MOScout Daily Update: STL County Exec Polling Memo - Trent on Data Centers - MOCS for Butz - Bosley Endorses and more…
St. Louis County Polling Memo: Zimmerman in Front
20-20 Insight’s polling memo says that Jake Zimmerman is “headed to victory in the Executive race.”
Between July 18-20, 2026, we surveyed 435 likely Democratic primary voters in St. Louis County to assess the state of the race for County Executive. The survey, which has a margin of error of +/- 4.7%, shows that Jake Zimmerman is in a commanding position for the August primary.
● Zimmerman out front: In the initial trial heat Zimmerman leads with 28%, followed by Brian Williams with 19% and Angela Mosley with 10%. Among those most likely to vote, Zimmerman jumps out to a 33%-20%-11% lead.
Senate 20: Trent Comes Out Against Data Centers
The latest commercial from Sen. Curtis Trent says that he’s “sponsoring a moratorium on new data centers.” See the ad here.
Curtis Trent wrote the law making Missouri first in the nation to end state taxes when selling your home, small business, or farm, sponsoring a moratorium on new data centers, preventing utility rate hikes, protecting our property values and water supplies. Curtis Trent, the proven conservative.
That claim seems more aspirational than accurate as there’s no moratorium bill listed among his sponsored bills last session.
· Sophia Shore, consultant for Trent’s opponent Lori Rook, called it “hilarious” on Twitter. “I love running a race on my terms.”
Meanwhile
An analysis of the final-week television ad buys shows that Trent’s candidate committee and PAC will be swamping Rook’s in the final week in the Springfield market, and running unopposed in the Joplin market.
Senate 4: MOCS Backs Butz
In the non-committee expenditures, Missouri Charter School Action reports that it spent about $25,000 in support of Steve Butz in his Senate 4 race. See the filing here.
· It also spent about $10,000 for Rep. Marlene Terry in her House 66 re-election.
House 79: Bosley Endorses Hopkins
Rep. LaKeySha Bosley has endorsed Adam Hopkins to succeed her.
Hopkins is in a 3-way race. I’d thought that Rachel D'Souza was the favorite based on fundraising, and her support from school choicers and sister-in-law Board President Megan Green.
But this endorsement, along with the backing of the Ward 11 alderwoman and committeepeople, is making me rethink that forecast.
CD-1: United Democracy Adds Another $600K for Bell
Tony Raymondreports another $600K+ coming into the CD-1 race for Congressman Wesley Bell…
O’Laughlin PAC
Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin’s PAC, NEMO Leadership, has been the major funder/conduit for Let’s Go Brandon PAC, sending $175,000 to that PAC. Let’s Go Brandon is hitting clients of Sophia Shore, including Ike Skelton in Senate 6, and Dusty Blue in Senate 18.
Its treasurer is Chris Vas, who has ties to the Lager-Graves-Roe world. Vas works for the Herzog Foundation and serves on Governor Mike Kehoe’s task force to update the foundation formula.
Candidates supported by O’Laughlin’s PAC…
· Senate 6 - Jake Vogel
· Senate 10 - Mike Deering
· Senate 18 - Ed Lewis
· Senate 20 - Curtis Trent
· Senate 28 - Brad Pollitt
· Senate 32 - Jill Carter
· Senate 34 - Mike Jones
MOChamber 8-Day
The MO Chamber PAC filed their 8-Day report early. It shows the Chamber taking on a number of incumbents. They made expenditures against…
· Rep. Michael Davis (House 56)
· Rep. Bob Titus (House 139)
· Rep. Lisa Durnell (House 154)
Nail Adds Another Job
Kaycee Nail announced on LinkedIn that she “was recently appointed Executive Director of the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys (NAAUSA).”
· Representing more than 6,000 Assistant United States Attorneys nationwide, NAAUSA serves as the leading professional association for federal prosecutors. These career federal prosecutors work every day to uphold the rule of law, protect public safety, pursue justice, and serve communities across the country.
· I'm grateful that this role complements my ongoing work as Director of Government & Public Affairs at Shaw Bransford & Roth, P.C. and Director of Congressional Affairs at The Penman Group, allowing me to continue supporting organizations and clients committed to public service and public safety.
Lobbyist Registrations
Maggie Arnesen, Logan Dennis, Devon Genua, Ian Leavitt, Ruth Lindberg, and Miranda Robinson-Perez added The Pew Charitable Trusts.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Promise PAC (pro-A5) - $1,450,000 from Secure Missouri.
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $8,000 from Matthew Mills.
STLCO PAC (pro-Brian Williams) - $7,000 from RKO Capital LLC.
Cut the Bull PAC (pro-Deering) - $15,000 from MCR PAC.
Spicer for Senate PAC - $7,500 from Lynn Thompson.
Committee To Elect Steve Ehlmann - $10,000 from Robert Blitz.
Missouri Leadership PAC (pro-Riley) - $25,000 from Caesars Enterprise Services LLC (Las Vegas, NV).
Missouri Leadership PAC - $10,000 from Evergy Metro, Inc.
No Everything Tax - $21,000 from Missouri Budget Project.
Tony PAC - $25,000 from Mid America Carpenters Regional Council MO-KS Area PAC.
Wentzville Schools Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Hoener Associates.
Respect MO Voters Campaign - $50,000 from Kent Thiry (Denver, CO).
Protect Majority Rule Missouri - $50,000 from Laura Cohen.
Common Sense STL PAC - $25,000 from Parkview Land Strategy LLC.
Committee to Elect Will Worsham - $10,000 from William Worsham.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Tom Krewson, Darrell Pollock, and Bob Quinn.