MOScout Daily Update: New Anti-A5 Ad - Herzog for Williams - Mosley for Palm - Data Center Patchwork or Statewide Policy? and more…

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Anti-A5 Ad Drops

Missourians for Fair Taxation released its latest commercial taking aim at Amendment 5.  See “Tax Burden” here.

Amendment 5, the politicians’ tax shift scheme, hits seniors and those struggling financially hardest with new taxes on services like doctor visits, in-home care, and rent.  And allows tripling of sales taxes on necessities like groceries, prescription medicines, and even gas. Sales tax could exceed 20%, with up to 80% of Missourians paying more in taxes.  That’s why their Amendment 5 eliminates your constitutional protections, including your right to vote on new taxes…

While the pro-A5 campaign has greater resources, it’s much easier to get folks to vote NO than YES.  These anti-A5 ads are effective in raising questions and concerns about the plan.

CD-5: Scalise Endorses Burks

Press release: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise delivered a powerful boost to Taylor Burks’ campaign for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, officially endorsing the battle-tested conservative just three weeks before the August 4th primary election. As the second-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, Scalise’s endorsement headlines an unprecedented, record-breaking coalition of conservative support for Burks...

Team Burks cheers: Beyond the endorsement, it is a signal to outside groups looking to invest in the race and clears the way for more money to come in to support Burks.

Prior to the endorsement, there has been a significant recent influx of support coming in for Burks from supportive organizations, running ads on TV and radio, totaling nearly half a million dollars.

·       Conservatives for American Excellence: $385,097

·       Show Me Valor PAC (Pro-Burks): $99,195

Senate 14: Mosley for Palm

The July filing of the Mosley PAC contains an interesting nugget.  In addition to supporting Sen. Angela Mosley and her daughters’ races, there were a couple of expenditures to support Joe Palm in Senate 14. The amounts weren’t large – totaling a little over $500.  But they signal that Palm has the support of the Walton machine and that could provide a big boost for Palm, as they know how to get out the vote.

Herzog Backs Williams

In the large contributions, Herzog Contracting Corp sent $25,000 to STLCO PAC, which is supporting Sen. Brian Williams in the St. Louis County Executive race.

·       It’s a surprising move to see Herzog, which normally supports conservative candidates, getting involved in the Democratic primary, where all the candidates are clearly liberal.

Senate 4: Mitten PAC Files

Good Hands, the PAC supporting Gina Mitten, showed a surprising lack of fundraising in its July report.  It raised $0 and ended with $129 on hand.

Since the deadline, it’s recorded two large contributions: $40,000 from the trial attorneys’ Safer Families for Missouri PAC, and $7,500 from PENN Entertainment.

Still, without more firepower, Mitten’s team is in danger of being overwhelmed by Butz in the final weeks of the campaign.

Chamber Contra Skelton

Recent non-committee expenditure reports show the Missouri Chamber Political Institute spending against Ike Skelton in Senate 6.

·       7/9/26 - $14,759 – direct mail.

·       7/9/26 - $2,273 – texts.

·       7/13/26 - $14,759 – direct mail.

Data Centers: Patchwork Versus Preemption

NYTimes reports that “Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York signed an executive order on Tuesday placing a one-year pause on the construction of the largest data centers… The order, the first of its kind to be enacted in the United States, will temporarily bar the state from approving permits for so-called hyperscale data centers, which use 50 or more megawatts of power to operate. During the pause, New York will develop a regulatory framework for assessing how these behemoth projects affect the environment.”

Why It Matters

I came across a report yesterday (Data Center Policy across the 50 States A Survey of Incentives, Land Use, and Energy Regulation) which explored, among other things, whether there would be statewide policies adopted on data center construction or whether it would remain a decision of local governments.

·       “The tension between state incentive programs and local restrictions has produced a new front in the long-running debate over state preemption of local authority. Several states have enacted or considered legislation that limits local governments’ ability to restrict data center development.”

·       “The preemption question implicates competing values. Proponents argue that local restrictions create a patchwork of incompatible rules that increases costs and delays nationally important infrastructure. Opponents counter that data centers impose concentrated local costs (grid strain, noise, water consumption, visual impact) that only local governments are positioned to evaluate and mitigate.”

Lobbyist Registrations

Derek Coats added Democracy Live.

Trent Ford added Redbird Network.

Strategic Capitol Consulting deleted FWD.US, Inc.

$5K+ Contributions

Missouri Gaming PAC - $106,000 from Caesars Enterprise Services (Las Vegas, NV).

Missouri Gaming PAC - $175,000 from Penn Entertainment Inc (Wyomissing, PA).

Missouri Promise PAC - $96,250 from Missouri Action.

Stop the Ban - $10,000 from Brian McInerney.

Missouri Enterprise Fund (pro-Hardwick) - $30,000 from Conservative Leadership for Southeast Missouri.

Forward 417 (pro-Hein) - $10,000 from Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Missouri-Kansas Area PAC.

Values First PAC (pro-Byrnes) - $20,000 from MO Republican Attorneys for Civil Justice PAC.

Make Jefferson County Great Again PAC (pro-Avery) - $10,000 from Evergy Metro.

STLCO PAC (pro-Williams) - $25,000 from Herzog Contracting Corp.

Missouri Leadership PAC (pro-Riley) - $10,000 from Kingdom Leadership PAC.

Firebrand PAC - $25,000 from Made in Missouri PAC.

Take Back Missouri PAC - $25,000 from Made in Missouri PAC.

Credit Union Political Action Committee of Missouri - $12,420 from Together Credit Union.

Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $10,000 from Kendall Hunt.

21st Century St. Louis PAC - $10,000 from Jerome Schlichter.

A Better Missouri Political Action Committee - $50,000 from Anheuser-Busch Cos.

Kansas City Regional Association Of Realtors Missouri RPAC - $27,697 from Missouri Realtors PAC, Inc.

Liberty And Property PAC - $198,000 from Private Property Rights Institute (Dallas, TX).

MO Bankers Association State PAC - $10,000 from The Bank of Missouri.

Tarwater for Executive - $10,000 from Justin Colins.

Saint Charles Organization of Republicans - $20,000 from Missouri Leadership Fund.

Missouri SMART TD PAC - $13,000 from SMART TD PAC (Independence, OH).

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Adriane Crouse.