“Missouri Times” publisher Scott Faughn has long said that the Missouri Republican Party’s base is in rural outstate Missouri, or as he calls it, Missourah. Mr. Faughn will speak at next Monday’s Cole County Lincoln Days event in Jefferson City, which starts at 5 pm at the Capital Plaza Hotel. Mr. Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, telling listeners that he’ll be emphasizing rural Missouri GOP values during his speech. Faughn also addressed a “Missouri Independent” article this morning which says two House Republicans who had called for Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Deres) to resign were until last week the only Republicans without any of their bills referred to committee. Faughn tells listeners that it’s not surprising to him and that former House Speaker Bob Griffin (D-Cameron) wouldn’t have referred bills to committee, if a House member had called for his resignation. Faughn also discussed the importance of the federal reimbursement allowance (FRA) extension this year. FRA is a key funding mechanism for Missouri Medicaid:
Missouri’s 2024 legislative session begins one week from today
Missouri lawmakers will return to Jefferson City one week from today for the start of Missouri’s 2024 legislative session.
Under the state Constitution, lawmakers start their session on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January, which is January 3 this year. GOP Governor Mike Parson will deliver his final State of the State address on Wednesday January 24 at 3 pm. He’ll outline his legislative priorities and his budget recommendations. One of the governor’s top priorities in 2023 was state employee pay. Cole County’s approximately 14,000 state employees received a 8.7 percent pay raise in February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by the governor. The governor will address a joint session of the Legislature, where he’ll be flanked by Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (R) and House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres).
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), who chairs the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee, says state lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars to fund improvements to the Missouri Capitol’s aging interior. Senator Bernskoetter would like to see the governor address that during the State of the State.
Republicans will have supermajorities in both chambers again in 2024: they hold a 24-10 supermajority in the Missouri Senate and a 111-51 supermajority in the House.
(LISTEN): Missouri GOP attorney general candidate Will Scharf appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Former federal prosecutor Will Scharf is seeking Missouri’s GOP nomination for attorney general in 2024. He joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” and also talked about several other issues. Mr. Scharf is calling on Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) to resign as speaker in Jefferson City, for the good of the caucus. He also predicts that U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis) will be defeated in her August 2024 primary for re-election, telling listeners that she’s a “disgrace to the region.” Mr. Scharf talked about the primary, noting St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell is challenging Congresswoman Bush, adding that he’s hearing a Democratic state senator is also considering a run for the seat:
(LISTEN): Missouri GOP attorney general candidate Will Scharf appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Former federal prosecutor Will Scharf is seeking Missouri’s GOP nomination for attorney general in 2024. He joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” and also talked about several other issues. Mr. Scharf is calling on Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) to resign as speaker in Jefferson City, for the good of the caucus. He also predicts that U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis) will be defeated in her August 2024 primary for re-election, telling listeners that she’s a “disgrace to the region.” Mr. Scharf talked about the primary, noting St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell is challenging Congresswoman Bush, adding that he’s hearing a Democratic state senator is also considering a run for the seat:
(LISTEN): Palm Strategic Group partner Jonathan Ratliff appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Palm Strategic Group partner Jonathan Ratliff is also the Missouri House Republican Campaign Committee’s (HRCC) executive director. Republicans control the Missouri House 111-51, which is a supermajority-plus. Mr. Ratliff joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”. The Missouri House Ethics Committee will hold a November 8 hearing in Jefferson City, a hearing that’s widely believed to involve House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) Mr. Ratliff tells listeners that House Republicans will caucus in about a week, adding that the caucus overall stands behind Speaker Plocher. Mr. Ratliff also says Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) enters the secretary of state’s race as the frontrunner in the 2024 GOP primary. Ratliff describes Rowden as a prolific fundraiser. He also weighed in on the Democratic primary for Missouri’s first congressional district, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis) is being challenged by St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell (D). Mr. Ratliff tells listeners that anytime Congresswoman Bush speaks, it’s a great fundraising opportunity for Republicans across Missouri. Ratliff also addressed Senator Rowden’s mid-Missouri seat, which will be an open seat and a Boone County-only seat in 2024. Mr. Ratliff predicts that seat will flip to Democrats: