However, after President Truman, one man stands above all the rest. Christopher S. “Kit” Bond. 

You can find a litany of his accomplishments in his many obituaries published around the state, but when I think of Kit Bond I think of more than his resume. 

He was a larger than life figure. Missouri ran through his veins. His every word, his every action, literally everything about him exuded a love for Missouri. 

Kit Bond left such an indelible mark on this state and our politics that years after he left public office doing the right thing for the state even if it was hard, thinking long term, bringing Missourian’s tax dollars home to invest in Missourian’s communities, to this day, is an extension of the legacy Kit Bond. 

He was the man who didn’t preen and peacock about what he was doing, he was the man who produced. 

You can have all the Twitter populism you want, but you have to produce or none of it really matters. 

Kit Bond produced. 

You can be any place in this state from Caruthersville to Rock Port, from Pineville to Kahoka and you cannot drive more than a half hour in any direction without finding a bridge, a yard of water pipe, a runway, a mile of road, a sewage plant, or a facility at a college that Kit Bond didn’t have a role in building. 

Kit Bond was more than a Governor or a Senator. His accomplishments were so vast, his impact was so immense that he became more the legacy of the love and dedication to Missouri that lives on more than a single man who no longer does. 

That legacy lived on in his successor Roy Blunt. Imagine filling those shoes, imagine being entrusted to maintain and carry forth that legacy. 

Senator Blunt did, and today you can see that same legacy continuing on this year when his successor Senator Schmitt brought home the latest fighter wing to Missouri. 

Speaking of that legacy of putting Farmington over Fox News, putting Tarkio over Twitter, Innsbrook over Facebook. Kit Bond’s legacy continues on in this state, not by the loudest in the room, or the most obnoxious social media account, but by accomplishing real things for the people of the state of Missouri. 

It was fitting that Senators Lincoln Hough and Justin Brown were on the Senate floor fighting for places in Missouri like the hospital in Salem and the crime lab in Poplar Bluff when the news of Kit’s passing broke. 

They were on the senate floor continuing his legacy of working on the real things that improve the lives of real Missourians… the Kit Bond type things. 

I have my own Kit Bond story. First, Highway 67 would still be a goat trail without Kit Bond and his amazing district representative, Tom Schulte. However, that was the type of thing Kit did so many times all over the state. 

On a more personal note it was the fall of the first year after founding The Missouri Times that I was at an event with Senator Bond. We stepped off to the side and shared a drink, told a few jokes, and made a plan to meet later in the month. 

Well, later that night I was emptying my jacket pockets and found a personal check from Kit Bond and in the memo he wrote subscription. The check was for far more than a subscription. I was so honored I hesitated to deposit it, but I’ve never forgotten it. 

State Auditor, the 47th and 49th Governor of Missouri and United States Senator are all impressive titles, but to me Kit Bond was and now will forever be more than those titles. 

His is a legacy that embodies putting Missouri over oneself, and above all, loving Missouri more than anything else. 

Kit Bond was the best of us, and to this day inspires so many others carry his legacy forward.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post TWMP Column: Kit Bond was the best of us appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Then Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe promised the people of this state that if they elected him Governor he would take control of the St. Louis Police Department as part of a plan to bring crime in St. Louis under control.

It was a decision that I assume had to be born out of political courage and an honest desire to tackle this problem because for the life of me I can’t see a political upside to diving into this mess.

In that election our Starbucks drinking purple haired friends in St. Louis who voted for Bill Eigel. While the entire rest of state including southeast Missouri, central Missouri, Hannibal, Springfield, St. Joseph, Joplin, and Kansas City media markets that all voted for Kehoe last summer.

Now Governor Kehoe has made good on that promise.

So why would a Kehoe voter in Dexter care about what happens on Delmar? Well I’ll give you two simple hillbilly reasons:

#1 It is not particularly fun to admit, but if the St. Louis area’s economic output increases just a smidge it equates to a larger increase in our state’s economy than if a dozen counties in southern or northern Missouri increase 20%.

As a hick I don’t like to admit it, but it’s just a fact that if a road is built, or a school is funded (for now at least), or state service is rendered in rural Missourah our friends in St. Louis pay a little of the freight on that.

