MOScout Daily Update: Loading Up Bills - Another Try At The Map? - The Case for Eggleston - Immigration Hot Button Issue and more...

Loading up Bills

We’re nearing the final stretch of the legislative session.  Yesterday, both chambers yesterday loaded up bills with amendments.  The May 13 session finish-line is in sight, so folks are piling their legislative luggage onto any vehicle that’s moving.

·         In the Senate, there were 23 amendments offers to Rep. Peggy McGaugh’s HB 1606.  Even Sen. Mike Moon, who eschews bills with more than a single subject, got in on the action (though ironically, the amendment was derailed after a point of order from Sen. Lauren Arthur. Moon conceded it was beyond the scope of the bill).

·         In the House, there were 12 amendments to Sen. Eric Burlison’s SB 820.

What It Means: We’re going to have some huge omnibus bills in the final week of session.

And

The Senate made a late push for the House’s sports betting legislation, though it was stalled by Sen. Denny Hoskins’ opposition.

One More Swing At the Map

Yesterday morning, Republicans from both the House Redistricting Committee and the Senate Redistricting Committee met in Speaker Rob Vescovo’s office to muster one more attempt at passing a congressional map.

Vescovo’s pitch was that everybody (Jefferson County, St. Charles County, and St. Louis County) had to give a little to find a compromise.  But if they did, this could be solved among Republicans, and they wouldn’t need Democratic votes.  That means they wouldn’t have to make any accommodations to Sen. Steve Roberts or other Dems.

According to one source, Vescovo offered that he’d be willing to give more in regard to JeffCO’s lines. 

But that wasn’t the message received by at least one Republican senator who texted me: “Vescovo is right now at the same place several Senators were back in January—trying to ‘win’ the map he wants… We will see how long Vescovo requires to realize he cannot force a map on anyone at this point. It took the Senate 2 months to realize that.  Vescovo has 11 session days.”

·         The group will meet again next week with the hopes of coming to agreement before session winds down.

Meanwhile

AP reports on lawsuits regarding the legislature’s inaction.  See it here.

With the state's Republican-led Legislature still deadlocked on redistricting, Missouri now faces lawsuits in federal and state court asking the judiciary to intervene and order a new U.S. House map before this summer's primary election.  Republican congressional candidate Paul Berry III, who filed the latest lawsuit in federal court, said Wednesday that the continued uncertainty over Missouri's U.S. House districts is affecting his ability to campaign.

"There's no way that I can do a poll on a district that doesn't have boundaries," Berry said. "What door do I knock on? How do I take the limited amount of resources and campaign when I could be knocking on a door or targeting a voter that's not even in my district?"

The Case for Eggleston

It’s early in the Senate 12 Republican primary, but Rep. J Eggleston is well positioned in the race

One consultant, who’s not working with any candidate, views the race as “a traditional rural race where geography matters more than ideology.”

Former Rep. Delus Johnson hails from the western part of the district.  Eggleston’s district occupies the middle portion of the new Senate 12.  And Rep. Rusty Black’s base will be the eastern side of the district.

But Eggleston brings several strengths to the race.  Here’s the case for Eggleston…

·         Early start.  Eggleston has been working the district for months. Black was a late entry, and Johnson has not been as visible.

·         Money lead.  By loaning himself $100,000 Eggleton showed a commitment to the race.  He’ll have to raise more for a competitive Senate campaign, but he’s leading the field in cash on-hand right now.

·         Right flank.  Eggleston has a stellar conservative voting record which should be an asset in a Republican primary.

More on Carter Numbers

One MOScouter in Senate 10 thinks Mike Carter’s poll numbers are helped by the fact that he already has an aggressive mail program going… “Carter sent out at least two mailers prior to his internal senate poll in S10. (I got two and I think three if memory serves me correct)… Last mailer had McCloskey pictures on it when he had him on his cable tv show… More of a maverick feel to his mailers with red meat conservative stuff. But few remember he ran as Democrat for Lt gov several years ago.”

Immigration Issue

I’ve been surprised as I’ve polled Republican state senate primaries that illegal immigration has been the highest concern among GOP primary voters.

It appears this is not unique to Missouri.

·         Echelon Insights has a new poll out showing the huge divide between Republicans and Democrats on the issue.  See it here.

·         Axios reports on the issue potentially playing in the midterms.  See it here. With the midterm elections around the corner, Republicans are leaning on immigration to attack the Democratic Party. Not only does that put Democrats on the defensive, but it rallies the GOP base.  Roughly two-thirds of Republicans tell Gallup they're now concerned "a great deal" about illegal immigration. Fewer than 2-in-10 Democrats feel the same.

With economic data showing more job openings than workers, you’d think immigration would be seen as a panacea for the tight labor market.

At the very least, it wouldn’t be the source of economic anxiety, of someone “stealing Americans’ jobs.” 

It makes me wonder if the issue has migrated into the category of a “cultural” or “values” issue rather than an economic issue in the mind of Republican primary voters.

eMailbag: Comparing Budgets

Regarding the Conservative Caucus claim that Missouri budget is as big as the State of Illinois… Missouri budget- approx. $46 billion. Illinois budget- $115 billion.

[Drebes note]: The comparisons made on the floor were apples to oranges.  Missouri’s total budget (including federal funds and other sources) to Illinois’ general revenue (from state taxes) spending.  They are approximately the same.  But Illinois’ budgets are much bigger if you compare Missouri’s general revenue to Illinois’ general revenue, or Missouri’s total budget to Illinois’ total budget.

Lobbyists Registrations

Strategic Capitol Consulting added Curio Wellness.

Megan Schmidt added The Philanthropy Roundtable.

Keith Antone Willis added The St Louis Association of Community Organizations, and St Louis Food Truck Association.

Heath Clarkston, Harry Gallagher, Doug Nelson, and Kurt Schaefer deleted Affordable Equity Partners Inc, and Capital Health Management.

Chris Miller deleted Uber Technologies, Inc.

$5K+ Contributions

Legal Missouri 2022 - $7,500 from CPC of Missouri LLC.

Legal Missouri 2022 - $10,000 from MO Retail Products Group Inc.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays Reps. Ashley Bland Manlove and Adam Schnelting, Tina Shannon, and Brian Yates.