Public Policy Polling [pdf] released even more results from from their survey of 582 Missouri voters interviewed between January 27th and 29th. The margin of error for the poll is 4.1%.
Everyone, with the possible exception of a chunk of the Democratic Party base, loves Governor Jay Nixon (D):
Nixon is aided by a positive job approval rating. 44% of voters approve and 31% disapprove. He enjoys support from Democrats (54-25), Independents (44-29), and slightly over one third of Republican voters also approve of his job performance (34-40).
[emphasis added]
This, for a Democratic governor. It's all good for Governor Nixon because the republican clown car has room for so many possibilities:
Q5 If the candidates for Governor this fall were Democrat Jay Nixon and Republican Bill Randles, who would you vote for?
Jay Nixon - 47%
Bill Randles - 29%
Undecided - 24%
Q6 If the candidates for Governor this fall were Democrat Jay Nixon and Republican Tom Schweich, who would you vote for?
Jay Nixon - 48%
Tom Schweich - 30%
Undecided - 22%
Q7 If the candidates for Governor this fall were Democrat Jay Nixon and Republican Dave Spence, who would you vote for?
Full PPP Poll out tomorrow. (Get marshmellows). The other teasers: Brunner up, Steelman/Akin down, Mitt 3rd in the caucus.
Just wait until the voters hear about Dave Spence's fraternity leadership. That'll get Spence ($2.3M on hand/$65K spent) past Randles ($5K on hand/$58K spent) for sure.
C001135 01/20/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Mark Garnett 10363 County Road 9510 West Plains MO 65775 Garnett Wood Products Company, Inc. President 1/18/2012 $5,000.00
C001135 01/20/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Royal Oak Enterprises, LLC 1 Royal Oak Drive Roswell GA 30076 1/18/2012 $2,500.00
C001135 01/20/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Missouri Forest Products PAC 611 E. Capitol Avenue Suite 1 Jefferson City MO 65101 1/18/2012 $2,500.00
C001135 01/20/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Robert Carter 5263 E. Farm Road 174 Rogersville MO 65742 Ozark Hardwood Products President & CEO 1/18/2012 $5,000.00
C001135 01/20/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Packaging Service Company, Inc. 1904 Mykawa Road Pearland TX 77581 1/18/2012 $1,500.00
C001135 01/19/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Democratic Governors Association - Missouri 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite 320 Washington DC 20007 1/19/2012 $55,000.00
[emphasis added]
Even when your opponents consistently self destruct it's nice to have friends.
Yesterday the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran a great editorial. The problem it addressed was straightforward: the $500 million plus state budget shortfall. The editorial writers made no bones about the obvious source of the problem:
Digging out of this hole is Missouri's true challenge. But neither our Legislature nor our governor can get over their "no new taxes" pledges to do anything meaningful about it.
The solution they suggested was just as straightforward:
Mr. Nixon should declare a holiday. A tax credit holiday.
This single action would more than fill the budget hole estimated by legislative leaders to be in the range of $500 million.
Everybody in the Capitol knows that Missouri's biggest ongoing budget problem, outside of the Great Recession, is the state's propensity to hand out tax credits like legislative candy along a parade route. Some credits go to good causes, like senior citizens on a fixed income. Most go to developers or corporations as incentives, theoretically, to create jobs.
Unfortunately for the theory that tax credits create jobs, the evidence that they do so overall is just not there. This fact is fairly well known, accounting for the fact that there are folks on all sides of the partisan divide willing to take pot shots at the practice.
Happily, there are some folks who are willing to at least try to take action to rationalize the use of tax credits. Sadly, they aren't in Missouri. Michigan Democratic lawmakers, referencing the relationship between an educated work force and job creation, put forward a plan to finance free community college tuition for state residents, which would paid for by canceling $3.5 million worth of tax credits:
Study after study after study has emphasized the importance of a highly educated workforce in the economic vitality of any state in the 21st century" said Senate Democratic leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing
So what has our governor decided to do? In spite of the importance of education to our economically beleaguered state, Governor Nixon proposes to partially balance the budget by cutting $89 million from an already mediocre state higher education system.
