MOScout Daily Update: The Shadow of Eigel - SLU Poll Shows Support for Kehoe Agenda - MVCP Kick-off and more…
The Shadow of Eigel
Even as the Senate has displayed remarkable “functionality” so far this session, the shadow of Bill Eigel seems to loom over folks’ assessment and predictions for the future. He was an impact player, using the Senate rules to bring chaos to derail dozens of legislative efforts. Here’s the assessment of two Republican senators from a reader. The shadow of Eigel is present in both…
· Nick Schroer was poised to be the heir to the Eigel legacy, but instead he’s so far worked within the system. While other members of the Freedom Caucus have dabbled in filibusters (over the utility bill and tax credits) Schroer has kept his head down and instead put his energy into handling the biggest bill of the session, Governor Mike Kehoe’s crime bill. This puts him on a trajectory to have a much different last 6 years in the senate than his first 2 did. Could he revert back? Absolutely. But it will be interesting to see if the taste of passing legislation, not just killing it, permanently alters his approach.
· The only incoming senator to never have been in the House, Joe Nicola has quickly become a force in the senate. He’s not afraid to stand alone, or stand up against any member Dem or Repub. Nicola still has a lot to learn, but right now he (and to a lesser degree Brad Hudson) is making the strongest case that he’s the freshman with the personality and assertiveness to one day run the senate floor a la Bill Eigel.
SLU Poll on Kehoe Agenda
SLU/YouGuv released a poll that was conducted for two weeks at the end of February (February 18 to March 2).
Missourians support eliminating the state income tax…
Would you support or oppose eliminating Missouri’s state income tax?
Support 52%
Oppose 25%
Not sure 23%
But of course they’re not sure how to replace the revenue…
If the State of Missouri eliminated the state income tax, which of the following would you be most willing to tax to make up for lost revenue?
Auto and home repair services 3%
Professional services (for example, accounting and legal) 15%
Personal care services (for example, salons) 10%
Real estate transfers 13%
Inheritances 13%
Not sure 46%
They’re opposed to state takeover of the St. Louis police force…
Missouri state legislators have proposed police departments in some Missouri cities be controlled by the state (for example, a board that includes the mayor and members approved by the governor) instead of locally (for example, a board appointed by the mayor). Who do you prefer to control the following police departments in the state of Missouri...St. Louis City police department?
State control (for example, Governor- appointed board) 39%
Local control (for example, a board appointed by the mayor) 47%
Not sure 14%
And they’re supportive of school choice options…
In general, do you support or oppose an Education Savings Account program for Missouri?
Strongly support 35%
Somewhat support 27%
Somewhat oppose 4%
Strongly oppose 5%
Not sure 30%
Do you favor or oppose the following policies...Allowing charter schools to operate in all parts of the state?
Favor 56%
Oppose 18%
Not sure 26%
Also, some of the polls approval ratings… Kehoe is +19 favorable; Schmitt is +13 favorable; Hawley is +10 favorable; and the Legislature is +8 favorable
Do you approve or disapprove of the way each is doing their job...The Missouri State Legislature?
Strongly approve 10%
Approve 38%
Disapprove 17%
Strongly disapprove 23%
Not sure 12%
Do you approve or disapprove of the way each is doing their job...Governor Mike Kehoe?
Strongly approve 15%
Approve 35%
Disapprove 11%
Strongly disapprove 20%
Not sure 18%
Do you approve or disapprove of the way each is doing their job...Senator Eric Schmitt?
Strongly approve 23%
Approve 25%
Disapprove 9%
Strongly disapprove 26%
Not sure 17%
Do you approve or disapprove of the way each is doing their job...Senator Josh Hawley?
Strongly approve 32%
Approve 19%
Disapprove 10%
Strongly disapprove 31%
Not sure 9%
MVCP Kick-off
Denise Lieberman announced that Missouri Voter Protection Coalition has received its non-profit status and is planning a kick-off for March 24, 2025, from 5-7PM at the Deaconess Foundation.
Missouri Voter Protection Coalition anchors four areas of work in Missouri: Policy Advocacy; Strategic Litigation; Voter Education and our flagship nonpartisan Election Protection program. We serve as a bridge to national voting rights partners and campaigns. We use the model of civil rights movement building to advance a pro-democracy movement together in Missouri. Today, we have approximately 70 affiliated organizational partners, and thousands of advocate members ready to do the work…Help us get into some good trouble!!
Realtors Commissions
Uber-donor Michael Ketchmark was quoted in the recent NYTimes article about the sticky realtor commissions. See it here.
“The system has been in place for 100 years. It’s not going to change overnight,” said Michael Ketchmark, the lawyer who represented the Missouri homeowners. “It’s not like one day we started streaming movies and then Blockbuster video stores were suddenly gone. It was a slow progressive change in technology and that’s what we’re witnessing here.”
Consumer Sentiment Drops
Budgeteers would be wise to keep an eye on the deteriorating economic indicators. They might not see a drop in state tax revenue this month or next, but more and more folks are baking a softer economy into their forecast.
· Tomorrow morning the latest U.S. leading economic indicators will be released. The consensus among economists is for a drop.
Jackson Passes
I’m told that veteran lobbyist Steve Jackson passed away yesterday. I will share more information when it becomes available.
eMailbag
· This is the Jan 2025 FTC report - one of dozens (plural) of independent studies that say PBM’s raise the cost of drugs. When everyone else is saying one thing (PBM’s raise the cost of drugs) and you have to buy ads about yourself to say something else ….
· I think Pat Thomas deserves a lot of credit for this Senate overhaul.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $15,000 from Dealers Interested In Government.
Lobbyist Registrations
Dena Ladd added FKG Oil Company.
Greg Mitchell added Missouri Automobile Dealers Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays Mun Choi, and Kim Becking.