Further, as some of our city slicker friends don’t like to admit, it’s very hard to see St. Louis ending their decline without addressing the crime problem. For that reason alone it’s in the rest of the state’s own self interest to start to pull for St. Louis.

#2 Governor Kehoe now owns the St. Louis police department and the issue of crime in St. Louis.

It’s one of the most complicated problems facing our state. It’s going to be very difficult, some would say impossible to solve.

However, if you believe in Mike Kehoe, if you believe in his judgment then the rest of the state is going to have to choose to trust him and to get behind his efforts that will ultimately, if successful, benefit the rest of the state. Even if that means finding something to like about St. Louis.

I think there are two sides to tackling this problem. One, there is no way around that fact that Governor Kehoe’s police department is going to have to bring down the number of murders in St. Louis. If he does then I think it’s only fair for the rest of the state to compliment and highlight his and the St. Louis community’s success.

Then I think there is another, maybe the more important part of changing the impression of St. Louis to one of a safe place that is ready for investment: the public relations portion.

Outside of the murder count I simply no longer believe the statistics that are produced, and I don’t think I’m alone there. The car break ins, the muggings that are frankly too common in St. Louis for people to feel safe visiting or investing there. There has to be a full public relations campaign to show that Missourians feel St. Louis is safe before we are going to convince anyone else to move their company’s jobs there. 

I think it’s going to be crucial to see images in the media of the Governor and the First Lady having dinner downtown, maybe walking around downtown without security in the photo. No, this isn’t just an idea to see David Wasinger become Governor this summer, I think the leader has to show he has confidence that St. Louis is safe before anyone else is going to buy in. 

One benchmark that makes sense to me isn’t just reducing the murders. It will make people feel safe walking around downtown similar to how I and others feel safe walking around downtown Kansas City. If you go to a Cardinals game and after you have a few beers at Paddy O’s would you walk to the Magnolia Hotel up on Washington Avenue or would you get an Uber?

If folks are being honest, I think right now they would take an Uber because they just don’t feel safe walking those 9 blocks. Until they do, I think there is still work to be done…not just by the Governor elected by rural Missourah over the objections of St. Louisans, but by rural Missourahians too.  

With that in mind I’ve decided to take the first step put together a list of 10 things for a person from rural Missourah about St. Louis that don’t suck.

#1 The St. Louis Cardinals. The greatest franchise in the history of organized sport. Yes they are terrible right now, but by next summer hope springs eternal that they will return to form. 

#2 The Anheuser Busch Brewery. The German-American Disneyland it’s really a celebration of German culture for the entire family, complete with some of the freshest beer this side of Bavaria. Take a tour of what the height of civilization was like, you will leave a changed man. 

#3 The Chase Park Plaza Hotel. Whatever you feel about St. Louis, the former home of Chris Koster is just an incredible hotel. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out. 

#4 Stan’s Bar. Located at 5007 Macklind Ave. in south city its a damn near perfect bar. You would think you are in Sedalia, or Taos, but nope it’s a jewel right there in St. Louis.

#5 The office at the Kelley Group. It’s a great place for a meeting, or a party, or just to sit and bullshit with folks. Might be the best office space in St. Louis. 

#6 Gregg Keller’s hair. A Ladue institution, the slicked back timeless look of the silver tongued devil is a must see on your trip to St. Louis. 

#7 Frontier Park. Located at 500 S Riverside Drive in St Charles its one of the best parks in the state complete with the top Oktoberfest in Missouri. I know what the folks in St. Charles are saying…we aren’t in St. Louis. While that’s cute, you can think whatever you would like but to the rest of civilization everywhere from Arnold to Wentzville is St. Louis. 

#8 Missouri History Museum. Located in Forest Park (which ain’t bad either) is a terrific, if not a little St. Louis focused, museum on the history of the greatest state in the union. 

#9 Grant’s Farm. Another gift to the people of the world from the Busch family, Grant’s Farm is a family friendly triumph of German culture that to this day is still free to the public. 

#10 Walnut Park. Located in North City, it is where Governor Kehoe was raised. I took my son Gussie there once while on the F150 tour visiting Senator May. It will make you proud to be a Missourian when you see that a kid from Walnut Park could become Governor of the Great State of Missouri. 

