MOScout Daily Update: MRL Eyes PQ - Shaul Mailer - House 92 Primary - $6M+ to Better Elections - Vescovo Not Done and more...
And I’m back… Congrats everyone on surviving another session. We’ll start with this fun picture. Time to take a break for many MOScouters…
Lobbyist Kyna Iman’s boat: Kyna Don’t Care
1 Big Thing: MRL Eyes PQ
Missouri Right to Life in their latest email blast calls attention to the Senate’s lack of using the “previous question” motion, signaling that state senate candidates’ position on this procedural maneuver could be an important rally point for the organization in the future.
· Do not believe what you read in the press that lays the blame at the foot of the Conservative Caucus. The blame lies in who controls the ability to move bills forward and that is the House and Senate leadership and Committee Chairmen. Fact: it is Senate leadership that shut down session a day early instead of working to pass pro-life legislation…
· After ending session early, Senate leaders held a press conference. Rowden announced his dislike of calling the Previous Question to shut down filibusters and said that he will not vote for a PQ in the Senate and that under his leadership, compromise will be how the Senate operates moving forward. Rowden is in line to become the next President Pro-Tem of the Senate if voted in by his Senate colleagues.
· Very important: if you want your pro-life values protected, you will talk to your Senate candidates about their position on calling the previous question to shut down a pro-abortion filibuster on a pro-life bill in the Missouri Senate. Compromise for pro-abortion Senators means gutting a pro-life bill and taking away any pro-life protections.
Assuming that the Supreme Court is truly poised to overturn Roe v Wade, Missouri Right to Life will face transformational moment. Organizations rarely dissolve with a “mission accomplished” hurrah. Rather, one should expect that they will focus on the next frontier – outlawing birth control with abortifacient characteristics, and other policy extrapolations from the cornerstone belief that “life begins at conception.”
There’s already some pushback among Republican legislators who feel that MRL’s asks – how to vote on congressional redistricting maps, for example, has veered from their original target.
Advocating for a position on legislative procedural motions could exacerbate legislators’ resentment toward the organization – especially with the abortion battle is largely over.
2022 Watch: Shaul’s First Mail Piece
In Senate 22, Rep. Dan Shaul first mail piece is hitting voter’s mailboxes.
They have the perfunctory “100% Pro-Life,” “100% 2nd Amendment,” and of course the newest addition to the Republican Party’s pledge of allegiance “100% pro-Trump.”
More interesting, they highlight his military service. Team Shaul thinks the military and police angle is their ticket to differentiating themselves in this primary.
2022 Watch: House 92
As we turn our attention to the upcoming legislative primaries, one race to watch may be House 92 where there’s a potential for an incumbent to be beaten.
House 92 is in St. Louis County (Green Park area) just south of St. Louis City. The district shifted just a touch, but is still in the same general area. Democratic Rep. Michael Burton has just finished his first term. He’s being challenged by Kenny Edgar.
Burton has filed limited activity reports indicating he hasn’t been working to build much of a war-chest.
Edgar, meanwhile, is showing hints that he’s a serious contender. He has former state Rep. Michael Vogt as the treasurer of his committee, and he has labor ties which he might be able to leverage into contributions and volunteers.
It's one to watch. Republican Bob Mahacek will face the winner in November. This is a lean Democratic district.
Vescovo: I Shall Return
The mighty Jason Rosenbaum tweets an interesting exchange from Speaker Rob Vescovo’s end-of-session press conference…
Q: Have we seen the last of @RobVescovo as an elected official?
@RobVescovo: “You have not seen the last of Rob Vescovo.”
· As of the April report, Vescovo’s campaign committee had $145,822 cash on-hand. And this allied PAC, Mighty Missouri PAC, had $475,825 on-hand.
Tilley Among Judgeship Applicants
Judge Jason Tilley, brother of Steve Tilley, is among those applying for the circuit judge vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James E. Sullivan. Others throwing their hat in the ring include some former state representatives and other connected politico: Mary Pat Carl,
Francisco J. Carretero, Nicole Colbert-Botchway, Lauren C. Collins, Michael J. Colona, Richard A. Harper, Heather J. Hays, Craig K. Higgins, Connie L. Johnson, Matthew C. Melton, Michael J. Mettes, Patrick J. Monahan, Dedra M. Moore, Lynne R. Perkins, Elaine A. Pudlowski, Patrick E. Richmond, David A. Roither, Michael L. Walton, Rochelle M. Woodiest, and John L. Wright.
A judicial commission will select a panel of three nominees from which Governor Mike Parson will make the appointment.
Arnolds in $6M+ to Better Elections
In the large contributions (below), there’s a new $400,000 infusion from Article IV into the Better Elections campaign. Better Elections is the initiative petition effort to bring ranked voting to Missouri.
This latest check brings the total amount invested in the campaign from Article IV to over $6.2 million. Article IV is a dark money nonprofit out of Virginia which the Post-Dispatch has tied to John and Laura Arnold, Texas billionaires.
Meanwhile
Protect MO Elections was formed. Its treasurer is Chris Vas. He was previously running the Liberty Alliance, but now is Content Director with the Stanley M. Herzog Charitable Foundation.
It’s unclear the purpose of the PAC, but it sounds like it could be a vehicle around which opponents to Better Elections will coalesce. We’ll see…
US Senate: Dem Messaging
Lucas Kunce is tripling down on his populist message – obviously – as he faces a primary opponent with a farm-full of family money. See it here.
Folks are tired of having the deck stacked against them, while corporate oligarchs and billionaire families call the shots. Real Missourians want their power back — and they're willing to fight for it.
Trudy Busch Valentine meanwhile has been mostly keeping her eyes n the prize (November) with Come Together messages like this: We need a new politics. One that puts the good of all people first. We need to talk to each other again.
But Roe v Wade has forced her to take a specific policy position and reassure the Dem base she’s with them on that critical issue. Still, she frames it as anti-extremism: How could politicians interfere with the right of a woman and her doctor to choose what is best for her? And in Missouri it goes even farther because the law doesn’t even give a choice to women who are victims of rape or incest.
Fear of Greitens
Eric Greitens continues to get national press as the Republican candidate most worrisome for Republicans focused on taking control of the US Senate.
Politico quotes Senator Rick Scott, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in their latest piece. Read it here.
· Scott has raised the alarm about Greitens, a scandal-tarred former governor whose allegations of abusing his wife are well-known across the GOP conference. But Greitens may be the exception to the don’t-get-involved rule. Scott says as he surveys the Senate map, “the one person that people are worried about is Eric Greitens.”
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Parson appointed Megan Julian as Associate Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit. She will fill the Associate Circuit Judge vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Heather Cunningham to Circuit Judge. Ms. Julian, of Des Peres, currently serves as Treatment Court Commissioner in the 21st Judicial Circuit. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Columbia.
Candidate Withdrawals
Swayne Loftis (Republican) withdrew from running or House 132 (Springfield). That leaves Stephanos Freeman as the sole Republican in the race. He’ll face Minority Leader Crystal Quade in November.
$5K+ Contributions
Better Elections - $400,000 from Article IV (Alexandria, VA).
Lobbyists Registrations
Catalyst deleted National Basketball Association (NBA), and PGA Tour Inc.
Salvatore Panettiere deleted Empower Missouri (formerly Mo Association For Social Welfare), and Missouri Soybean Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Deanna Hemphill.