Dampf to O’Laughlin

As rumored, Drew Dampf will become Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin’s chief of staff.

The Case for Koenig To Take Ed Chair

With Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin’s recent election to Floor Leader, the Senate Education chairmanship will be vacated.

Clock Ticking on Parson Appts

Governor Mike Parson is on a foreign trip right now, and won’t return until Sunday. But the clock is ticking away as folks wait for his appointments to the statewide offices of attorney general and state treasurer.

The Case for Optimism in the Senate

Earlier this year we were in peak pessimism with regard to the Senate functioning next session. Following nasty and divisive primaries, there was the sense that the factions were more deeply entrenched than ever.

Beck Wins Assistant Floor

Senate Democrats re-elected Sen. John Rizzo to his position as Minority Leader.

O’Laughlin Wins Floor

Sen. Caleb Rowden was elected to be senate pro tem next session, and Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin was elected to be floor leader.

Patterson Wins Floor

Rep. Jon Patterson was elected to be the next House Floor Leader.

The Big Picture

The toplines from last night…

What To Watch For

Here’s what I’ll be watching for tonight…

City of Baldwin Fined

Missouri Ethic Commission fined the City of Ballwin $100 for failing to put a “paid for” on a mailer about a use tax ballot question.

1. Labor force participation rate.

2. Childcare as a (or maybe the) workforce issue.

3. Disabled people in the workforce.

4. Partisan divide – is it money or education?

5 & 6. Trust in government.

7 & 8. Flu season.

Q3: Do you think Missouri is headed in the right direction, or going off on the wrong track?

Right direction: 29%

Wrong track: 55%

Not sure: 16%

New Senate Poll

Trafalgar Group has a new US Senate poll.

Eric Schmitt – 53.3%

Trudy Valentine – 42.3%

Jonathan Dine – 2.1%

Undecided – 2.3%

Schmitt Closing Argument: The Economy, Stupid

In Eric Schmitt’s latest ad he casts the election in economic terms…

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo sent $200K from his campaign account to the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee.

8-Day Reports

A few nuggets from my first look at last night’s campaign finance filings…

Kelly Exits House Floor Race

Rep. Hannah Kelly announced that she was withdrawing from the House Floor Leader race.

1. Haunted houses.

2. Midterm turnout.

3. Party identification.

4. Drought forecast

5. Obesity.

6. Monthly pot spend.

7-8. Annoying co-workers.

Q1: What issue is most important to you?

Reducing crime: 18%

Reining in healthcare costs: 7%

Protecting abortion rights: 21%

Stopping illegal immigration: 15%

Tackling inflation: 22%

Something else: 9%

Not sure: 9%

MOIndy on Anti-A3’s Strange Bedfellows

The Missouri Independent has an article about the “ideologically scattershot constellation of organizations and elected officials that have come out of the woodwork in recent weeks to urge Missourians to reject a marijuana legalization proposal appearing on the Nov. 8 ballot as Amendment 3.”