This year, when you hear talk about the state's dire budget situation and the pain and suffering it has caused - 860 state jobs will be lost, for just one instance - remember there was a solution staring us in the face, and miracle of miracles, it might even have garnered some bipartisan support. Also keep in mind that a few days ago, GOP gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence actually proposed a moratorium on tax credits as an important part of his economic plan. He seems to have learned something in those home economics courses.
To give the Governor his due, he's up against a system that practically dictates that the worst case solution will be the only practicable option. In spite of some GOP criticism of tax credits, others in the legislature have made their unwillingness to reform the state's program known. Last year, in fact, the Governor was warned by Steve Tilley, who has since become House Speaker, and three other powerful committee chairman - before he even put a budget proposal forward - that they would not permit him to use tax credit reform to balance the budget.
It's hard not to conclude that once again powerful vested interested are calling the shots when it comes to the distribution of state tax dollars. Nevertheless, one can't help wondering just what might be achieved if the Governor had been willing to go out on a limb and show just a little more political courage. Surely there's a time when we have to fight - even if we're already backed to the wall? Perhaps that's when we most need to show some fight.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon today appointed Luke A. Scavuzzo, of Harrisonville, as the new First District Associate Commissioner for Cass County. The Associate Commissioner position became vacant with the resignation of Commissioner W.J. "Bill" Cook, which took effect today.
Scavuzzo, a Democrat, served two terms representing District 124 in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010, and for several years, was the owner and operator of Scavuzzo's Price Chopper grocery store in Harrisonville. He is a long-time resident of the community, graduating from Harrisonville High School before attending Benedictine College.
"Cass County has been one of Missouri's fastest growing counties over the past decade, growing by more than 20 percent," Gov. Nixon said. "It's important to have someone experienced in government and small business in the leadership position of commissioner, and Luke Scavuzzo fits that description. I am confident he will ably serve the people of Cass County on the County Commission."
Luke Scavuzzo is one of the genuinely nice and thoughtful people in Missouri politics.
Cass County desperately needs someone with his skills and perspective, given the state of the Cass County Commission. The Herschel Young case is still with the Missouri Supreme Court.
I'm guessing someone was asleep when the balanced budget requirement in the Missouri Constitution was brought up in that economics class. Perhaps Dave was busy any of the first 3 times that a balanced budget was passed under Jay Nixon. But you know, Dave Spence just wants more jobs for Missouri, and if his forthrightness about his educational background is any indication, he's concealing details about the jobs as well.
Meanwhile in electoral politics, Dave Spence's primary opponent Bill Randles released his college transcripts. The images are on Flickr, because this isn't fun enough already. Although it's a double-edged sword for Randles as it's another opening for the media to mention that Randles went to Harvard Law with President Obama.
No word on if Randles will release scanned images on Flickr proving his knowledge of Missouri's Constitution
On his campaign website, Republican Dave Spence, the plastics guru running for governor, says he "earned a degree in Economics" from the University of Missouri.
That may be true - but it is not entirely accurate.
According to the university, Spence's degree is not in economics. It is in home economics.
Well, if Spence keeps twisting the truth like this, he'll be cooked.
I think Dave will need a better line to bail out of this than..
"I was not the greatest student in the world," Spence said. "I'll make fun of myself: I was a 60-watt bulb in a 100-watt society."
C001135 01/07/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Anheuser-Busch Companies One Busch Place Saint Louis MO 63118 1/6/2012 $25,000.00
[emphasis added]
Foresight? Nah, probably just hedging their bets:
C010081 04/04/2011 MO CHAMBER PAC Anheuser Busch One Busch Place St Louis MO 63118 2/28/2011 $7,500.00
C000953 05/12/2011 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY Anheuser Busch Companies One Busch Place Saint Louis MO 63118 5/12/2011 $25,000.00
C000960 06/13/2011 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE Anheuser Busch Companies One Busch Place St Louis MO 63118 6/13/2011 $10,000.00
C001135 06/22/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Anheuser Busch Companies 1 Busch Pl Saint Louis MO 63118 6/21/2011 $25,000.00
C031160 06/23/2011 FRIENDS OF TILLEY ANHEUSER BUSCH COMPANIES ONE BUSCH PLACE ST LOUIS MO 63118 6/23/2011 $7,500.00
C031160 07/14/2011 FRIENDS OF TILLEY AUGUST BUSCH III ONE MID RIVERS MALL DR ST PETERS MO 63376 ANHEUSER BUSCH COMPANIES 7/14/2011 $10,000.00
C091145 07/19/2011 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Anheuser Busch Companies One Busch Place St Louis MO 63118 7/19/2011 $10,000.00
C071094 09/09/2011 MISSOURI SENATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE August A Busch III One Mid Rivers Mall Dr. Ste 210 St Peters MO 63376 Retired 9/9/2011 $10,000.00
C071094 09/22/2011 MISSOURI SENATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE Anheuser Busch Companies One Busch Place St Louis MO 63118 9/22/2011 $20,000.00
C000953 09/26/2011 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY August Busch III 1 MidRivers Mall Drive Ste. 210 St Peters MO 63376 n/a Retired 9/26/2011 $25,000.00
C051087 10/11/2011 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES Anheuser Busch Companies One Busch Place St Louis MO 63118 10/10/2011 $7,500.00
C091068 10/13/2011 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE INC Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc 1 Busch Place Saint Louis MO 63118 10/13/2011 $10,000.00
C111045 11/17/2011 RUPP FOR MISSOURI August A Busch III 1 Mid Rivers Mall Dr St Peters MO 63376 retired 11/17/2011 $25,000.00
[emphasis added]
Maybe everyone should just use one tune for their campaign soundtrack:
C001135 01/01/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Teamsters 245 Political Action Fund 1850 E. Division Street Springfield MO 65803 12/30/2011 $20,000.00
C001135 01/01/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Thompson Coburn LLP One US Bank Plaza Saint Louis MO 63101 12/31/2011 $15,000.00
C001135 01/01/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Michael Ketchmark 15454 Iron Horse Circle Overland Park KS 66224 Davis, Ketchmark, McCreight & Ivers, PC Attorney 12/31/2011 $10,000.00
C091145 01/01/2012 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Friends of Tilley 100 S. Jackson Perryville MO 63775 12/31/2011 $15,000.00
[emphasis added]
These big bucks contributions came in under the wire for the last quarter of 2011.
That's $45,000.00 for Governor Jay Nixon (D) and another mercy contribution for Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (r).
Well, now we know where Speaker Steve Tilley (r) stands, but don't cry for Brad Lager (r). Pass the popcorn.
C001135 12/19/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Political Action Together Legislative Educational 7234 Parkway Drive Hanover MD 21076 12/19/2011 $7,500.00
C001135 12/19/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI UAW Region 5 PAC 721 Dunn Road Hazelwood MO 63042 12/19/2011 $50,000.00
A handful of area businessmen have helped one of their own, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Dave Spence, outpace Gov. Jay Nixon in big donations for the first part of this month....
What is it with republicans that the concept of paying working people a living wage is anathema to them?
