MOScout Daily Update: Hamra Moves Forward - Plocher Announcement Day - DoD Schools' Secret Sauce - SCOMO Applicants and more...
Hamra Announcement in Coming Weeks
Mike Hamra appears to be moving forward with his gubernatorial campaign. His candidacy will create a Democratic primary with House Minority Leader Crystal Quade.
Hamra’s statement: "I’ve been considering running for governor, and filing a committee with the MEC is the next step in that process. I’ve been encouraged by the positive feedback and support I’ve received during this exploration, and I look forward to sharing my final decision in the coming weeks, likely before the end of this month."
Why It Matters
· Some think that Hamra would have a better profile to take on the Republican nominee: outsider, businessman, no votes to attack.
· But many think the Dems’ best chance is a unified front, and a primary would squander critical resources they will need to be competitive in the general election.
Driving the Day: Plocher Formally Announces
Tonight, Speaker Dean Plocher will kick-off his bid for lieutenant governor…
· He faces Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder in the Republican primary.
· Plocher is expected to highlight his time as a prosecutor and judge as well as a legislator, talking about “leadership in action.”
The Nation’s Best Schools
The New York Times published a pretty fascinating article about what they called the nation’s best school district – the Department of Defense schools scattered across the globe to serve the children of America’s armed forces. Read it here.
· While the achievement of U.S. students overall has stagnated over the last decade, the military’s schools have made gains on the national test since 2013. And even as the country’s lowest-performing students — in the bottom 25th percentile — have slipped further behind, the Defense Department’s lowest-performing students have improved in fourth-grade math and eighth-grade reading.
· “If the Department of Defense schools were a state, we would all be traveling there to figure out what’s going on,” said Martin West, an education professor at Harvard who serves on the national exam’s governing board.
What’s the Secret Sauce?
· They’re well-funded, offering competitive teacher salaries.
· They don’t have local school boards creating distractions with the political outrage du jour.
· Students have stable home lives. “Families have access to housing and health care through the military, and at least one parent has a job.”
Brattin for Trump
Press release: Rick Brattin, a Republican serving in the Missouri State Senate, announced today that he is endorsing President Donald Trump’s campaign. “I believe that Donald Trump is the only person we can trust to get America back on the right track, and I am proud to endorse his campaign. His four years as President brought unprecedented growth for America; families had more money in their pockets, and pre-Bidenflation our money went further. He also took border security seriously, helping to stem the tide of illegal immigration…”
· If Brattin, facing a fierce primary, can nail down the Trump voters in his party, he’ll coast to re-election
Gragg Against Pride
Rep. Jamie Ray Gragg issued a statement to “express concerns with the Springfield/Greene County Park Board, City of Springfield and Greene County regarding the upcoming 2023 Pride in the Park taking place at Phelps Grove Park in Springfield on October 28th and the effects it will have on children and families in the Ozarks community.”
“My interest here is in protecting our children from themes and experiences their minds are not prepared to comprehend. These themes are of adult nature and the more we normalize these topics and expose them to our young people, the more we will see confusion, anxiety and mental anguish in our younger generations. Claiming an event is ‘Family Friendly’ only tries to con the public into thinking the event is wholesome.”
What It Means
· Missouri has some deep cultural divides. If I showed this statement to my kids, they’d laugh and ask if it was real. Yet Gragg is representing his district (Trump +51%).
· Politically, these divides keep the cities blue, and the rural areas red. And keep conversations about economic and educational results on the back burner.
Vivek Part of Growing Indian American Population
Axios writes about the growing population and influence of Indian Americans. Even as State Treasurer Vivek Malek fends off primary opponents, his place as a statewide office-holder could yield real long-term benefits for the Missouri Republican Party.
· Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the U.S., and Americans of Indian descent are now the largest sub-group within that, new data released from the 2020 Census confirms.
· By the numbers: The number of Americans who consider their racial origin as solely Asian Indian grew more than 50% to nearly 4.4 million people from 2010 to 2020.
Applicants for Breckenridge Vacancy
See the list of folks vying to replace Patricia Breckenridge on Missouri Supreme Court here.
It includes the two (Michael Gardner and Ginger Gooch) who made the panel last time but weren’t chosen by Governor Mike Parson, as well as some well-known names like Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, Jack Goodman, and Chris Limbaugh.
· Tuesday October 24 is the date circled for the commission to announce the new panel.
Help Wanted
Operation Food Search seeks Government Relations Manager. “The Government Relations Manager will work closely with the Director of Policy & Advocacy to monitor and craft compelling responses to federal, state, and local legislation that impacts food access and other relevant poverty issues. Experience in community engagement, analysis of legislation and working with a diverse group of people and communities. Able to work independently and meet deadlines…$55,100 - $71,600 a year…”
New Committees
Valentina Gomez Noriega For Missouri was formed. See the filing here. She is running for Secretary of State as a Republican. According to her LinkedIn, she lives in St. Louis.
Lobbyists Registrations
David Sweeney added Missouri Restaurant Association.
Nancy Giddens and Shannon Cooper added Missouri State Troopers Association.
Danny Pfeifer, Alex Eaton, Rebecca Lohmann, and Greg Porter added Thrive Homes LLC, Hims & Hers, and Kevin McGraw.
Kurt Schaefer added Tractor Supply Company.
Frank Plescia added Missouri Industrial Energy Consumers.
David Bunge added David Bunge.
Scott Swain deleted iDevelopment and Economic Association.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $15,000 from Cheyenne International LLC (Grover, NC).
Majority Forward - $10,000 from Ameren Missouri.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $5,494 from Husch Blackwell LLP.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $27,000 from Missourians for Bishop Davidson.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Ameren.
Missourians for Healthy Families & Fair Wages - $5,591 from Missouri Organizing and Voter Engagement Collaborative.
MoCannTrade PAC - $12,000 from Curio Holdings LLC (Timonium, MD).
Mike Miller - $10,000 from Mike Miller.
ATGS PAC - $25,000 from Armstrong Teasdale LLP.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Reps. Jamie Ray Gregg and Deb Lavender, Jay Hardenbrook, and Jeanne Kirkton.