MOScout Daily Update: Bush Gives GOP Message Gift - Where We Are CD-7 - COVID in Kids - Missouriopolis and more...
Bush Comments Fire Up GOP
“You are going to see this 10,000 times between now and next November.” That’s a what a Republican staffer texted me yesterday after Congresswoman Cori Bush’s comments about defunding the police and her own private security.
Now and November 2022 is a long time and there will be countless more viral moments. But Republicans clearly feel like they were gifted with a message – delivered by a near perfect messenger for their audience.
· A quick 30-second ad has already been produced by NRCC Communication. See it here.
· Politico says “Republicans are salivating over a new interview in which Rep. CORI BUSH (D-Mo.)… It also comes as Republicans increasingly use members of the “Squad” — all of whom, Democrats note, are women of color — as political boogeymen in competitive seats. And with the “defund the police” message so politically toxic for Democrats in swing seats, you can expect Republicans to keep highlighting Bush’s remarks.” See it here.
· The Hill’s Morning Report quotes Mike Berg… “Her answer speaks for itself and will be appearing in many Republican midterm ads,” said Mike Berg, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. The comments also dismayed Democrats, who hold a slim 220 to 212 majority in the lower chamber. See it here.
Driving the Day: HRCC
House Republican Campaign Committee has their summer caucus in St. Louis. It should generate some chatter about leadership races, and which reps may make a move for state senate seats.
We’ll see…
CD-7 Talk: Where We Are
Likely to Run
· Sen. Eric Burlison – One lobbyist explains, “I would be shocked if Burlison doesn’t run for Billy’s seat. He and Billy are very close and Eric’s dream is to be in Congress.”
· Joelle Cannon – Speaker Elijah Haahr tells MOTimes that he’s out, which clearly sets the stage for Cannon’s candidacy. She has a lot of good buzz.
· Dr. Sam Alexander – Walks it like a candidate and works like a candidate, probably a candidate.
Watching
· Sen. Mike Moon and Sen. Lincoln Hough – Interestingly from different ends of the Republican ideological spectrum, they both have the same path to DC. Moon is a far-right candidate, while Hough is seen as a moderate. Both need a crowded field, where it’s not a fight for 50% but for the largest niche. I think the math on this strategy tends to be harder than more people assume.
Kids and COVID
Missouri Independent reports on an uptick in children hospitalized with COVID.
· Spring Schmidt, deputy director of the St. Louis County health department, said Wednesday that people under age 19 make up about a fifth of current total cases in county hospitals.
· A day before, Clay Dunagan, BJC HealthCare’s chief clinical officer, said 10 children 11 years old and under and another 10 children 12 years old and over are hospitalized across the four healthcare systems that make up the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. That's up from 13 from a week before. Of those, seven children are in intensive care units "fighting for their lives," he said.
I had a long conversation with a friend (Catholic, with masters degree in theology) early during pandemic who insisted to me that society’s half-compliance with the various containment measures was a symptom of our cultural ageism, devaluing old lives. And that if we saw waves of deaths in kindergarten classes instead of nursing homes, we’d all lockdown in heartbeat, without a second thought. The conversation has stuck with me.
More on Walsh
KRCG reports that Rep. Sara Walsh, and her hospitalized husband, Steve Walsh, have COVID.
· Sara Walsh was home recovering while her husband was in a hospital bed on a ventilator fighting his life. The couple chose not to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
· Sara Walsh said she couldn’t speak for her husband, but she said she chose not to get a COVID-19 vaccination because vaccines were not approved by the FDA and she had concerns about risk factors. Walsh said COVID-19 vaccinations were a personal choice.
· Steve Walsh is the press secretary for Missouri Republican Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler. Sara Walsh announced her candidacy for Hartzler’s 4th congressional district seat last month.
Missouriopolis
From Scott Charton’s twitter feed: Best graf: “Fun fact: Someone suggested that the capital city, which was moved from St. Charles to a more central location, be named Missouriopolis. Less creative minds prevailed and named it for Thomas Jefferson.”
#MISSOURIOPOLIS
eMailbag
On Gregory announcement video: "Investigations attorney"? That's...not a thing. He's a personal injury lawyer doing slip-and-falls and car accidents… Just look at his own bio on his firm's website. (https://theinjurycounsel.com/about-us/partner-david-gregory/)
On SAPA Suit: Ironic that of all firms using the SAPA bill in reverse to sue law enforcement is the Limbaugh firm.
On Anti-Vax special: Congrats to Burlison and Koenig for not signing that letter to Parson. The letter appears to outline a clear path on why company vaccine mandate violates the US Constitution. Since they feel so strongly, file a suit!
Lobbyists Registrations
Jean Evans added American Federation For Children.
$5K+ Contributions
Believe in Life and Liberty - BILL PAC - $50,000 from David and Thelma Stewart.
Lincoln PAC - $10,000 from MO Majority PAC.
Lincoln PAC - $10,000 from Phoenix Home Care & Hospice.
Pfizer Missouri Political Action Committee - Federal Committee - $7,300 from Pfizer Inc PAC.
American Property Casualty Insurance Association Political Account - $118,512 from American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Mark Milson, Jack Bondon, Bob Nance, and Bryan Stevenson.