MOScout Daily Update: Senate 27 Talk - Consultant Watch - Wall Street Willy - God’s Perfect So Deal - Plocher’s Revenge and more…
The Chiefs won a thriller last night. That likely means an interrupted legislative week as both chambers will probably have technical sessions on Wednesday to accommodate KC-area legislators longing to celebrate at the victory parade.
Senate 27 Talk
One source watching Senate 27 (Thompson Rehder’s seat) says that Scott Lipke has decided he will not be running. This leaves the race between Jacob Turner and Reps. Jamie Burger and Chris Dinkins.
I’m told that Dinkins plans a comprehensive poll this week to test her strengths and weaknesses as well as those of her opponents. That poll will factor heavily as she weighs whether there’s a path.
· Look for a decision next week whether Dinkins seeks the Senate seat or runs for re-election in the House.
Driving the Day: House Hearing on ESAs
The House Special Committee on Education Reform will hear four bills to expand educational scholarship accounts. Two expand the amount of money allotted to the tax credit from $50 million to $75 million, and two expand the pool of students eligible to use the program.
HB 2104 – Rep. Phil Christofanelli.
HB 1738 – Rep. Doug Richey.
HB 1615 – Rep. Brad Hudson.
HB 1671 – Rep. Mark Matthiesen.
· Three of these reps (Christofanelli, Richey, and Hudson) are in hot Senate primaries. One MOScouter estimates that pro-school choice folks will pump $3 million into Missouri races this cycle.
Consultant Watch
I’ve tried to suss out who all is working on which campaigns. Here’s my best guess on the statewide Republicans. I’ve adding it to the MOScout 2024 Watch spreadsheet.
Governor
Jay Ashcroft – Jason Roe, Elijah Haahr, Victory
Bill Eigel –MOMAV (Sophia Shore), Survey St Louis (Tom Smith), Jim Lembke
Mike Kehoe – Axiom, David Barklage, Gregg Keller, Rich Chrismer, Husch Blackwell Strategies, Hancock & Prouty, Thompson Communications, Mike Hafner.
LG
Holly Thompson Rehder – Axiom
Dean Plocher – David Barklage, Jonathan Ratliff
David Wasinger – Still building team
Treasurer
Vivek Malek – James Harris
Cody Smith – Axiom
Andrew Koenig – Victory
Lori Rook – Alpha Electoral Strategies (Dustin Morris)
SOS
Denny Hoskins – James Harris
Adam Schwardon – Show-Me Strategies LLC (Thomas Riggs), Elijah Haahr
Shane Schoeller – Victory
Caleb Rowden - Jonathan Ratliff/Palm Strategic
AG
Andrew Bailey – Mike Hafner
Will Scharf – Axiom, Gregg Keller
Wall Street Willy
Team Bailey brands Will Scharf as “Wall Street Willy” in their latest fundraising appeal. It’s as if they can sense that an ocean of money will be flooding against them and they’re trying to see if there’s a message to undermine its impact…
God’s Perfect So Deal With It
During Senate debate last week, Republican Sen. Sandy Crawford explained her opposition to a woman aborting a pregnancy caused by rape saying, “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
For some reason, even in some of these very horrific cases, there was a reason that God, allowed that, there to be a child out of that situation… I just wanted to bring out the point that, you know, God is perfect. God does not make mistakes. And for some reason he allows that to happen. Bad things happen. You know, I'm not going to be able to support the amendments because I am very pro-life.
Sen. Doug Beck uses the soundbite in his latest fundraising email…
MOIndy: Plocher Sits on Critics’ Bills
Missouri Independent notes that Speaker Dean Plocher isn’t moving the bills of the Republicans who criticized him for double-dipping on reimbursements. Read it here.
Up until Thursday, more than a month into the legislative session, [Mazzie] Christensen and [Adam] Schwadron were the only Republican lawmakers who filed legislation this year who had not had any bills referred to committee by House Speaker Dean Plocher. The pair also share one other thing in common: They were among the loudest voices within the House Republican caucus calling for Plocher to step down from leadership amid a litany of scandals.
Missouri Kids First Rebrands
Missouri KidsFirst has rebranded as Missouri Network Against Child Abuse. “Nothing is changing about our commitment to putting Missouri’s kids first. As the statewide network of individuals and organizations committed to our vision of a Missouri free of child abuse, this transformation highlights our renewed emphasis on clarity and purpose.”
· See the new website (MO-NACA) here.
Her Turn Now
Donna Barnes has formed a candidate committee to run for House 28. Donna is the wife of Rep. Jerome Barnes, the term limited incumbent of House 28. According to the paperwork, Jerome is Donna’s treasurer. Donna previously served as Jerome’s treasurer.
New PACs
Action for FIRE Institute PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Percy Green III, the son of St. Louis civil rights leader Percy Green II who famously climbed the Arch during its construction to protest the lack of African Americans working on the job, and then years later unmasked the Veiled Prophet at the debutante ball to protest the racist pageantry of that event. FIRE (Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality) promotes the hiring, retention, and upward mobility of minority Firefighters.
Lobbyist Registrations
Andy Arnold added Ware Brands Inc.
Joshua Brandt added Hims & Hers.
Erin Elizabeth Coppenbarger added March of Dimes Foundation, Missouri Chapter.
Tim Green added Public Water Supply District No. 2 of St Charles County.
Jean Evans deleted Missourians for Fair Business Practices.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Louise Tonkovich.