MOScout Daily Update: Fitz Fries Arnold - CBHE Asks for 1 Year Window - MOScout 2026 PowerRankings - WSJ on KC World Cup and more…
It’s Election Day across municipalities today. And this afternoon, Governor Mike Kehoe will sign SB 888, HB 1908, and HB 2273 into law.
MOScout Power Rankings
I’ve started my 2026 Power Rankings of the most likely Senate and House districts to flip this year. See them here.
My Top 5 House Seats Most Likely to Flip
• House 12 – OPEN – Mike Jones (R) running for Senate.
• House 133 – OPEN – Melanie Stinnett (R) running for Senate.
• House 132 – Jeremy Dean (D) defending.
• House 100 – Phil Oehlerking (R) defending.
• House 105 – Colin Wellenkamp (R) defending.
CBHE: Give Us a Year
In a letter to Senate Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin and Senate Appropriations Chair Rusty Black, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education writes that “we concur with the House position that the longstanding ‘base plus’ approach to higher education funding is flawed and ineffective. However… we strongly caution that the current House proposed enrollment-based only approach delivers stark results that will drive some institutions into immediate fiscal crisis, require difficult state ‘bail outs,’ and even possible closures.”
• The majority of Missouri’s jobs now require training beyond a high school diploma. Missouri’s public higher education institutions are powerful engines of economic growth and workforce development.
• We urge you to… return to Governor Kehoe’s original recommendations, and direct us and MDHEWD to return to you a comprehensive solution before the 2027 legislative session.
And
One MOScouter says the House folks were disingenuous with their presentation of data. “Community college enrollment is up 10.6% in the last 5 years and that fact has been intentionally omitted from this conversation because it doesn’t fit their narrative. This is an email Deaton shared with the caucus and it left out 2021 data intentionally. The ‘5 year difference’ column for universities is the difference from 2016 to 2021, not the most recent 5 years… No one does data that way.”
Filing Reopens
Pursuant to Section 115.361, RSMo., candidate filing will open on April 7, 2026 at 8AM and ending at 5PM on Friday, April 10, 2026 for:
• U.S. House – Districts 1 and 5
• State Senate – Districts 12 and 34
• State House – Districts 2 and 12
And
On Friday, Amber Cole, a Democrat in House 76, withdrew. That leaves Rep. Marlon Anderson unopposed.
WSJ on KC’s ‘6 Super Bowls’ This Summer
The Wall Street Journal says, “No place in America has more riding on this summer’s World Cup soccer games than Kansas City, Mo.”
• Over the past 15 years, the region has poured $650 million into building world-class training facilities and stadiums in an effort to become America’s soccer capital.
• Starting in June, it will host six matches, with four teams using the city as a base. “It’ll be like six Super Bowls,” said Alan Dietrich, an executive director at KC2026, the nonprofit overseeing World Cup preparations.
• When FIFA officials scouted Kansas City as a potential host, city officials asked volunteers to mill through the airport and pretend to be tourists. They hoped to make the city look like a desirable travel destination… Drivers who picked up the officials from the airport followed a preplanned route, avoiding construction and graffiti.
Fitz Gives Arnold ‘Poor’ Rating
State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick gave the City of Arnold a “poor” rating.
Conflicts of interest have resulted in the City of Arnold inappropriately using the taxing authority of the Arnold Retail Corridor Transportation Development District (ARC TDD) to fund city developments… The TDD has continued to collect sales taxes despite not having any outstanding debt and without having a viable project to justify the TDD's continued existence. TDD taxes are currently being used to pay off the city's tax increment financing (TIF) debt, and have been used to purchase property outside of the TDD boundaries for the purposes of furthering the city's development goals, which are unrelated to the TDD and are an improper use of TDD resources.
And the report contains this humdinger directed at City Attorney Bob Sweeney… The City Attorney intentionally provided a misstatement to the State Auditor's Office in an attempt to interfere with the audit, and in doing so, violated Missouri statute and Missouri Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct… Section 29.250.3, RSMo, requires the state auditor to report such violation to the prosecuting attorney for action or proceedings as the prosecutor sees fit. Therefore, this matter was referred to the Jefferson County Prosecutor.
Arnold is represented by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman and Rep. Phil Amato.
Aune on SAPA Being Voted Down in House Committee
At their press conference last week, House Minority Leader Ashley Aune reacted to the latest Second Amendment Protection Act getting voted down in committee.
It was interesting to watch Republican members who have voted who voted twice for the bill last year vote it down and speak against it in committee…
• I think the law enforcement community maybe got a little bit louder this year about their opposition and made sure that members in that committee knew their opposition directly.
• Another issue that I think was brought up in in the hearing, and has been brought up by Republican members over and over again, which is that the lobbyist for the Missouri Firearms Coalition continues to bully members into getting his way over and over again. And frankly I think a lot of the Republican caucus members are sick of it.
Help Wanted
St. Charles County is seeking a qualified marketing or sponsorship agency to secure a long-term naming rights partner for the St. Charles Family Arena. The arena is a premier entertainment destination in the St. Louis metropolitan area, hosting a variety of events, including concerts, family shows, and sporting events. The county is seeking a strategic and financially beneficial partnership that will enhance the arena's profile and provide significant brand exposure for the selected naming rights partner.
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Kehoe announced new appointments…
• Bryce Beal, Rep. Cameron Parker, and Lowell Pearson were appointed to the Uniform Law Commission.
• Cody Smith was appointed to the Children’s Trust Fund Board.
• Julie Miller was reappointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
$5K+ Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Committee To Elect Dave Hinman.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $16,600 from Warwick for 128.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Adam Beren (Wichita, KS)
Friends to Elect Annie Harkrader Golden - $5,500 from Annie Golden.
Quad County Emergency Services PAC - $20,041 from St Charles County Paramedic Association.
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $25,000 from Laura Shaughnessy.
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $25,000 from Joseph Stieven.
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $25,000 from Mark Wilhelm (Naples, FL).
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $100,000 from Donald Ross.
Her Health, Her Future PAC - $25,000 from John Berra Jr.
Made in Missouri PAC (pro-Mazzie Chistensen) - $5,375 from Jennifer Gore.
Lobbyist Registrations
Boo Foley, Andy Foley, and Craig Redmon added Guadalupe Centers.
Jerry Hobbs added Strategic Workforce Development.
Jaron “JD” Vail added Missouri Schools for Trades, Resources, Innovation, and Vocational Education.
Jay Hahn and Tyler Travers added NorthStar Clean Energy.
Julie Murphy deleted Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, and Gateway Early Childhood Alliance.
Jeremy LaFaver and Salvatore Panettiere added Waymo LLC, and Nexus Group.
Happy Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Ryan Rowden, Suzie Pollock, and Kaycee Nail.