Well I feel as though I’ve done my part. Now it might be a nice move for the First Lady to trade that pink shirt in for a red one next year at opening day.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post TWMP Column: If you’re a Kehoe supporter, it’s time to find something to like about St. Louis  appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The debate is painful, and there is only a handful of smart people who really understand what is going on when it comes to this industry. Public Service Commission Chairwoman Kayla Hahn, Sen. Mike Cierpiot, Rep. Bob Bromley and a few others, but not many more have spent the time to understand how a light comes on.

Like all of you, my hillbilly brain is worried about more important matters… like when are the DeWitts going to end our state’s long-running tragedy and fire Bow Tie and send Marmol packing or why would anyone stay at the Capitol Plaza? These are the taxing issues that keep me up at night.

However, with session in full swing, it seems like the Missouri Senate is poised to subject us all to a little bit of pain as they wrestle with a wide-ranging utility bill.

When Sen. Mike Cierpiot brought up his 94-page bill for debate earlier this month, it was hard for me to get through the proposal’s summary let alone the entire thing (Kelton’s note: he hasn’t read it).

It’s confusing and full of concepts most people outside of the utility industry have never heard of. Thankfully, the Senate floor leader only forced us to listen to the issue for a handful of hours, but with it being so early in session, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a sign of things to come. It feels like this is the year for a utility bill to move forward and make its way to the governor’s desk.

Now, being from West Butler County, I don’t ask for much when it comes to my utility companies: keep my lights and heat on and make sure my water is clean – it’s not nuclear science, except it kinda is.

In Missouri, our utility companies, co-ops and municipal utilities do a good job at this for the most part. So, what’s the big deal with this bill? Why are so many people fired up about it? The more I think about it, the more it started to make sense: more power.

Not Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor power, but more electricity. A big part of Senate Bill 4 is a provision designed to help utility companies like Ameren Missouri and Evergy build more natural gas power plants. As I understand it, these electric companies aren’t just building these plants because they want to, they need to because we are using more electricity than ever before.

Not because more people are charging their Priuses at Starbucks as they read pointless hit pieces from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s editorial board, they have the power to take care of those folks and the ones writing on Facebook too.

Businesses and manufacturers require more power today than ever before, including existing businesses and those looking to relocate.

From this hillbilly’s perspective, Missourah needs more power and a lot of it if the state wants to remain a place where manufacturers, tech industries and others want to come and operate. These opportunities represent the potential of billions of dollars of new investment and countless good-paying jobs. If you don’t have the available power, it doesn’t matter if you have a skilled workforce, the right political climate or a winning football team, these companies and manufacturers will cut you from their list quicker than I can pound a Busch Light.

These aren’t just data centers looking to come to Missourah, we are talking about operations the size of the old Noranda plant and bigger – stuff that can change a community for generations. While we’re on the subject, let’s talk about data centers for a bit.

Some may say we shouldn’t build power plants just to support these data centers, that we don’t want them here. To those, I say that’s the biggest piece of BS since the National League adopted the DH. As our everyday lives become more and more dependent on technology, we need these data centers for everything from business applications, entertainment, computing storage and more.

The tech companies that are considering relocating to Missourah need access to these data centers to support their operations. Data centers are a sign of growth, not a drain for our state’s electric companies. It’s also a national security issue, too. Wouldn’t you want your personal information, your pictures of your kids and those 1,000 unread emails on your phone to be housed in a secure data center in Missourah rather than thousands of miles away in China or Russia?

For this hillbilly, I want my stuff protected and stored right here in the Show-Me State, not by some commie on the other side of the world.

Finally, the groups opposing this issue have made me shake my head a bit. I expected the consumer groups and some of the industrials – they are almost always against any major piece of utility legislation – but there have been a couple “conservative” groups that have tried to equate this bill to a tax increase. Taxes are what the government collects, not what I pay my utility company every month.

The last time I checked, Uncle Sam and the power company are two different people. One controls the tax man, and the other can’t do most things without given the green light by the Missouri Public Service Commission. Now I am not going to mention any names, but if some of these groups are serious about eliminating the income tax and slashing personal property taxes, they should want to see more businesses and manufacturers move to Missourah. It’s simple… it you want to increase general revenue without raising taxes get more businesses to move here – even this hillbilly gets it.

