Capitol Calling
Missouri's irreverent and vital news source.
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Finally, here’s a video of Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, answering a question about whether this session will focus more on incremental changes than bigger initiatives.
The video also features a question about whether “right to work” will have floor time in the Missouri Senate this year.
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It’s that time again. You know, that time when Missouri political figures start endorsing presidential candidates.Unlike 2008 - which featured a smorgasbord of candidates to choose from - 2012 will likely only feature multiple Republican candidates. And while endorsers aren’t the be-all-end all, they can showcase a campaign organizational strength in a particular state.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is first out the gate, so to speak, in the endorsement dash. His campaign released a statement announcing endorsements from state Auditor Tom Schweich, House Majority Leader Tim Jones, R-Euerka, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Joseph. The release also announced former Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., is backing Romney for the second presidential election cycle in a row.
The release also announced that Sam and Jeff Fox - who work for the Harbour Group, a multi-billion dollar investment firm - will serve as Romney’s Missouri Finance Chairmen.
“I am proud to have the support of so many Missouri leaders,” Romney said in a statement. “They share my goals of creating jobs, getting spending under control, and reversing the policies of President Obama that have failed the American people.”
Romney managed to snatch up high-profile Missouri endorsements in 2008, including Gov. Matt Blunt and then-House Speaker Rod Jetton. But soon after Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder threw his support behind former Sen. Fred Thompson’s presidential bid, Missouri Republicans began to support a host of other candidates running for the GOP nomination.
By the time the Missouri primary rolled around, Sen. John McCain narrowly beat back Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Romney finished third.
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Here’s video of Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, answering questions about redistricting. Both the House and the Senate are at a stalemate over the process.
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Roll Call reporter Shira Toeplitz reported late last night that one of reasons for the Missouri redistricting stalemate is the result of “local GOP lawmakers having designs on running for some of the very House seats they are currently drawing.”
One of the examples she gave was Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles. The other was Rep. John Diehl, R-Town and Country. From the article:
However, some of the stalemate is a result of local GOP lawmakers having designs on running for some of the very House seats they are currently drawing. Their ambitions are also complicated by the fact that it could be decades before Republicans will have such control and influence over the new lines, making the stakes even higher for this redistricting session.
For example, state Sen. Tom Dempsey (R), a leader on the redistricting committee, has an interest in keeping his base in St. Charles County in Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer’s district. According to a GOP source close to the situation, Dempsey is interested in running for the Republican’s seat someday. Dempsey, the state Senate majority floor leader, did not return an e-mail request for an interview.
State Rep. John Diehl (R), another rising star in the Legislature and chairman of the state House’s redistricting committee, has a base in Town and Country, Mo., just east of the disputed area. The new map could set up Diehl for a potential Congressional run in the district currently represented by Rep. Todd Akin (R), who is considering a bid for Senate.
I asked Dempsey this evening about the specific points of Toeplitz’s article. Click on the video to see his response.
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One straggler from the press avail from Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer and Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey.
The above video features the two Senate leaders talking about the passage of a supplemental bill that will provide funds to Missouri schools. The bill passed 28-6.
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In my final video for the evening, here are Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, an Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, discussing the seeming stalemate over redistricting.
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St. Louis Beacon reporter Jo Mannies and I reported on a new proposal emanating out of Gov. Jay Nixon’s office to overhaul Proposition B.
From the article:
The agreement is in the form of a measure aimed at superceding a controversial bill — SB 113 — that does away with most of the provisions in Proposition B, which imposes restrictions on dog breeders.The proposition was narrowly approved by Missouri voters last fall but is opposed by rural legislators.
Approved by both chambers, SB 113 was formally placed on Gov. Jay Nixon’s desk today. Nixon now has 15 calendar days to decide whether to veto the bill, sign it or allow it to go into effect without his signature.
Nixon announced today that he backed the agreement proposing the alternate measure and that he and his staff had been involved in helping to bring it about. Nixon, a Democrat, is running for re-election in 2012; he’d like to avoid getting stuck between rural voters who opposed Proposition B and the suburban and urban voters who backed it.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
The above video features comments on the proposal from Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter.
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I’m getting acclimated after a long day at the Missouri Capitol. I have a bunch of videos to post from the press avail for Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles.
The first clip is Dempsey talking about legislation allowing ratepayers to pay for a site permit for a potential nuclear reactor in Callaway County.
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In audio clips posted on his Missouri Senate home page, Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey said he anticipates that the debate over so-called “Right to Work” legislation could be lengthy.
The effort - which would prohibit unions from forcing members to pay dues as a condition of employment - is being pushed by Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter. But Democrats - and perhaps some Republicans close to organized labor - are almost certain to oppose the measure.
