MOScout Daily Update: Politico: Two Trump Endorsements in MOSEN?? - Long Says 2020 was Rigged by Dems - Rowden Punches Greitens - Page PAC and more...
Politico: Dual Endorsements from Trump?
Politico raises the possibility that former President Donald Trump might endorse more than one US Senate candidate in Missouri. Read it here.
The GOP kingmaker-in-chief has grown so distrustful of all the advice he’s getting from various aides — and so wary of being lured into picking the wrong horse — that he’s floated an idea that would essentially dilute his endorsement… Another source of Trump’s endorsement apprehension: He isn’t clear about which advisers have significant personal or financial ties to the candidates they’re bending his ear about…
— In the Missouri Senate race, PAM BONDI, who heads Trump’s super PAC, has advocated for her longtime friend, state A.G. ERIC SCHMITT. But KELLYANNE CONWAY is advising Rep. BILLY LONG’s campaign, and KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE serves as national chair of former Gov. ERIC GREITENS’ campaign.
Long on the Air
Congressman Billy Long, looking to gain some traction in the US Senate race, released a TV spot. It definitely is aimed at appealing to Trump voters. But might also help as he tries to finesse an endorsement out of Trump himself. Long repeats the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged,” apparently unconcerned about the corrosive consequences of perpetuating that claim.
“I was one of the first to support Donald Trump for President. He made America great. But the Democrats rigged the election. Now we have Biden and the far-left crazies letting inflation rise faster than an auctioneer rattling off numbers. I’m running for Senate to stop the insanity, stop the wokeness, and stop the Democrats from stealing another election.
So, I need your help. And then we’ll help Donald Trump make America great again, again!
I’m Billy Long, and I approve this message.”
Sporting Betting This Year?
Post-Dispatch reports on progress to bring sports betting to Missouri. Read it here.
Missouri’s professional sports teams and representatives of its gambling casinos have reached an agreement they believe could bring sports betting to the state.
After four years of false starts in the Legislature, top officials with the sports teams, including St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III, fanned out in the Capitol Wednesday pitching a plan that would bring Missouri in line with 32 other states that have legalized wagering on competitive events.
Key to the plan is to separate the sports betting issue from efforts to legalize video gambling in gas stations, truck stops and bars…
Rowden, Greitens Twitter Fight
Sen. Caleb Rowden punched back at Eric Greitens on Twitter. Greitens has been critical of the 6-2 map.
.@ericgreitens could have had an actual role in this process as Governor, but he quit on the people of Missouri. Missouri needs fighters…not quitters! #MOLeg #MOGov #MOSen
What It Means
This 7-1 vs 6-2 fight is getting ugly. It should be a delight to Missouri Democrats to see Republicans quickly devolve into name calling: RINO this, RINO that.
RINO is the secret whispered spell chant of Democrats. In the superminority their best hope to stall legislation depends on Republican infighting. So Republicans telling other Republicans they’re not “real” Republicans is the sweetest sound they can hear.
Better Elections in Alaska?
The Better Elections movement in Missouri is still a mystery. It’s not known who is funding the effort – with millions of dollars – to dramatically change the way elections are conducted. But Missouri is not alone.
It’s happening in other states as well.
The Hill reports on Alaska…
Alaska's Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a ballot measure that would institute a ranked-choice voting system for state and federal elections and do away with party primaries…
The ruling effectively clears the way for not only a ranked-choice voting system but also an open party primary — putting an end to closed party primaries. All candidates will be placed on a single ballot in the primary, with voters picking one candidate. The top four candidates advance to the general election, which will have a ranked-choice system in which voters select candidates by order of preference… Alaska becomes the second state to institute the voting system for all congressional and state elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Maine has also implemented ranked-choice voting for many of its state and federal elections.
Don’t Forget about Page’s PAC
I wrote yesterday about Rep. Shamed Dogan outraising St. Louis County Executive Sam Page last quarter. That drew a tut-tut from a reader… “Only looking at candidate committees is so 2017.”
Page PAC raised $120,500. It spent minimal money (most of it going to PAC fundraiser Angela Bingaman), and now has $362,274.
Page leads the money race.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeremy LaFaver added Clean Grid Alliance.
$5K+ Contributions
Legal Missouri 2022 - $10,000 from Green Four Ventures LLC.
Legal Missouri 2022 - $7,500 from OWG III LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to the Reverend Carl Gauck, and Farrah Fite.