While utility legislation is still boring in the eyes of this proud German, I get why it matters. If we want to see more jobs and opportunities come to our state, our utility companies must put steel in the ground and build new power plants to support these opportunities.

If we are serious about cutting taxes, we must find a way to generate more state revenue so we can afford those tax cuts and still provide basic services to those that need it. Let’s not be like Kansas, we can responsibly cut taxes the right way. Thankfully, there are smart people in the Capitol that I know are up to the challenge, but will there be others that listen to the lies and believe this bill is a solution in search of a problem? For the sake of our state’s future, I hope the smart folks win out.

After all, it’s not nuclear science – it’s common sense.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post TWMP Column: It’s boring, it’s complicated and it’s damn important  appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Even when President-elect Donald J. Trump says, “We are ending DEI on day one”.

Even when U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt says “voting Republican means DEI is over”.

Even when Governor-elect Mike Kehoe looks into a camera and promises every Missourian that if elected he will end left-wing nonsense like DEI.

Even when every single member of the super majority of the Missouri General Assembly promises their friends and neighbors that if they elect them to the statehouse they will end DEI in state government.

D.T.A.R. – Don’t. Trust. Any. Republicans.

It’s not really that anyone is intentionally lying, it’s that they have so many things on their plate that often times some of the things they say in the heat of a campaign get pushed down the priority list after they are sworn in.

On that note, of the things I enjoy most about politics is that in the end there is a scoreboard.

When there is an election, on election night, or in the case of Pennsylvania several weeks later, they count the votes and the scoreboard tells you who won.

On a piece of legislation. When session ends in May the scoreboard tells you if it passed or failed.

Often, on the way to that scoreboard, there are telling signs of how serious an elected official is about keeping those promises or their priority—small things that foreshadow what the outcome is eventually going to be.

One of the reasons that my #SteinOfKnowledge is so dominant in predicting the future is that I do my hillbilly best to watch for those signs, then obnoxiously predict the future based on them. With a very high degree of accuracy, I might add.

If you are one of the supermajority of Republicans who voted to again make Missouri Republicans the supermajority party in this state in part because of your desire to get rid of some of this woke Marxism like DEI let me give you an update.

There are two ways that right out of the box you can tell if Missouri Republicans are going to take the Trump wrecking ball approach to DEI, or the Liz Cheney do nothing failure and whine approach to DEI.

First off, no it’s not whether anyone is keeping Chlora Lindley Myers as the director. The Eric Greitens pick barely shows up in the office now. There was no way anyone was seriously considering keeping her.

However, ending her reign of woke, and her war on rural Missourah is only the beginning. There is a culture of elitism at the top of that department that she has fostered, a culture of if you wear camo we are your an enemy. If you live on a gravel road you’re the problem. If you don’t wholeheartedly embrace her Marxist theories then you’re just stupid, and a hick, and your input isn’t needed.

That culture is embodied by John Rehagen, Director Myers #2 and her Deputy Director for Wokeism.

You see Rehagen isn’t a Greitens Democrat or even a Nixon Democrat. He is a Holden Democrat. Now Governor Holden is a wonderful man, but to be fair, he is the most liberal Governor this state has seen in this millennium, and that is reflected in some of his hires. Often proudly so.

Two things will tip you off as to how this ends.

#1 Will the members of the supermajority of the Missouri State Senate agree to confirm anyone nominated to head the department that has not committed to fire John Rehagen on day one?

None of that thousand-hour racket B.S. Thank him for his service, and the retirement party is Friday. Hell, I’ll pay for the cake.

If these senators confirm a nominee to head the Department of Insurance without a firm and public commitment to ending the wokeism and in doing so dismissing Rehagen then they have bullshitted you, and you bought it, and you’re a sucker.

You might well know that I have personally spoken to 13 duly elected state senators who directly tell me that they will not allow anyone to be confirmed without a public commitment that Rehagen will not have a job in their department.

Now if a new director nominee lies and after being confirmed decides he has now seen the light of Marxism and embraces Rehagen’s hatred for rural Missourah then I think the Senate has no choice but to take Missouri out of the left-wing NAIC in the budget process.

I happen to know the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee a little bit and he cut the Department of Insurance’s budget last year over their refusal to end this woke nonsense.

I wouldn’t push him again, he ain’t in the mood to be messed with right now. Well honestly, he never is, but he ain’t now either.

My #SteinOfKnowledge predicts that in that scenario it comes down to Rehagen or the NAIC. Hell, Missouri can’t lose in that one, and in my simple hillbilly opinion would be in tall cotton if they dumped both.

#2 Will Governor Kehoe name Rehagen as the interim director?

Now I cannot imagine this happening, but it will be a sure sign of things going hard left if he allows a tried and true left-winger like Rehagen to be the interim. I wonder if Governor Kehoe remembers when Obama rally attendee Eric Greitens named John Rehagen, as his interim director in 2017.

Kehoe could literally name anyone in the western hemisphere and they would be more conservative. Say Bernie Sanders, or AOC, Rachel Maddow, or Tishaura Jones. Literally, anyone would be more conservative than Rehagen. He could just open the phone book of Rolla close his eyes and point and he would find someone better suited to run his department than Rehagen.

Maybe it’s my white-trash optimism, but I have been very encouraged by Governor Kehoe so far. In fact, the day after the election I stayed on after my segment with Alex Bryant on KWTO when Governor-elect Kehoe called in.

He thanked me for our investigation into DEI inside the department. Well, investigation may be a bit much, but I suppose that one man’s investigation is another man’s game of Clue so I’ll take it.

You can listen to the segment here.

Further, no matter if you agree with Kehoe or passionately despise him, I’ve never heard anyone say that he doesn’t keep his word. He is a car dealer for goodness sake, and I still have never met anyone regardless of their feelings about him who has said he does not keep his word.

Here is Governor Kehoe promising the people of Missouri that he will end DEI.

Maybe I’m a naive, but I honestly feel pretty optimistic about it.

In the end, D.T.A.R. is not about calling people liars, or RINOs, or whatever. If we are honest the woke dumpster fire that the Department of Insurance has turned into is not just on state leaders, or the liberal media it’s on us.

Rehagen was hiding in plain sight, hell he even got another award from this left-wing NAIC and put it right there on the internet.

They don’t hide their left-wing elitism. They promote it to the world by sticking their thumb right in the eye of a paper tiger legislature they believe is too impotent to do anything about it.

If we are honest, this problem is the fault of every single Missourian, and every one of us must do the work to keep it at the top of the pile of priorities for everyone who is sworn in on the first day of session til the last.

Until then keep the manta of of Stone Cold fresh in your mind:

D.T.A. Don’t Trust Anybody.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post TWMP Column: Update on the DEI award-winning Department of Insurance appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Senator-Elect Maggie Nurrenbern – The lone electoral bright spot for the Missouri Democratic Party she is a future star and on the bright side things can only look up from here for Missouri Democrats.

HRCC – The House Republican Campaign Committee led by Hannah Sutton, Dallas Ernst, and Casey Burns started out the cycle staring at the potential of a ten-seat loss. Just last week most projections stood at around a five-seat loss, but on election night they lost ZERO. An amazing accomplishment that literally no one thought possible, delivered by a record-breaking fundraising effort.

Speaker-Elect Jon Patterson – When you look at the remarkable election night for House Republicans you have to credit the man at the top. He not only led House Republicans to a historic night, but he won his own tough re-election. This is Mike Kehoe’s republican party, but the future of this party is Dr. Jon Patterson.

Judges Kelly Broniec, and Ginger Gooch – These two extremely qualified judges were overwhelmingly retained by Missourians to their seats on the Supreme Court in the face of the most coordinated attack on any judge’s retention in recent memory. Another affirmation of our Missouri Plan against left-wing attacks.

The Osage Indian Nation – They caught a huge break with the amendment allowing a state licensed casino at the Lake of the Ozarks being defeated. It sure looks like the road is paved for Governor Parson to grant the Osage application for an Indian casino at the lake.

The Pro-Choice Community – A win is a win and they will take it and celebrate it. Now they will have to defend their win in court and likely in two years at the ballot box. In the end, many Missourians went to the ballot box and voted for Amendment 3 and for many pro-life Republicans.

