MOScout Daily Update: Building Trades for Kunce - Dem Statewide Strategy? - Pro-Christ PAC - BJC and St. Lukes to Wed and more...
First in MOScout: Building Trades Endorse Kunce
The St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council is endorsing Lucas Kunce for U.S. Senate.
"The St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council proudly endorses Lucas Kunce to be Missouri's next U.S. Senator," said John Stiffler, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council. "As a Marine veteran and born-and-raised Missourian who has lived through real economic hardship, Lucas shares the lived experience and commitment to service held by so many of our members. With Washington gripped by corporate corruption and political phoniness, we know Lucas will be the warrior for working people that Missouri desperately needs in the U.S. Senate. We're proud to join the worker-led coalition backing him in this race."
The St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council represents 18 affiliates and over 15,000 members on the eastern side of Missouri.
What It Means
Although there are other names floated as possible Democratic candidates for US Senate, Kunce is consistently winning these labor endorsements. This one follows the recent fire fighters endorsement. I expect Kunce to be the Dem nominee.
Dem: Bomb-Throwers Need Not Apply?
I had a conversation yesterday with a Democrat considering running statewide in 2024, concerned with whether the current crop of candidates can draw Independent voters to the ticket.
This perspective illuminates some differences in strategy.
The Republican Party has been successful in Missouri statewide races by playing to their base. They’ve largely stopped trying to appeal to the middle. Instead, they count on having a natural advantage in numbers in Missouri. And by exciting their base, they have found turnout will win elections.
Democrats are groping for a winning electoral formula. But the feeling – at least among some Dems – is that playing to the base, like Republicans do, won’t work. While it generates enthusiasm and national donors, but it hasn’t translated into an electoral victory.
In this line of thinking, Dems need to have statewide candidates who stake out moderate positions and win Independents who would be uncomfortable with more extreme candidates coming out of Republican primaries.
Rep. Crystal Quade’s path, in this view, will be a statewide slate of candidates who are palatable to rural voters (someone who’s pro-life, and someone who hunts, and someone with outstate roots) contrasting with a far-right Jay Ashcroft.
Scooplette: Pro-Christ PAC
Real Action PAC was formed. It’s a political action committee to support Rep. Brad Christ. See its paperwork here.
PACs like these aren’t subject to campaign contribution limits. And although candidate can raise money for them, they can’t direct their expenditures. Politicians often form them when they’re considering higher office – or want to raise larger sums of money to help their caucus.
And
I’ve updated my list of Independent Expenditure PACs. Find it on the MOScout home page or here. In addition to the new pro-Christ PAC, I’ve added in PACs allied with Reps. Dane Diehl, Dave Hinman, Jeff Myers, and Robbie Sauls.
Juggernaut
BJC Healthcare Systems and St. Luke’s Health System said yesterday that they planned to merge.
BJC had revenue last year of about $5.3 billion. And St. Luke’s is another $1.5 billion.
· The health systems will operate from dual headquarters: One in St. Louis serving eastern Missouri and southern Illinois, and another in Kansas City serving western Missouri and parts of Kansas.
· BJC CEO Richard Liekweg will serve as CEO of the integrated health system. The initial board chair will come from St. Luke's.
FYI
· BJC’s lobbyists: Greg Bratcher, Leann Chilton, Jonathan Dalton, Cassie Grewing, Shanon Hawk, Brent Hemphill, Liz Henderson, Jessica Petrie, Jeff Rainford, Ginna Rivera, and David Winton.
· St. Luke’s lobbyists: Kathi Harness, Sharon Geuea Jones, Tim Van Zandt, and Jake Vance.
1 Big Thing: Desperately Seeking Workers
From Daily Shot this morning: A year of interest rate hikes haven’t changed the dynamic in the labor market.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Senior PAC - $25,000 from Protection Plus LLC.
Lobbyists Registrations
Aaron Baker added Cass County.
Tom Dempsey and Dave Berry added Consolidated North County Levee District.
Gamble & Schemeier deleted National Realty Advisors.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Miles Ross, Randy Pietzman, Steve Lynch, and John Wright.
MOScout Schedule
I’m hopping around on a few trips during the next couple of weeks. Updates (especially next week) may arrive later (or earlier) than usual depending on time zones and WiFis. In other words, don’t worry about me if things are running late.