MOScout Daily Update: Congressional Map Passes Senate - May To Avoid Primary? - Parents Bill of Rights PAC - Oliver Honored and more...
Congressional Map
The end is in sight for the long and winding road to new congressional maps. The Senate, after working through Wednesday night, was able to agree on a compromise early yesterday afternoon.
Post-Dispatch’s Jack Suntrup has screenshots of the map here.
A few quick thoughts…
· Rep. Sara Walsh and Taylor Burks – both filed and running in CD-4 – appear to have been drawn out of that district and into CD-3. They’re legally able to run the district without residing in it, but it’s a blow to their campaigns.
· Congresswoman Ann Wagner’s district gets shored up. Missouri Mapper has it as a Parson +10 district now.
· Sen. Andrew Koenig was the deliverer of the final compromise. While his map wasn’t all that much different from the version present by Sen. Mike Bernskoetter when the day began, it solidifies Koenig as the go-to bridge between the Conservative Caucus and the regulars. One lobbyist saying that Koenig “has thrust himself into the mix [of the floor leader’s race] if he wants it.”
· It's not necessarily “happy-times-are-here-again” in the Senate. The hard feelings run deep.
Next
It heads back to the House. While I expect some eye-rolling from the lower chamber, it’s hard to imagine they would punt the map back to the Senate. After all this, if they did reject the changes, I think everyone would be ready to give up and hand it over to the courts.
May To Avoid a Primary?
I’ve heard from several folks – though not from the man himself – that Rep. Peter Merideth has decided against running in Senate 4 against Democratic incumbent, Sen. Karla May.
May’s done a remarkable job in consolidating support among her potential rivals from the southern part of the new district.
The new lines lopped off her strongest base of support in North St. Louis City, and added some St. Louis County suburbs. But with just days before filing closes, there’s a real chance that May might avoid a primary.
Parents Bill of Rights PAC
Several lobbyists registered for Parents Bill of Rights PAC. They are: Scott Dieckhaus, Scott Swain, Caroline Hoover, Tracy King, Noel Torey, and Casey Allen Wasser.
The PAC registered earlier in the month. Former Rep. Kathie Conway is its treasurer.
It appears a vehicle to support legislation in the general assembly to codify parents’ ability to exercise greater control over their children’s education.
Also making the rounds: a polling memo from American Viewpoint from January of this year, asking Missourians about various components of the legislative package. See the memo here.
Among the proposals…
· Allow school board members to be recalled from office. 82% in favor
· Allow parents to send their child to a school of their choice if they have a credible objection to their child’s curriculum or the school fails to comply with the Parents’ Bill of Rights. 76% in favor.
· Enact disciplinary measures against any school employee who coerces a child to withhold information from their parents. 75% in favor.
· Require parental notification and consent for educational materials that include graphic sexual content, as is currently required for sexual education classes. 74% in favor.
MO Flag Creator Honored
Southeast Missourian reports on an event earlier in the week at the Oliver Family 'Flag House' in Cape Girardeau. The event honored Marie Watkins Oliver for creating the Missouri state flag. She’s the great-great-grandmother of GOP political powerman Jack Oliver. See a picture gallery here.
Pull Quote: "The men of the Oliver family had titles, but the women had the testimonies, because they were the ones who actually got things done," Jack Oliver.
Parson to DC
Governor Mike Parson will be in Washington DC on Monday raising money for his PAC, Uniting Missouri. See the invite here. The event is being hosted by Husch Blackwell Strategies.
With the governor coming up on the back half of his final term in office, I wonder about the need to continue to raise money. Perhaps Parson plans to aid candidates in this cycle, or maybe the PAC is planning to continue beyond Parson’s time in office.
Gubby Re-Appts
Governor Mike Parson nominated the following people to be reappointed to their positions.
Greta Bax, Celeste Cramer, and Jill Williams – Missouri Workforce Development Board.
Nancy Gibler – Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority.
Mary Meyer Keyes – Children’s Trust Fund Board.
Sharon Kissinger – Public School Retirement System of Missouri Board of Trustees.
Amy Diane Strauss – Missouri Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, and Professional Landscape Architects.
New Candidate Filings
Kirk Hilzinger filed to run in House 80 (St. Louis City) as a Republican. This is the Peter Merideth seat. It’s a safe Democratic seat.
Marvin Manring filed to run in House 127 (Barton and Dade) as a Democrat. Incumbent Ann Kelley is safe in this solid Republican seat.
Danny Garrison filed to run in House 140 (Ozark) as a Republican, creating a primary in this safe Republican district.
$5K+ Contributions
House Democratic Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Local Union 124 Voluntary Political Fund.
Lobbyists Registrations
Scott Dieckhaus, Scott Swain, Caroline Hoover, Tracy King, Noel Torey, and Casey Allen Wasser added Parents Bill of Rights PAC.
Ryan Rowden added MO Coalition for Video Lottery, LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Chris Sander, Erica Choinka, Jason Holsman, Doug Libla, Robert Cornejo, Saundra McDowell, and Mark Matthiesen.