@ssnich Sean Nicholson
At #MHDC mtg, @PeterKinder's proposal to junk #prevailingwage for Joplin projects loses big. Cynical move fails to even get a second. #pdk 16 Dec
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon issued the following statement regarding today's vote by the Missouri Housing Development Commission to invest $94 million in rebuilding temporary and long-term housing in Joplin:
"I applaud the Missouri Housing Development Commission for committing these significant resources to support the rebuilding of homes in Joplin. This vote was another important step forward for our Jumpstart Joplin initiative to provide both temporary and long-term housing for people affected by the tornado, and this investment of more than $90 million will make a tremendous and lasting difference for this community. The commission's action also ensures that quality contractors and builders will be involved with these projects, and that the workers who build these homes will earn a fair wage for doing so. As I've said from Day One, the state of Missouri will continue to stand with the people of Joplin at every stage of this recovery and rebuilding process."
[emphasis added]
Meanwhile, in the General Assembly, a prefiled bill by Representative Bill Lant (r):
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES LANT (Sponsor), FLANIGAN AND REIBOLDT (Co-sponsors).
4215L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 290, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to prevailing wages.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 290, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 290.235, to read as follows:
290.235. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Disaster Area Construction Act". The provisions of this section apply to construction projects that are dedicated to rebuilding or repairing any school facility or any county, city, town, or village structure or infrastructure damaged by a disaster.
2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for work done on behalf of a school district, county, city, town, or village located in an area declared to be a disaster area by the governor of the state, a school district or a county, city, town, or village may exempt itself from the provisions of sections 290.210 to 290.340 upon majority vote of the governing body of such school district or county, city, town, or village. If the school district or county, city, town, or village exempts itself from sections 290.210 to 290.340, the school district or county, city, town, or village shall notify the division of labor standards within the department of such exemption.
3. This section shall not apply to a city not within a county or a home rule city with more than four hundred thousand inhabitants and located in more than one county.
Priorities. Because corporate profits in the aftermath of a disaster can never be too high.
C001135 12/16/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Ken McClain 308 W. Maple Avenue Independence MO 64050 Humphrey, Farrington & McClain, PC Attorney 12/16/2011 $25,000.00
C001135 12/16/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Larus Corporation 12444 Powerscourt Drive Suite 170 Saint Louis MO 63131 12/15/2011 $10,000.00
C001135 12/16/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Peabody Investments Corporation 5995 James S. McDonnell Boulevard Saint Louis MO 63134 12/16/2011 $10,000.00
A handful of area businessmen have helped one of their own, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Dave Spence, outpace Gov. Jay Nixon in big donations for the first part of this month....
....Spence's early large donations came from seven area businessmen, two of whom -- Bill Koman and Robert O'Brien -- gave $100,000 apiece.
In addition, Spence donated $2 million of his own money to his campaign.
With exceptions of O'Brien and Koman, Spence's donors have not been major campaign contributors to other candidates....
C001135 12/15/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Gregory Boyce 701 Market Street Suite 900 Saint Louis MO 63101 Peabody Energy Chairman & CEO 12/13/2011 $10,000.00
C001135 12/15/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Smithfield Foods, Inc. PO Box 9004 Smithfield VA 23431 12/13/2011 $15,000.00
C001135 12/15/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Polsinelli Shughart, PC 700 W. 47th Street Suite 1000 Kansas City MO 64112 12/13/2011 $10,000.00
C001135 11/18/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Keesag A Baron 1855 South Ingram Mill Road Suite 201 Springfield MO 65804 self Cardiologist 11/16/2011 $10,000.00
C001135 11/18/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Larry Neff PO Box 525 Neosho MO 64850 Red Carpet Real Estate Broker 11/16/2011 $25,000.00
C001135 11/21/2011 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Barry Aycock PO Box 456 Parma MO 63870 Aycock AG Services self-employed/consultant 11/19/2011 $10,000.00
[emphasis added]
Friday, via Twitter:
@FixAaron Aaron Blake
A reliable source tells me Dave Spence wrote himself a $2 million check for #MOGOV.18 Nov
[emphasis added]
Aaron Blake @FixAaron Washington, D.C.
Political blogger at The Washington Post.
Certain contributions to be reported within forty-eight hours of receipt--electronic reporting, when--rulemaking authority.