Senator-Elect David Gregory – First he fought through a bruising and expensive three-way primary, then he had to stand down the Democrat’s top recruit and being heavily outspent. #BulletproofTiger

Amendment 2 – I’ve never seen a Missouri ballot measure survive the amount of money spent against it. Kudos to Christian Morgan, Jack Cardetti, and their entire team. You don’t count wins by how big the margin is, you count ’em by if you won or not. Amazing work against tall odds.

Governor Mike Parson – He continues the incredible undefeated streak of his statewide appointees winning their elections. Governor Mike Parson has remade the party and the State of Missouri in his image.

Senator Eric Schmitt – Speaking of those Parson appointees US Senator Eric Schmitt is now walking on the biggest stages in national politics, and it’s fun to watch. Missouri’s favorite son will now be one of the top contenders for the presidency in 2028.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey – He led the ticket after single-handedly defeating Wall Street and Washington D.C. in the primary. His future is incredibly bright unless the national spotlight comes calling first.

Chris Arps – He led a masterful campaign to a resounding win on Amendment 7 and is carving out quite a niche in the issues game.

Rep. Keri Ingle – Looking to ’26 she caught a huge break in President Trump being re-elected. SD8 is much more winnable for her with a Republican in the White House. It could be the only Republican who could defeat her now is Speaker Jon Patterson.

Senator-elect Joe Nicola – You’re gonna have to quit calling Joe Nicola wins upsets. Ill give you a prediction that many will consider another upset: Senator Nicola will be a productive and quality addition to the chamber. One who will further increase the esteem and clout of Senator Jill Carter. 

DEI – The morning after the election Governor-elect Kehoe restated his commitment to Alex Bryant on KWTO to ending the left-wing DEI practices and the bureaucrats implementing them in state departments such as the Department of Insurance. You wonder if far-left bureaucrats such as John Rehagen, perhaps the most left-wing bureaucrat in all of state government, get the message and hit the road (assuredly in the far left lane of that road) before January 13th?

Drew Dampf – As Meatloaf would say, “Don’t be sad, because 2 out of 3 ain’t bad”. The head of the Missouri Republican Senate campaign efforts helped deliver wins in SD11 and SD15 to keep the 24-10 majority over the doom and gloom predictions of many.

The Pro-Life Community – A few weeks ago Mike Kehoe got involved in the No on 3 campaign and has put together a cohesive, well-funded, and positive pro-life movement that might actually have the potential to convince the majority of Missourians to join it.

Missouri Chamber vs. Trial Attorneys – The chamber finally came out and put their words into action helping candidates of both parties who they consider pro-business. However, it was the trial lawyers who ended up winning in SD15 and SD17 while I tend to think that Senator Nicola in SD11 ultimately ends up being a friendly as well. Now as for the new Governor…. that might be a different story.

Sunday on This Week in Missouri Politics our featured guest will be House Speaker-Elect Jon Patterson as well as freshmen senators Kurtis Gregory, Maggie Nurrenbern, and Jamie Burger. 

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post This Week in Missouri Politics Column: Reflections on the general election  appeared first on The Missouri Times.

We had a great visit about politics and the changing dynamics of JeffCo. It’s hard to remember but there was a time when only Ken and Judge Missey were the only Republicans elected. However, the peak was the amazing jacket Ken gave me. The picture is below, but as you can see it’s peak #Merica!

Then we rolled down to Kirby’s for an outstanding cheeseburger.

Senator-elect Jamie Burger hopped in the truck and we talked about the three competitive races to join him in the state senate next year. No one in Missouri politics has more common sense than the new senator. Also, it brings my Butler County mind joy to know that Cape still does not have a senator from Cape.

Then we visited with Senator Jason Bean and on his brother’s birthday no less. We got a cake to celebrate Rep. Cameron Parker’s birthday, but as you can see from the picture she ghosted us for her own party. Senator Bean is very bullish on David Gregory’s senate race, and on the job his buddy Mike Kehoe will do as Governor.

From the Bootheel we rolled up to the Leadbelt to visit with another new senator Rep. Mike Henderson. There isn’t a better dude in Missouri politics than Mike. We talked about early voting and how republicans can shift their strategy to embrace it. Also it was his birthday so we gave him a birthday cupcake.

