MOScout Daily Update: Sander Comeback? - Senate Debates Open Enrollment - Stinnett in Senate 30 - Kehoe to White House and more…

Sander Comeback?

Former Rep. Chris Sander formed a campaign committee to run for state representative next year.  But he’s eying a run in St. Charles – House 106 – instead of his former Blue Springs seat.

House 106 is current represented by Rep. Travis Wilson; he’s not termed limited.

·       Sander lost his 2024 primary against Carolyn Caton (House 33) by 11 points.

Senate Debates Open Enrollment

The Senate spent several hours debating Rep. Brad Pollitt’s open enrollment bill.  There was a bit of drama as Sen. Lincoln Hough added amendments making the bill contingent on fully funding the foundation formula, and the education transportation budget line.  They were opposed by the bill handler, Sen. Curtis Trent, yet they passed on standing divisions 14-13 and 15-13 respectively. The bill was later laid over. 

·       It joins the cauldron of percolating bills, all of which will be swirling around in the final two weeks to see if they can be tweaked or transformed to become passable before the clock expires (two weeks from tomorrow).

Stinnett Announces

Press release: State Representative Melanie Stinnett today announced her candidacy for Missouri State Senate District 30, pledging to continue her mission of safer streets, better schools, and healthier families.

·       "Southwest Missouri deserves strong, commonsense leadership that is focused on solutions, not partisan politics," Stinnett said. "As a healthcare professional, small business owner, and mom I’ve spent my career working to make life better for Springfield families — and I’m ready to continue that work in the State Senate."

What It Means

·       This isn’t a surprise.  Stinnett amended her campaign committee for this race back in December.

·       Senate 30 will be one of the battleground races in 2026.  Stinnett is a great candidate for Republicans’ in their quest to hold the seat.  The expectation is that she’ll face former Minority Leader Crystal Quade.

·       I would guess Republicans are bracing for a challenging environment as it will be Trump’s midterm.

Schmitt Dances for Missouri

Senator Eric Schmitt took to the Senate floor in Washington to defend Donald Trump’s mercantilist tariff policies.  Schmitt, during his time in the Missouri Senate understood non-coercive trade benefits both sides (China Hub, anyone?), and modeled his Republicanism on pro-free market Republican Jack Kemp.

And yet there he was yesterday going all-in for Trump protectionist trade, “At the dawn of the 1990s, as America looked forward to the new millennium, the architects of globalization beamed about the promise of the ‘open society’ — a world without barriers or borders, where all nations and cultures and economies would melt into one global economic zone. Thirty years on, what do we have to show for it?”

·       My theory: Schmitt thinks he can deliver more for Missouri by doing a dance and staying on Trump’s good side.  Evidence of his influence in the White House includes the huge F-47 contract for Boeing.

Kehoe to White House

Governor Mike Kehoe was at the White House yesterday.  One tipster saying he met with President Donald Trump and advisor Alex Meyer in the Oval Office.

More Non-Action from Quorum-less MEC

The Missouri Ethics Commission once again punted a complaint due to lack of a quorum as they wait for Governor Mike Kehoe to appoint more members.

Science Project in Rotunda

Funny to see a high-schooler researching the effects of RoundUp, as one of the hot divisive bills in this session has been Rep. Dane Diehl’s RoundUp labeling bill.

And

The lawsuits against Monsanto continue.  This is just some of the new suits filed yesterday…

Sheriff’s Kids Getting Chauffeured?

Fox News in St. Louis reports on the Sheriff Alfred Montgomery’s kids getting chauffeured by an employee of that office.  Watch their report here.

·       Blake Lawrence, Montgomery’s chief counsel, explains: The Sheriff has taken precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of his family. Among these measures is an off-duty Sheriff’s Department employee providing transportation for his children after their school day ends.

Recession Watch

Politico explains…  In the coming weeks, fewer ships from Asia will enter West Coast ports — many with lighter loads than before. Truckers who transport imported goods to retailers across the country will suddenly find less work. And executives across the logistics industry will transition from screaming into a void (as they’re doing now) to an I-told-you-so posture once American consumers face supply shortages, price increases and layoffs by summer as a result of sweeping tariffs…

·       Spotting recessions in real time is often more art than science… Economic data can be revised up and down… Most mainstream economists today put the likelihood of a recession as roughly a coin flip…

$5K+ Contributions

Sander For Missouri - $7,132 from Christopher Sander.

Jackson County Democratic Committee - $10,000 from IBEW 124.

Lobbyist Registrations

David Sweeney added Vehicle Management Services.

Lilly Alexander added Upwards Care, Inc.

Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Christopher Schoeman, and Alex Rosenblum added Tenex Software Solutions.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays Aaron Griesheimer and Bubs Hohulin.