130.044. 1. All individuals and committees required to file disclosure reports under section 130.041 shall electronically report any contribution by any single contributor which exceeds five thousand dollars to the Missouri ethics commission within forty-eight hours of receiving the contribution....
[underline emphasis added]
Uh, two million dollars is greater than five thousand dollars, right?
Again, today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, the results of a search for any candidates named "Spence":
Committee Reports filed during 2011
MECID COMMITTEE NAME TYPE LAST NAME FIRST NAME TREASURER DEP TREASURER NAME STATUS
C000380 CITIZENS FOR SPENCE CANDIDATE SPENCE BOB CURTIS MORRISON Active
C071346 FRIENDS OF MARY SPENCE CANDIDATE SPENCE MARY MIKE SPENCE Terminated
C081001 FRIENDS OF SEAN SPENCE DEBT SERVICE SPENCE SEAN KEN JACOB Terminated
C101514E BOBBY G SPENCER EXEMPTION SPENCER BOBBY BOBBY G SPENCER Terminated
Nope, no Dave Spence there.
The results of a search at the Missouri Ethics Commission for candidates for Governor:
Election Year: 2012 -- Election Date: 08/07/2012 -- Political Office: GOVERNOR
MECID Committee Name Last Name First Name Election Date Office Sought District Subdivision Status
C001135 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI NIXON JEREMIAH "JAY" 08/07/2012 GOVERNOR Active
C101387 MISSOURIANS FOR RANDLES RANDLES BILL 08/07/2012 GOVERNOR Active
The announcement is set for 3pm, which when you account for the rules of political events, means closer to 3:15.
Winners and losers if Kinder runs for Lt. Governor
Winners: Peter Kinder (if he loses, it'll be far less of an embarrassment as losing by 15-20 to Jay Nixon would have. If he wins, 4 more years to get paid to tweet). Other Republicans who could run for Governor but weren't (Sure, they'd still lose, but someone has to think they're better than Dave Spence or Bill Randles). Dave Spence ("Hi, I'm Dave Spence, you've never heard of me, but can you just let me have the nomination? I have money!")
Losers: Brad Lager and Chris McKee (Back to the drawing board. No down-ballot statewide incumbent has lost a primary in Missouri since 1934). Peter Kinder (Like he's gonna have a shot at Governor in 2016. This is the ultimate tail-between-legs moment for a guy who is 5 for 5 in elections).
Not Sure: Susan Montee (It's not like a tough race wasn't still expected after Steven Tilley dropped out and now. Kinder's Gubernatorial "campaign" isn't going to be forgotten in 2012 either.)
Now, it's 45 (or 60) minutes to the announcement. So there's always a shot that Kinder just retires. But guys who get paid money to cover politics claim he's running for Lt. Governor.
----
Updates!:
From Aaron Blake on Twitter: "A reliable source tells me Dave Spence wrote himself a $2 million check for #MOGOV"
Blake also passes on claims of Kinder endorsing Spence while bailing on the race.
Oh, wait. Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (r) hasn't announced yet.
Dave Spence (r) has announced he's running for governor. The Missouri Democratic Party had some thoughts on that announcement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 15, 2011
[....]
MDP Statement on Dave Spence Joining Governor's Race
Jefferson City, Mo.-The Missouri Democratic Party released the following statement today upon news reports that Dave Spence will run for Missouri Governor. Spence, a former businessman from St. Louis, headed a bank that has refused to repay its TARP funds and he made millions of dollars going into business with one of the Wall Street firms that helped create the financial crisis.
"It's hard to imagine Republican primary voters supporting a guy like Dave Spence, who not only supported the bank bailouts - but even took a $40 million government bailout for his own bank and then refused to pay it back. Right as the national recession was hitting Missouri families hard, David Spence got rich and had had no problem letting taxpayers pick up the bill for his failed bank," said Caitlin Legacki, Missouri Democratic Party spokeswoman....
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