Committees
Chimene Schwach formed a candidate committee (Friends of Chimene Schwach) to run for House 46 as a Democrat. This is Rep. Martha Stevens seat. She announced she won’t be seeking another term. Columbia Daily Tribune reports that Schwach “has lived in Columbia 12 years. She is a Boone County advocate supervisor for Heart of Missouri CASA, working with court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children. She's a member of the Missouri Family Health Council Board, Planned Parenthood Advisory Committee and the Blue Thunder Track Club board.”
$5K+ Contributions
Mighty Missouri PAC (pro-Vescovo) - $5,500 from ARDA Resort Owners Coalition.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Chris Schappe.