MOScout Daily Update: Why Assume Kehoe Wins - Hasty Retiring - McLean Exits Gray and more…

Quick Friday update…

Assuming Kehoe

I’ve tried to not presume too much about the November election before it occurs.  But clearly Jefferson City is assuming a Kehoe administration in January.

Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe is the heavy favorite over Minority Leader Crystal Quade for a variety of reasons…

·       The main one is that Missouri’s recent past is solid red.  Republicans are 15-1 in statewide races over the past decade.  The single loss coming when Auditor Nicole Galloway defeated Saundra McDowell in 2018.

·       Additionally, there’s no contest between the resources of the Kehoe campaign and the Quade campaign.  Kehoe’s PAC, American Dream PAC, recorded large contributions amounting to over $1.1 million in September.  Quade’s PAC, Crystal PAC, has not recorded a single large check since the August primary.

Hasty Retiring

Denise Hasty of Associated General Contractors of Missouri is retiring.  She spent nearly 20 years as VP of Government Affairs at AGC St. Louis (until merger with AGC MO), developing a top-tier advocacy program, and positioning AGC MO as the spokesperson for the construction industry. 

·       In addition, the PACs that Hasty administered increased in size by over 200% under her leadership.

AGCMO announced that Maureen McDonnell will join their organization next week, as Vice-President of Advocacy, taking over Hasty’s portfolio.

From 2013 to 2015 she served as first assistant director and then, later, as director of government affairs for the St. Louis Association of REALTORS® where she lobbied on behalf of its 7,000-person membership in St. Louis City and County. Later she worked as an attorney at St. Louis law firm McDonnell and McDonnell, handling general litigation. In 2021 she founded The McDonnell Group, LLC, a governmental affairs consultancy specializing in trade associations. While serving as a consultant McDonnell represented AGCMO in St Louis City and County by monitoring legislation and advocating on behalf of the association.

McLean Exits Gray

Joe McLean, a familiar face in the Missouri Capitol as Gray TV's bureau chief, has an announcement on social media. (Gray's powerhouse Missouri TV stations are KCTV-Kansas City, KMOV-St. Louis, KY3-Springfield, KFVS-Cape Girardeau and WGEM-Hannibal):

After nearly 13 years in the TV News industry, and with an enduring passion for journalism, I've decided to pursue a new professional endeavor in 2025.

I will leave Gray Media's Missouri Capitol News Bureau effective December 31, 2024.

It has been a unique and fulfilling challenge to help the company launch this news bureau project in 2023. The office now operates as a satellite newsroom for five TV news markets. This work has taught me so much about our society, the challenges faced by my fellow citizens, and the dire peril in which many of our core institutions exist.

Never before have I sold my old house before buying a new one, so to speak, but I know this change is necessary for many reasons. Each day, I feel better about my decision, not worse.

That said, I'm eager to explore new opportunities to wield these finely honed abilities. So, those seeking an operative with world-class communications skills, a strong sense of integrity, an engaging personality, and -- if I may say -- a beautifully sculpted jawline, please reach out to me.  My website.

Lobbyists Registrations

Ashley Lawson added Missouri Eagle Forum, and Missouri Doula Association.

Landis Rush added United Healthcare Services, Inc.

Jorgen Schlemeier, Sarah Schlemeier, Jeffrey Brooks, David Jackson, and Nikki Strong deleted JNI Hauling LLC.

Andy Arnold deleted Missouri Title Legislative Study Group, Inc.

$5K+ Contributions

Vote "NO" on 3 - $100,000 from Leadership for America PAC.

Vote "NO" on 3 - $25,000 from Dawn Lissner.

Committee to Ensure a Future for Sheriffs & Prosecutors - $42,500 from Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Committee to Ensure a Future for Sheriffs & Prosecutors - $30,000 from Sheriffs Retirement System.

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $5,700 from Mark Kelley.

Liberty and Justice PAC (pro-Bailey) - $25,000 from Missouri Soybean Association.

The Wonderdog PAC (pro-Kurtis Gregory) - $15,000 from Rex Sinquefield.

Fearless PAC (pro-Peleres) - $10,000 from MO Drive Fund.

Majority Forward (Senate Dems) - $5,001 from McCreery for Missouri.

St Louis County Democratic Central Committee -$27,400 from Doug PAC (pro-Beck).

Paladin PAC - $21,000 from J&J Ventures Missouri, LLC (Effingham, IL).

Paladin PAC - $10,000 from AVS Companies (Elk Grove Village, IL).

Citizens For Missouri Courts - $50,000 from Davis, Bethune & Jones, LLC.

Missouri Voter Project - State PAC - $50,000 from Missouri Jobs for Justice Action.

Not the Last PAC - $38,164 from St. Louis REALTORS.

PG PAC - $10,000 from Concept 2 Completion.

MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Flora Ceres Charlotte Inc.

MoCannTrade PAC - $6,000 from Show-Me Organics Inc.

Conservative Leaders of Missouri - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Missouri AG PAC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Missouri C PAC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Missouri Growth PAC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Missouri Prospers PAC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Missouri Senior PAC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

MO Majority PAC LLC - $6,000 from SEG Investments LLC.

Conservative Leaders of Missouri - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Missouri AG PAC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Missouri C PAC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Missouri Growth PAC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Missouri Prospers PAC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Missouri Senior PAC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

MO Majority PAC LLC - $5,714 from Elevate Missouri.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Jerry Nolte, Randy Asbury, and John Scott.