MOScout Daily Update: Latest Talk on 3-CD - Ashcroft Hit Have Legs? - Polling IP Reform - Catalyst Promotions and more….

The winter weather is delaying the start of this week’s legislative week for both the House and Senate.  They’re on hold until tomorrow. 

3-CD Watch

Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman has enjoyed having the race all to herself.  Consultant Gregg Keller tweeted that she’s hit $200K in fundraising.  But the field is about to grow…

Former Sen. Bob Onder is expected to pivot and announce he’s running for the Third Congressional as well.  That announcement, perhaps as early as this week, will give Coleman a tough opponent.  Onder is an experienced campaigner who knows how to raise money.

Onder’s move has some significant implications…

·       Sen. Nick Schroer is now OUT on the MOScout spreadsheet as he’s said he won’t run against Onder.

·       It’s a big boost for Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder as it removes her toughest opponent in the LG’s race.  But Onder’s exit could also entice others to take a second look at that race.  Those mentioned: Sens. Tony Luetkemeyer (who’s no longer eying CD-3), and Lincoln Hough.  See more on those two below.

Also in the mix for 3-CD…

·       Former Speaker Rob Vescovo is said to be increasingly serious about getting in.  Will he take the plunge?

·       Taylor Burks, who ran for CD-4 (losing to Mark Alford, Burks placed 4th with 10%), is interested and exploring if there’s a path.

·       And Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson is also mentioned. Locke worked for Josh Hawley when he was AG, and then ousted long-term incumbent Mark Richardson in the prosecutor primary.

Hough and Luetky Have Plenty of $$$

If Sens. Lincoln Hough and / or Tony Luetkemeyer decide to look closer at jumping into the lieutenant governor’s race, they both have large cash stockpiles to give them a running start.

·       Hough raised $66,275 last quarter and has $405,571 cash on-hand in his candidate committee.  Plus, he has another $367,544 sitting in Lincoln PAC.  (Hough listed over $12K in polling expenses in October and November.)

·       Luetkemeyer raised $59,322 last quarter and has $1,083,842 cash on-hand.  He has another $402,713 in his Tony PAC.

First in MOScout: Catalyst Promotions

Press release: With the continued growth and expansion of Catalyst, a leading national government affairs firm, Catalyst managing partners Danny Pfeifer and Greg Porter announced today new roles for Becky Lohmann, David Willis and Alex Eaton.  Lohmann will serve as the Missouri team lead and has been named Partner in the firm, along with Willis who has also been named Partner.  Alex Eaton will gain the title of Senior Vice President.

Founded in Missouri in 2007, Catalyst is a nationally-recognized government relations firm specializing in strategic government affairs, public affairs and corporate strategy. Their work includes helping Catalyst clients navigate public policy matters, expand their business operations, and ensure optimal regulatory environments through working with policy makers at every level of government…

·       See the Catalyst website here.

Does Ashcroft Hit Have Legs?

It sounds like Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s time in the Merchant Marines Academy could be a mainstay of Team Kehoe’s attacks in the gubernatorial campaign.
There’s a focus on Ashcroft’s statement to Politico that he’s “settled accounts with the academy” to ask more questions…  What does that mean?  Did he receive special treatment because of his political family? Or if he actually repay his tuition?

·       You can almost already see the grainy picture of Ashcroft with a voice intoning, “Voters deserve to know why it took so long for Jay Ashcroft to come clean about his record and what else he’s been dishonest about…”

Someone’s Polling IP Reform…

A reader shared screenshots of a poll gauging support for initiative petition reform.  Here are some of the counter-arguments they polled…

·       "Ballot initiatives give Missouri citizens the power to make laws when politicians fail to do their jobs. This amendment shreds our constitutional rights. Don't let politicians and special interests change our constitution to end the system that has served Missouri well for more than 100 years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

·       "Missouri has a total ban on abortion. It's the most extreme law in the country - with no exceptions for victims of rape. This amendment would lock Missouri's existing laws in place forever, making it impossible to enact common sense reforms to Missouri's extreme abortion laws with a ballot initiative."

·       "If it sounds too good to be true, it is. It's already illegal for non-citizens and foreign governments to vote in or fund Missouri elections – so why are politicians pushing this amendment? Read the fine print. It would directly undermine the sacred principle of ‘one person one vote.’ That's their end game. More power for them, less power for voters."

·       "We all want the freedom to make decisions that affect our lives. Ballot initiatives let us exercise that freedom. But some politicians don't like the decisions we've made so they want to rewrite the rules, so they can get what they want, instead of what the people want. Don't fall for their tricks."

Haahr and Cannon Cheer Trump

Spotted: Newly engaged power couple former Blunt aide Joelle Cannon and former Speaker/current Ashcroft campaign chairman Elijah Haahr in the VIP section at Trump’s New Hampshire rally.

Committee News

·       Southern Missouri Conservatives PAC was formed.  It’s a PAC to support Rep. Travis Smith as he embarks on his Senate 33 campaign.  See the paperwork here.

Hill Passes

James Hill, a long time behind the scenes campaign finance director and campaign treasurer for dozens of campaigns, passed unexpectedly on Friday evening. He was the candidate treasurer for several current elected officials including Sen. Steven Roberts, Reps. Raychel Proudie and Del Taylor.  Hill had previously served on the Missouri Development Finance Board, and at the age of only 56 had been active in publicly financed projects for over 3 decades.  He was known as both an excellent campaign tactician and honest financial advisor. 

$5K+ Contributions

Gromowsky for Prosecutor - $10,000 from Wagstaff & Cartmell LLP.

Lobbyist Registrations

Heidi Noelle Lucas added Missouri Rural Health Association.

Stacey Alexandra McKenna added R Street Institute.

Zach Pollock added Safer St. Louis, LLC.

Ryan Rowden added Coalition for Community Solar Access.

Joseph Bradley Thielemier added Three Rivers Community College.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Jay Hahn, Mike Lodewegen, Khristine Heisinger, Anne Marie Moy, Andrew McDaniel, Lynn Morris, and Michelle Colbert.