That wrapped up Wednesday, but on Halloween we shot a This Week in Missouri Politics Midweek Update with Drew Dampf that you can watch here.

Also we taped Sunday’s election eve This week in Missouri Politics with Jack Cardetti, Emily Manley, Rod Jetton, and David Steelman. Look for it Sunday morning then join us Tuesday night for Election Night in Missouri to see how their predictions held up.

You can watch the election stream here Tuesday night starting at 7:00.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post #F150CampaignTour in the Bootheel and Leadbelt appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Jim has probably the easiest race of his career in the house, but we talked about Amendment 3 and got his and Jamey’s take on how it will impact the other races on the ballot.

I also got their predictions on how some of the races around the state will shake out. He is pretty confident about Gregory in SD15.

Then we visited the Big 550 KTRS studios for the Wendy and Frank Show. The marvelous Wendy Wiese is retiring after 40 years in radio, and it was really an honor to be a guest with her and Frank Cusamano in her final week on the air. You can listen to our conversation here.

From there we went to South County to one of the busiest early voting places in the state across from Grant’s Farm to see Senator Doug Beck.

He has been heading up the senate democrats campaign efforts around the state and gave us an update on their efforts and his prediction that Nurrenbern, Pereless, and Sauls sweep the competitive races Tuesday.

I also stopped in to visit with my old buddy Mark Reardon on 97.1 FM Talk. We discussed the crush of early voting all around the state, and how republicans can get on board and embrace it. We also talked the US Senate race and about the ultra competitive SD15 race in his neck of the woods. You can listen to the interview here.

We ended the day catching up with former Rep. David Gregory who is in a tight battle with Joe Pereless in SD15. He discussed his efforts to close out the campaign by hitting the doors.

He said nearly one in five doors have early voted, and feels quite confident about Tuesday.

Check in for day 4 where he visit The Leadbelt and southeast Missouri on the #F150CampaignTour brought to you by the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post #F150CampaignTour in Saint Louis appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The key discussion is how Republicans have been slow to take advantage of early voting. You can listen to the interview here:

We left the studio and traveled to the northland where former Rep. Jerry Nolte jumped in the truck. We talked about the ways his team is campaigning to early voters, and how he has always had to campaign to democrats and independents to win races.

He says he is spending the last week on doors, visiting early voting centers.

Then we caught up with Coach Brown where we discussed the healthy economic climate in the northland, and the growth pushing northward.

I also tried digging up some dirt on former Senator Ryan Silvey, but he ended up telling me a great story about how Ryan coming to speak to his government class inspired him to run for office.

After that Rep. Jamie Johnson hopped in the F-150 and we talked about her competitive race for re-election. She is very bullish on the chances for Amendment 3 especially in her district.

She also laid out some predictions that Reps. Nurrenbern and Sauls would make it across the finish line. We disagreed over sports betting. However, her son agrees with me (by the way we are right).

Our last visitor in the truck was Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern at the Glenstone recreation center where the line to vote was out the door, down the sidewalk and around the block. There was an hour and half wait at 10:45 AM.

She has been working the early voting line, and knew a surprising amount of folks in line just while I was watching. Maggie says that folks in the 17th are excited about voting Democrat, and told a Senator Ed Quick.

We ended the day at the KMOS studios on the campus of the University of Central Missouri where we taped our KMOS Election Special with Mike Mahoney, Dave Helling, Rep. Keri Ingle, and Stephanie Bell.

You can watch the special Thursday night on KMOS and the next day on You Tube.

Tomorrow we will be in St. Louis on the #F150CampaignTour brought to you by the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post #F150CampaignTour in the Northland appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Whenever it is time to select a new director it’s a big decision, but due to a recent court ruling that gives greater autonomy to MODOT in how they spend their dedicated funds, and less oversight by the General Assembly, this might be the biggest hire since Hungerbeeler was fired after the failed 15 Year Plan.

I think the general consensus is that the department is in good shape, and in my mind, former Director Patrick McKenna along with the commission deserves their share of the credit for that. However, no one mistook Patrick for a game show host.

The new director is going to have to continue the competence in the department and find a way to work with the legislature even though they have greater autonomy.

You might wonder why it’s so important to hire someone with the relationships in the Capitol when they have just won greater autonomy.

