MOScout Daily Update: Election Results = STL Reset? - The Ascension of Dorr - SB 4 Signing - Senator No? and more…
1 Big Thing: STL Reset?
Alderwoman Cara Spencer demolished Mayor Tishaura Jones 64%-36%, and former Rep. Donna Baringer nosed out a win over long-time city Comptroller Darlene Green (51.5% - 48.5%).
What It Means
There’s the potential for a major St. Louis reset in the building. Jones was unabashedly progressive in her politics, and seems to relish wearing it on her sleeve, even in situations when it didn’t advance St. Louis interests – like in Jefferson City.
Spencer’s politics aren’t necessarily anymore centrist, but the election will give the City a chance to reset their posture toward Jefferson City. It can focus on economic issues where Republicans want the City to succeed while downplaying the cultural divide on social issues.
· Baringer’s ascension to Comptroller could aid this reorientation. Baringer is a life-long Democrat who worked with Republicans and knows how to talk their talk.
And
We’re still waiting for Greater St. Louis, the umbrella business organization, to name a successor to Jason Hall. If that choice dovetails with this approach – deemphasizing issues which alienate rural Republicans – St. Louis would benefit in the long-run.
Other Election Results…
Other races folks have been watching or have an interest in…
· Kansas City: The KC Public Schools $474 million bond issue passed with 85% approval.
· Jefferson City: Capitol denizens Ericia Choinka and Kathi Harness lost their races for JC City Council (53-47 and 58-42, respectively).
· Columbia: Mayor Barbara Buffaloe defeated Blair Murphy (55%-42%).
· Ashland: Bryce Beal became the Ward 3 Alderman (64 votes to 23 votes!).
· Chesterfield: former Rep. Derek Grier lost his bid to become Chesterfield mayor (56%-44%).
· Springfield: Sarah Hough (Sen. Lincoln Hough’s ex-wife) won a seat on the Springfield School Board; Lincoln PAC contributed to her campaign.
· Clay County: Jason Klindt was elected to the Kearney R-1 School District.
SB 4 Signing
Governor Mike Kehoe will do a quiet signing of SB 4, Sen. Mike Cierpiot’s big utilities bill, today at 9AM. While some legislators will be there, it’s not open to the media.
· Unlike the police takeover which had multiple signings and was a key plank of Kehoe’s campaign, the change to the regulatory framework is more inside baseball… event though it will likely have a greater impact on the lives of Missourians.
Hough = Senator No?
Post-Dispatch’s Kurt Erickson writes about the budget pressures building… Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said steep drops in the stock market and projections of a coming recession have him saying “no” a lot to legislative colleagues seeking money for special projects in their districts.
· “There is a lot of uneasiness in not only the financial markets but for those of us who are appropriating money and having to build these budgets out months and months in advance.”
Dorr Front and Center in SAPA Debate
Gun rights advocate Aaron Dorr makes the front page of the Post-Dispatch today as Jack Suntrup writes about the new SAPA bill.
Dorr has gone from a fringe player making web videos to a force in the capitol by outflanking and outhustling the more traditional NRA – which has been embroiled in some national controversy lately.
· Dorr’s Missouri Firearms Coalition still doesn’t have anywhere as much name ID as the NRA in terms of endorsement value.
Maddux and Cooper on Team Paxton
Axios reports that Axiom’s Nick Maddux and Sam Cooper will be running the campaign and PAC for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recently announced Senate campaign. Read more here.
· Jeff Roe, the firm's founder, will not be personally involved, according to sources familiar with the planning.
eMailbag on Capital Gains Bill Advances
· On capital gains cut: Easy right now to just sign it, but if Mike Kehoe is planning to be Governor for 8 years, he will regret the Capital Gains bill.
· On VLT bill: VLT “perfection plurality” with more than 60 No votes from Republicans. A real “caucus priority” there.
· On bond issues: I disagree with the premise that “no tax increase” bonds exist. The payoff of the bond issuance was going to end, so residents’ taxes were going down. Instead, the “no tax increase” keeps them at the same rate, which is an increase over where they would have been without passage or “extension” of a new bond… it sounds good…but it is absolutely misleading.
Cap Police Opening
The Department of Public Safety seeks Capitol Police Officer. Since 1983, Missouri Capitol Police has been the primary full-service law enforcement agency for the 72-acre state office building campus known as the Capitol Complex and state office buildings located in Cole County… We serve a community that includes state legislators, elected officials, and state employees to ensure safe conditions exist for officials to fulfill their oath of office to all Missourians… Salary: $53,486.
$5K+ Contributions
Stand Up to Stigma PAC - $6,000 from Husch Blackwell Strategies.
YES for KC Kids - $10,000 from Community America (Lenexa, KS).
Lobbyist Registrations
Michael Grote added Missouri Beverage Association, and City of Ashland, Missouri.
Eapen Thampy added MMCI Holdings.
Bill Shoehigh deleted Microsoft Corporation, VRBO, and Expedia Group.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Casey Wasser, and Matt Lieberman.