MOScout Daily Update: Firefighters for Bailey - Imagining the Rowden Campaign - Marijuana Drama and more...
Quick Friday update…
Driving the Day: Firefighters for Bailey
Attorney General Andrew Bailey will announce the endorsement Missouri State Council of Fire Firefighters. It’s another early endorsement for Bailey, following the recent nod from the Cattlemen.
· The Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters represents over 6,000 firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and dispatchers across the State of Missouri.
Imagining Rowden’s Campaign
Sen. Caleb Rowden, in kicking off his campaign, said that he’s going to run a “different campaign” than the usual red-meat rah-rah rhetoric.
The plan: Talk about the issues that matter to the office and the issues that matter to the 70% of folks in the electorate who aren’t on the fringes. If people want to talk about immigration, that’s great. If they want to talk about election integrity, Rowden will talk about that. But he’s planning to stay from conspiracy theories and election rigging. That’s because he believes he won’t have to. He doesn’t think Missourians as a whole want to talk about that.
· The key to this plan is to have more money, a lot more money, so Rowden gets to define himself. While he’s known “inside the bubble,” the vast majority of Missourians have never heard of him. Money will allow him to drive the issues and define himself.
Will it work?... It feels like emotions have replaced issues. A platform now can simply consist of anger, outrage, and resentment. Rowden will test that.
More Marijuana Drama
State regulators announced yesterday that they would be revoking the license for Delta Extraction. The state cited several violates in addition to Delta’s previous troubles with importing out-of-state marijuana.
“We must be clear on this: Businesses that choose to participate in Missouri’s marijuana industry do not get to decide which rules and which parts of [the constitution] they want to follow,” Amy Moore, director of the division, said in a press release Thursday announcing the decision.
More on School Boards
The Texas Observer reports on school board wars in Texas, and puts Axiom Strategies is in the hub of activity for school choice. Read it here.
Over the last three years, an interconnected network of political action committees (PACs), largely funded by billionaires who support school privatization, has begun to transform the nature of local school board elections across Texas. They’ve done this with the help of consultants whose efforts have largely gone unnoticed.
Chatter: Koenig Grassrootin’ It?
A MOScouter reports that a state rep canvassing earlier this fall happened on someone else canvassing the same street. Soon their paths crossed....and it was Sen. Andrew Koenig. Canvassing one house at a time...in a statewide race.
Kunce Nabs Freedom Inc.
The press release: “We’re proud to endorse Lucas Kunce for U.S. Senate,” said Rodney Bland, President, Freedom, Inc. “For over 60 years, Freedom, Inc. has fought for real change and investment in our community and has worked to elevate candidates who we know will not just fight for us but fight alongside us. It's clear to our organization that Lucas Kunce is that kind of leader — a warrior for working people who will show up in our community and stand on the frontlines. We’re going to be behind him as we work to take this Senate seat back for working people and send Josh Hawley packing.”
What It Means
Kunce continues to consolidate Democratic support. There hasn’t been much news lately from the campaign of Sen. Karla May, and of course, Wesley Bell is now in the CD-1 race.
eMailbag on Cleaver Seat Scrum
There is one true heir apparent to Emanuel Cleaver: Kiki Curls. Kiki is beloved, competent and hard working. She will be the lead candidate in that race, and she will have the financial support to win.
New Committees
Missouri Women and Family Research Fund was formed. Its treasurer is Jamie Corley. This will presumably be the vehicle to advance the “middle road” pro-choice initiative petition. See the paperwork here.
Lobbyist Registrations
Arkay Adkisson added Arkay Adkisson.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Alliance PAC (pro-Patterson) - $9,000 from Matthew Gornett.
Fearless PAC (pro-Pereles) - $15,000 from Missouri Drive Fund.
Missouri Forward PAC (pro-Rowden) - $10,000 from Penn Entertainment (Wyomissing, PA).
MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from True Level Investments.