Fair point, well my white trash intuition can come up with a couple reasons.

First, if you look at the Governor’s plan to redo a couple hundred Missouri bridges. That money did not come through MODOT’s system funding, it came through appropriations from the General Assembly.

I-70 reconstruction, a great win for the state and a great vote of confidence in MODOT, right? Well yes, but again that project would be impossible without large appropriations from the legislature.

One could only hope that the commission has an applicant who was familiar with those appropriations, the circumstances around securing them, and the people in the process that can keep them coming.

Secondly, you need someone who knows how to fight to make transportation a priority in the state. Someone who can keep the peace between the people’s elected representatives in the legislature, Missouri’s road construction community, and the public.

It’s important because while MODOT has more budgetary autonomy if they are not careful you will see that win wiped away. It’s really easy to change Missouri’s constitution, and we have seen in the past that MODOT can become very very unpopular very very quickly.

Without someone who understands all three legs to this stool you could see a revolt against this new autonomy, and MODOT doesn’t have deer season to bail them out with the public like Conservation does.

Ideally, the commission could find someone who is not from the I-70 corridor. There are going to be endless ribbon cuttings associated with the I-70 reconstruction, and nothing gets a Southern Missourian fired up more than the feeling that he is being slighted by the big cities. Folks in southern Missouri will say its the 15-Year Plan all over again.

Someone who isn’t from the I-70 corridor would be better placed to assuage those concerns. Specifically, someone from the I-44 corridor would be perfectly suited to manage all the influences that are brought to bear in our incredibly complex state.

Further, it’s common sense that MODOT needs to hire a Missourian. Often we as Missourians fall to the temptation to hire someone who isn’t from here as though they are smarter or better than the homegrown Missourians who have applied.

Look no further than the dumpster fire over at the Department of Insurance to see how hiring someone specifically because they weren’t from Missouri can lead to wrecking a department.

It’s too much to ask, but imagine if the commission could find an applicant who was familiar with the current appropriations they are administering, and knew how to secure future appropriations, was respected in the construction community, had relationships at the capitol, and was from the I-44 corridor?

I’m sure that the perfect applicant isn’t out there, and they have already done their interviews, but making the right hire by the commission, just as the voters making the right decisions next Tuesday would be the perfect way to build on their current momentum.

However, making the wrong decisions, either by the voters or in this case by the commission likely only results with intense scrutiny, doors being closed inside the capitol, discord, and a loss of that momentum that was so hard to build.

Check last week’s This Week in Missouri Politics where we discussed this decision with Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, and Sunday on #TWMP we will have a Phelps County battle royale with Jack Cardetti and David Steelman making their pre-election predictions.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

The post This Week in Missouri Politics Column: Crucial decision looming for MODOT Commissioners appeared first on The Missouri Times.

First of all, I could tell right away that Robbie was doing his doors. He has probably lost 20 pounds since May, and has the farmer’s tan to show that he has hit the streets.

He talked about how different what folks were saying to him on the doors between the city of Kansas City portion of his district compared to the Independence part, compared to the eastern part of the district.

He is spending the last week on turnout and knocking his doors.

Then we went a little further east to visit with Joe Nicola. He rolled up on his Harley, no kidding, it was pretty cool. Joe says that folks have been talking to him about the skyrocketing property taxes on pretty much every door. He has been hosting forums for seniors to fill out their forms to freeze their property taxes, and those events have been consistently packed.

He said he has his team focused on doors, while he has been working the early polling places.

Then we went to the Northland, where we got to visit with Rep. Ashley Aune, who is wearing several hats this fall. We talked about her helping lead the House Democrats’ campaign efforts while running her own competitive general election this fall.

She says the intensity for the pro-Amendment 3 folks is building and that is going to be a key for winning some of the close house races. Her first prediction on how many seats the Democrats will pick up is 3-7, but when I pressed her she said they would be ecstatic about 5 seats.

We finished up with supper with Kansas City Councilman Nathan Willett. He said he was focused on one of the competitive House races in the northland, and making sure Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe finished strong.

We are heading back to the northland today to talk SD17 then off to the KMOS studios to tape our pre-election special on the #F150CampaignTour brought to you by the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

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