MOScout Daily Update: Hahn to PSC - Grgeory Adds $100K - IE PACs Formed for McMullen and Stinnett - Dems and Their Base 2024 and more...

Quick Friday update…

Hahn to PSC

Governor Mike Parson appointed his policy director, Kayla Hahn, to the Missouri Public Service Commission. She takes the spot vacated by Ryan Silvey.

·       “Kayla has been an integral member of our team since the very beginning,” Governor Parson said. “With her extraordinary knowledge, profound experience, and steadfast leadership, we've been able to achieve truly historic wins for the people of Missouri. Wins that will benefit this state for generations to come. There is no public servant more devoted than Kayla, and Missourians have been better served by having her on our team here in the Governor's Office. We'll certainly miss having her in the Office but take comfort in knowing her service to Missourians continues.”

And

Parson also announced that his acting directors of DSS (Robert Knodell) and DHSS (Paula Nickelson) would become directors of their department, no longer just “acting.”

·       The timing of these moves is not coincidental.  They come after the legislature has adjourned – saving them from the need for immediate Senate confirmation.

First in MOScout: Two More IE PACs

Republican consultant Gregg Keller is the treasurer for two new political action committees aimed at supporting state representatives eying higher office.

·       Independence PAC will boost Rep. Aaron McMullen who is preparing a state senate run in 2024.  See the paperwork here.  McMullen is running in Senate 11, where he will likely face Democratic Rep. Robert Sauls.

·       Heart of SGF PAC is allied with Rep. Melanie Stinnett, who some see as a potential Republican candidate to replace Sen. Lincoln Hough when he’s termed in 2026.  See the paperwork here.

Gregory Antes $100K for Senate Race

Former Rep. David Gregory, revving up his state senate bid, added $100,000 to his campaign committee.

This is similar to 2021 when Gregory put in $250,000 of his own money ahead of the state auditor’s race.  He was defeated in the primary by then-Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick.  But Gregory spent that whole sum, so there’s no reason to think this contribution won’t be spent as well once the campaign starts in earnest.

·       Gregory is facing Mayor Jim Bowlin and St. Louis County Councilman Mark Harder in the race the replace termed Sen. Andrew Koenig.

eMailbag on How Dems Lose Strategy

·       Excite Base: Regarding the best Dem strategy, here's the problem with the moderate approach:  It hasn't worked.  Chris Koster had the NRA, Ag groups and was a former GOPer.  Claire McCaskill went to great lengths to position herself as a moderate Dem… Trudy Valentine was a Busch who did ads showing her hunting for gosh sakes.  Of course, playing to the base won’t get many rural votes (Kunce is hoping a more populist, rather than moderate or liberal message, may get some of those rural votes).  The problem is the moderates don’t excite the urban black vote, which must be maximized for a Dem to have a chance (ala 2008 & 12, with Obama on the ballot).  Dems need either a depressed GOP turnout (an indicted Trump, maybe) or faster demographic change to be truly competitive so a more populist candidate like Kunce, Kander, etc. can get close with a few more rural and exurban votes…

·       Reject Base: Until the Democrats find someone who can go full-on “Sister Souljah” on woke and bring other statewide candidates along for the ride, they are doomed statewide. Rural Democrats did not leave the Party. The Party left them. “Moderate Democrat” has become an oxymoron and former Conservative Democrats are now winning races as Republicans…

$5K+ Contributions

Gregory For Missouri - $100,000 from David Gregory.

Hruza for Missouri - $10,500 from George Hruza.

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $10,000 from Zimmerman Properties, LLC.

Lobbyists Registrations

Lauren Nicole Mustoe added Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jay Reichard added Safer St. Louis LLC; and deleted Securus Technologies, Inc.

Joe “Trey” Davis deleted Walther, Antel & Stamper.

Jay Hahn deleted Missouri American Water.

Rebecca Lohmann deleted Missouri Eastern Railroad, and Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services, Inc.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Chris Lonsdale, and Dean Dohrman.

MOScout Schedule

The Sunday6 edition will be published on Saturday this weekend.  And there will be no Sunday “Week Ahead” text.