MOScout Daily Update: SOS Field Expands - Rook = McDowell? - Atchison To Retire - State of Floor Leader Race - Neth on Liberty Deal and more...
Rowden for SOS
Long rumored, Senate Pro Tem Caleb Rowden unveiled signs at the Mizzou homecoming with “Secretary of State” on them. Look for a mid-November official kick-off.
· Team Rowden: We’re going to have a TON of money.
Meanwhile
Another Republican, a political newcomer, jumped into the Republican primary for secretary of state… Valentina Gomez Noriega.
· See her website here. It says she’s just 24 years old, but I do not believe there is any age requirement for SOS.
What Rook’s Entrance in Treas Race Means
One MOScouter: Lori Rook’s entrance hurts Cody Smith the most. He and Andrew Koenig are now splitting the "not a funny name" vote three ways but she is also from Southwest Missouri which means they will be pulling from the same primary block. The candidates in this race may be "more liked" but hardly "less soft" than the 2018 Auditors race when you look at the number of people they previously represented and amount of cash on hand currently. I believe David Wasinger spent $500,000 of his own money in that primary and Saundra McDowell still prevailed. Need we remind folks of the recent Shamed Dogan and Katherine Pinner primary? Funny names, female names, no big players... seems like the 2018 auditor's race is the perfect example.
Atchison Won’t Run Again
Rep. Darrell Atchison Missouri posted on Facebook that he won’t be running for re-election… Four years ago Joanna and I were about to become empty nesters and everyone was healthy. Fast forward four years and we now have three grandchildren and some health issues in the family. These life changes and the amount of time away from home has brought about this decision. I still have fourteen months to serve, but am making this announcement early so the district will have time to find a new candidate. I want to thank everyone that has helped along the way and I will continue to work hard the next fourteen months. It's an honor to serve.
Atchison is a sophomore representing a rural district in southern Missouri; he’s vice-chair of the Insurance Policy Committee; Atchison did not sponsor any bills last session.
· Last week, Vinnie Clubb amended his campaign committee to seek House 153; he’d flirted with a House 144 run back in 2018. See his LinkedIn profile here.
State of the Floor Leader Race
Unlike the Speaker designate election which occurred last month, the House floor leader election is still a year away.
Rep. Alex Riley is considered the favorite right now against Rep. Jamie Burger.
· The Hallway Index survey of lobbyist back in June had 55% picking Riley to win versus 20% picking Burger.
The House has generally gravitated toward electing big fundraisers to their leadership. It’s led to the HRCC juggernaut being about to swoop in and drop hundreds of thousands of dollars into a tight high-priority race when need be.
· On that front Riley appears be ahead as well. His latest quarter showed he hauled in almost $110,000 between his campaign committee and PAC, allowing him to support both the caucus and many individual colleagues. Burger’s quarter showed around $47,000 between his campaign committee and PAC.
Looking to next session, one hallway denizen thinks that while Burger as Assistant Floor Leader will try to stay close to Majority Leader Jon Patterson to earn credit from a member when that member’s bill gets floor time.
On the other hand, Riley will use his General Laws chairmanship – and his legislative skill. He’s proven he can work with bill sponsors to get down in the weeds and craft language to advance bills.
Union Scandal Brewing?
Post-Dispatch reported that “financial problems at the Greater St. Louis Labor Council have led to a state takeover of the pro-union organization… [Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake] Hummel, a former state lawmaker from St. Louis, and Merri Berry, the secretary-treasurer of the Missouri AFL-CIO, have assumed trusteeship of the Bridgeton-based council’s day-to-day operations and finances… The problem centers on the group’s handling of pension payments, Hummel said. No pensions are endangered.”
· This nugget has folks assuming there was serious mismanagement: The discovery was made Oct. 3 and St. Louis Labor Council President Pat White retired from his position two days later.
What It Means
· Greater St. Louis Labor Council is a powerful organization, with many local pols seeking their endorsement and support.
· It’s a bad look for organized labor just as they seem to be punching above their weight for workers (defeating right to work, increasing the minimum wage, tussling with automakers over new contracts).
Neth Opposes Liberty Hospital Deal
Former Rep. Myron Neth, now a trustee on the Liberty Hospital Board, voted No on a Letter of Intent to join the University of Kansas Health System.
Read Kansas City Star coverage of the issue here.
Neth’s statement: In the proposed deal with UKHS, there is no guaranteed monetary benefit to the community. It is basically a “turn the keys over to them” and they promise to "invest a minimum amount for capital improvements over a long period of time.” There is no assurance that any revenues would remain in Missouri or that there would be any other direct monetary benefit to the community.
Governance of Liberty Hospital would revert to UKHS, which is run by an independent board appointed by the Governor of Kansas. So citizens of Kansas would now govern a Missouri public entity and be the beneficiary of any future earnings. Something seems fundamentally wrong with this scenario.
It is my belief that fellow Liberty Hospital Board members who voted to join with UKHS are not fully looking out for the community and taxpayers that they are sworn to serve…
Mann Fined by MEC
Rep. Doug Mann was fined $100 by the Missouri Ethics Commission for failing to put a “paid for” statement on an advertisement in a coupon book. See the consent order here.
eMailbag on Bailey’s Strike
Andrew Bailey saying the abortion IPs would cost $$$ because he wouldn’t defend them in court…who says he’s even going to be in office in 2024? The abortion IPs won’t cost taxpayers millions…electing Andrew Bailey will.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Kenny Murdock, Bryan Pratt, Leann Fink Hager, and Rebecca McClanahan.