MOScout Daily Update: 7 Weeks to the General - Which Schmitt? - Next Pro-Life Priority? - Early Trump-Biden - Anti-Page PAC and more...
Senate Perfects Bills
It was Throwback Tuesday in the Senate. Sens Bob Onder and Dave Schatz trading barbs… Sen. Mike Moon reading a story about Daniel Boone because the rest of his colleagues just don’t get it… and progress sometimes coming painfully slow.
But they got the job done and perfected the tax cut bill as well as the bill with agricultural tax credits.
Today they should pass both bill and then presumably the House can pass both bills, and folks can return to their districts for the final seven weeks of electioneering before November.
Abortion Politics
· House Minority Leader Crystal Quade introduced a bill to reverse anti-abortion laws in Missouri. It’s obviously a complete political move, designed to draw some attention to an issue Dems think hurt Republicans.
· A bit more interesting is a tweet by long-time pro-life activist Sam Lee arguing that the pro-life movement in Missouri should push to extend Medicaid for low-income moms from 60 days to one year.
No US Senate Debate?
Jack Suntrup reports “the possibility of a debate between the two major party candidates for U.S. Senate faded in recent days as both contenders appeared unwilling to compromise on their preferred conditions.”
Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s campaign said Nexstar, which in St. Louis owns KTVI-TV (Channel 2), was forced to cancel its debate after Trudy Busch Valentine “refused to accept” an invitation by a Monday deadline. Schmitt said he accepted the Nexstar invite… Jacob Long, spokesman for Valentine, fired back by saying the Democrat had agreed to a debate by various news outlets, including KETC-TV (Channel 9), KSDK-TV (Channel 5), St. Louis Public Radio and the St. Louis American. Alicia Elsner, general manager for KSDK, said Tuesday the debate had been called off after Schmitt did not confirm his attendance.
· It’s a time-honored political strategy that the front-runner eschews debates where there could be the potential for a momentum-changing viral event.
· Still, it’s a little surprising in this case because Schmitt spent eight years debating in the Senate while Valentine is a political neophyte who sometimes stumbles in interviews to give succinct answers.
Which Schmitt?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined with ten other Republican attorneys general across the nation to file an amicus brief supporting Donald Trump in his document-hoarding troubles. With the primary over and the general election seven weeks away, there’s been no zag to the middle for Schmitt. He’s sticking to the MAGA posture.
It’s an interesting question: assuming Schmitt wins, which version of him will go to DC? The more moderate work-the-issue version from the state senate, or the sue-China, MAGA warrior he’s been lately?
Early Trump-Biden Read
SurveyUSA gives an early snapshot of a potential rematch between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump in 2024. See it here.
It has Trump up 17 points in Missouri (52%-35%, with 13% undecided). Trump won by 15 points in 2020.
· That scenario would be a tough environment for statewide Dems in 2024. But having Trump on the ballot might help Dems in crucial swing legislative districts in the suburbs…
More on Senate 24
I inexplicably forgot to include the treasurer’s race in yesterday’s rundown of the Senate 24 numbers. Scott Fitzpatrick carried the district by a sliver over Democrat Vicki Englund.
Here’s how various races played out in Senate 24…
· Democrat Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by 12.5%
· Democrat Nicole Galloway beat Mike Parson by 8.3%
· Democrat Alissia Canady beat Mike Kehoe by 1.2%
But…
· Republican Eric Schmitt beat Rich Finneran by 1.1%
· Republican Jay Ashcroft beat Yinka Faleti by 3.2%.
· Republican Scott Fitzpatrick beat Vicki Englund by 1.4%
Safer STL
Safer STL was formed. It’s a PAC to support Mark Mantovani and opposed Sam Page. See the paperwork here. Mark Milton is the treasurer.
Page has a long-standing PAC – Page PAC – which had about $560,000 on-hand as of its most recent filing.
· The name of this PAC may hint at a possible message (crime) if it is able to raise money and get ads on the air in the next seven weeks.
A3 Easy Passage?
One reader, eying the SurveyUSA poll which showed marijuana legalization, wonders if the hundreds of applicants who didn’t win licenses will band together and “put some money” against this petition.
It’s an intriguing suggestion, but I don’t see the NOs coalescing.
Lobbyists Registrations
John Bardgett, Jacqueline Bardgett, Mark Habbas, Carol Kemna, and Chris Roepe added Association of Dental Support Organizations.
$5K+ Contributions
Protect Missouri Freedom - $30,000 from Access MO.
Missouri Democratic State Committee - $25,500 from Protect Missouri Freedom.
Democratic Coalition Kansas City - $10,000 from KCMO FOP Lodge NO 99.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, Joe Driskill, Roman LeBlanc, and Kari Ryerson Hoelscher.