MOScout Daily Update: RightPath Still On Target? - Pro-Greitens PAC Out of $$$ - Pitching John Wood - Alford Ad and more...

RightPath Still On Target?

There’s concern that the RightPath PAC may not live up to its promise.  RightPath raised about $2.5 million last quarter, mostly from folks with ties to Washington University.  The PAC was expected to be a major force in supporting candidates who would return the state senate to a less divisive, more functional body.  But with the primary elections just three weeks from tomorrow, some are wondering if the PAC will deliver as they hoped.

·       According to the Missouri Ethics Commission large contributions database, only about $400,000 of RightPath’s war-chest has been deployed.  While there’s surely more coming, it now seems unlikely that the entire $2.5M will be used.

·       One source said they understood the plan was to focus on a small number of races to thwart candidates who had clearly signaled they intended to join the Conservative Caucus and push the Senate toward more divisive politics.  Candidates mentioned in this regard are Rep. Nick Schroer in Senate 2 and Ben Brown in Senate 26.  Instead of a narrow focus, they note that RightPath has given to incumbents (Lincoln Hough, Sandy Crawford, Bill White among them) who do not appear to be in any real danger, as well as Governor Mike Parson’s Uniting Missouri PAC, and Rep. Jon Patterson’s Missouri Alliance PAC.

·       Meanwhile, there’s a fear that RightPath may have “put a target on a few reasonable candidates’ backs, and energized the Chaos Caucus and their allies.”  The recent check for $100K from Jim Onder to the 100 PAC is one indication of this.

Team PAC Out of Gas?

Team PAC, the Super PAC supporting Eric Greitens for US Senate, appears to have expended all of their resources ahead of the final push.

Their July campaign finance filing shows that after spending $1.3 million last quarter, the PAC is nearly out of money with only $63,673 left on-hand.

Their independent expenditures were entirely directed against Vicky Hartzler and Eric Schmitt.  See the listing here.

The Two-Part Wood Pitch

John Wood’s US Senate bid rests upon making two distinct pitches to Missouri’s voters.  This can be seen from the ads running on Facebook in support of Wood.

There are ads about Wood, as you might expect, outlining his biography, extoling his virtues etc.  But there’s also a number of ads which are simply pitching the idea of an Independent candidate.  The campaign seems to understand that folks have to get used to that idea – and overcome the fear that they’re “throwing their vote away.”

·       This one says, “Survey Results are in… An Independent candidate has a real shot for U.S. Senate in Missouri.”

·       Another says, “Did you know? 67% of Missourians are more likely to support an Independent candidate after being informed.”

Will Missouri voters buy both the candidate and the nontraditional campaign?

Alford Ad’s

In CD-4, Mark Alford is on the air now.  See his TV ad here.  It recalls his time as a TV reporter saying that he’s traded his “microphone for a megaphone to tell the liberal woke mob that we’re taking back America.”

The ad ends with him promising to “secure our elections, border and 2nd Amendment.”

Moves

·       Craig Stevenson writes on social media that “After four years, I'm leaving the Kids Win Missouri team… I'm joining the Centene Home State Health team to be their Community Stakeholder Manager. In this position, I will be a liaison between foster and kinship parents, foster resource agencies, and the various state departments as we implement a specialty health care plan for medical and behavioral healthcare for all children in kinship, foster, and adoptive care. The continues my call of ministry, serving in the world in roles of compassion and justice. This continues my desire to improve policies for our most at-risk children.”

·       St. Louis Business Journal reports that Jeff Mazur is leaving Launchcode.  Mazur was a staffer for Governor Jay Nixon, and then headed American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees’ Council 72 before joining Launchcode in 2015. Launchcode (see the website here) receives some state funding and is often cited as a successful job training program.

Gubby Appts

Governor Mike Parson announced new appointments on Friday…

Rachel Boyce, of Goodson, was appointed as the Polk County Collector of Revenue.

Joshua Ford, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed to the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

Brandon Henry, of St. Louis, was appointed to the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

Taylor Howe, of Lebanon, was appointed to the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

Cynthia Lee, of West Plains, was appointed as the Howell County Circuit Clerk.

Debbi McGinnis, of Bolivar, was appointed to the State Tax Commission.

Dr. Andrew Moore, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors.

The Honorable Alisha O'Hara, of Kearney, was appointed as Circuit Judge for the 7th Judicial Circuit.

Ms. Rochelle Woodiest, of St. Louis, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit.

The Honorable Craig Higgins, of St. Louis, was appointed as Circuit Judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jenifer Placzek added Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys.

Marc Todd Webb deleted Missouri Retired Teachers Association

Brian Treece and Mary Phillips terminated their lobbyist registration.

$5K+ Contributions

Show Me Growth PAC - $15,000 from Shield PAC LLC.

Friends of Jeffco - $15,000 from L.I.U.N.A. Local 110 PAC Fund.

House Democratic Campaign Committee - $10,000 from David Roberts.

Friends For Tony Frisella - $5,000 from Missouri Senate Leadership PAC.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Keri Inge, Claudia Sands, Mary Ellen Ponder, and Wayne Wallingford.