MOScout Daily Update: Rizzo Hits MAGA Extremists on Guns - Senate 30 #s - Remember Hyperloop? - Romine Eyes 2026 and more...

Messaging Crime for the Midterms

While Dems would like to focus on extreme reproductive laws, and Republicans are talking about the impact of inflation on household budgets, there’s also the issue of crime.

Axios reports that this issue favors Republicans, and they’re eager to use it.

But here in Missouri Sen. John Rizzo’s fundraising appeal for the Senate Dems PAC (Missouri Forward) is putting the blame on “MAGA extremists” – and their lax gun laws.

See it here.

Gun violence is an epidemic in Missouri, and if MAGA Extremists expand their power in the State Senate this dangerous situation will only get worse…

It was Republican legislation that lowered the minimum age to carry a concealed gun in Missouri from 21 to 19 years.

It was Republican legislation that enacted permit-less carry in Missouri. Now, people with no training, as young as 19, can purchase and carry a concealed gun.

It was Republican legislation that declared federal firearm laws “invalid” and prohibited Missouri law enforcement from enforcing these laws.

It was Republican legislation that made it so criminals accused of federal gun crimes can sue police officers for doing their jobs.

After all these reckless and extreme Republican gun laws – look where we are today:

Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Missouri.

Missouri has the 5th-highest rate of gun homicides and gun assaults in the US.

In Missouri, the rate of gun deaths increased 47% from 2010 to 2019, compared to only a 17% increase nationwide.

Senate 30 Numbers

This weekend MOScout will have polling numbers from Senate 30, where Sen. Lincoln Hough is up for re-election.  Springfield has been trending Democratic in the last few cycles making this part of the state more competitive.

The numbers, according to Dave’s Redistricting, show Senate 30 was a clean Republican sweep in 2020.

·       Republican Donald Trump beat Joe Biden by 2%

·       Republican Mike Parson beat Nicole Galloway by 3.7%

·       Republican Eric Schmitt beat Rich Finneran by 10.9%

·       Republican Mike Kehoe beat Alissia Canady by 7.7%

·       Republican Scott Fitzpatrick beat Vicki Englund by 10.6%

·       Republican Jay Ashcroft beat Yinka Faleti by 11.8%.

But…

Democrat Claire McCaskill beat Josh Hawley in 2018 by 1%.

8th Congressional Committee  

The 8th Congressional Republican Committee elected Eddy Justice, of Ripley County, as its chairman; Patti Knight, of Wright County, as its vice chair; Christy Roberts, of Reynolds County, as its secretary, and David Courtway, of Jefferson County, as its treasurer.

Remember HyperLoop?

NYTimes reports on the “hyperloop” concept suffering setbacks…

·       [W]hile companies have raised hundreds of millions of dollars to design and construct hyperloop systems — with projects in India, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and the United States — the technology remains an aspiration.

·       [I]n January, Virgin Hyperloop fired half its staff (more than 100 employees), stopped development of a certification center in West Virginia, put on hold development of a route in India and pivoted its focus to cargo transport. (Virgin Hyperloop did not respond to multiple requests for comment.)

·       “Time and again you see technological innovations attracting a lot of investment, and you can make a lot of money during the hype cycle,” said Juan Matute, deputy director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. However, the technology doesn’t anticipate the significant technical challenges associated with creating an entirely new infrastructure. “Then interest wanes,” Mr. Matute said.

·       The central impediment: While new types of transport such as electric vehicles can easily be integrated into the existing system of roads, a hyperloop system would require creating an entire infrastructure. That means constructing miles-long systems of tubes and stations, acquiring rights of way, adhering to government regulations and standards, and avoiding changes to the ecology along its routes.

New Committees

Angela Romine, who lost in the recent Republican primary against Lincoln Hough, has formed a campaign committee to run for Senate 30 again in 2026.

Lobbyists Registrations

Matthew Roney deleted KC WFC StadCo, LLC.

See Gunnar added Missouri Automobile Dealers Association, Missouri Marine Dealers Association, A.T. Still University, Farmer Holding Company, Casey's General Stores Inc, and Missouri Behavioral Health Council.

$5K+ Contributions

Legal Missouri 2022 - $10,000 from Heartland Enterprises LLC.

Eastside Forward PAC (pro-Barbara Washington) - $15,000 from Missouri C PAC.