Governor candidates (left-to-right) Kenny Hulshof, Sarah Steelman and Jay Nixon.

The Columbia Tribune’s Politics Blog reported Thursday that the talk of the governor’s race is taxes.

Both Republican candidates are promising not to raise taxes.

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman’s campaign sent out a press release today announced the first-term statewide official had signed Grover Norquist’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge from Americans for Tax Reform.

Steelman called on U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, to sign the pledge as well. Scott Baker, a spokesman for the six-term congressman, noted that Hulshof signed the pledge in the past and would sign the pledge again. That, he said, means that he would also promise not to raise taxes if elected governor.

Even lone Democrat candidate Jay Nixon got in on the action.

“Jay won’t raise taxes. During these difficult economic times, when Missouri families are feeling squeezed, that’s the last thing we should be doing,” said Nixon spokesman Oren Shur. “We can change the direction of Missouri, not with new taxes, but with a new Governor who will spend the money available in a more responsible way. That means tax relief for people who need it, such as property tax cuts for seniors and by making college tuition tax deductible.”

The American Civil Liberties Union is hosting discussion Wednesday on a Affirmative Action banning initiative that is being petitioned to get on Missouri’s November ballot.

California businessman and anti-Affirmative Action Activist Ward Connerly is behind an initiative that would end Affirmative Action in Missouri. He has pushed successful bids to end the civil rights legislation in California, Washington state and Michigan. He is currently pushing initiatives in four other states besides Missouri.

Connerly says Affirmative Action is discriminatory and unneeded. Critics of Connerly argue that Affirmative Action is still necessary due to discriminatory hiring practices and the underrepresentation of minorities on college campuses.

The ACLU describes Connerly’s initiative as being “cloaked in the language of Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement” with a misleading title. The bill is called the “Missouri Civil Rights Initiative” and is touted as a bill to end unfair hiring practices.

(I)t is an attack on affirmative action policies that have benefited women and minorities who would otherwise be locked out of higher education, business contracts, and other public resources … Now, the ACRI (American Civil Rights Initiative) has targeted Missouri, along with Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Can they be stopped? Does affirmative action still comprise an effective and critical a set of social policies? This session explores both questions and more.

The event is entitled “Affirmative Action: What’s at Stake for Missouri and America” and will feature National ACLU Racial Justice Director, Dennis Parker. It is happening Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the offices of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, 454 Whittier Street, just south of Olive.

RSVPs are encouraged as seating is limited. For more information call 652-3114, ext 23.

It’s a late debate, but it might be a good’un!

State Representative contenders Stacey Newman and Steve Brown will go head-to-head tonight, 9:30 p.m. at Ursa’s Fireside on Washington University’s campus. It will be in Lien Hall on the ground floor next to the Office of Residential Life. Both Democrats are running for Missouri’s 73rd District seat. The district include the area south of Hwy 40, so this maybe the go to event for the informed local voter.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers backed down from conducting their man-made flooding, the “spring rise” of the Missouri River, for now.

Missourinet is reporting that both the governor and Attorney Jay Nixon’s calls for a canceling of the man-made flooding may have worked. The Corps are limiting the water release to only sections of the Missouri River north of the Kansas City.

Nixon was happy with the change.

“(T)he bottom line is that while we don’t believe a spring rise is right in any occasion, this year is especially galling when you have, literally, thousands of Missourians sandbagging what’s being release by the Corps,” Nixon said. “So, we are glad that they have changed their positions.”

Nixon tried to get a court order, twice, to stop the flooding earlier this week, but was denied on both the initial filing and the appeal.

The Corps releases this man-made flood annually in an effort to mimic the river’s natural flooding to protect an endangered species of fish. They have routinely received opposition from the state government.

It’s a miracle! On the third try the Clinton Campaign finalized their eligible delegates to compete in tonight’s congressional district caucuses.

On Wednesday some delegate list snafus popped up where Clinton supporters found their names mysteriously purged from the rolls, but The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Political Fix Blog is reporting all’s well that ends well.

The new list reinstated almost all of the initially disapproved delegates and adding a list of 27 names that weren’t originally on the list.

This is at a stark contrast with the Obama camp that managed to approve all its potential delegates at first bat. The Political Fix surmises that a lot of the delegate mess was due to the Clinton’s filtering the Missouri delegates for loyalty to Clinton. A lot of the delegates had ties to state Auditor Susan Montee, who supports Obama, and Attorney General Jay Nixon, who is remaining “aggressively neutral.”

At the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Political Fix Blog we learn that it’s not just the Ron Paul-ites getting particular over cherry picking delegates to send to the convention. The Clintonistas are giving their rolls a thorough run through as well. So thorough that some die hard Clinton supporters found their names mysteriously purged from the list.

The Democratic Party sent the list of elected delegates to the campaigns, and the list of Clinton supporters came back with many names crossed out. One such delegate was former state rep Craig Hosmer, Greene County Democratic Party chairman. “As far as I know, we’re back on,” he said Wednesday. Hosmer speculated that part of the problem is that some of the delegates hadn’t been active in the Clinton campaign. As county party chairman, he had maintained public neutrality until the county caucus.

Who knew the Democratic Caucus Santa would be busting out his “naughty or nice” list mid-March!

UPDATE 1 P.M.

WILL YOU BE MY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR?

The race for Lt. Governor is as crowded as Hwy 70 at 6 p.m., who didn’t scratch their name on the list as closing bell yesterday? After some hopes at keeping the Democratic candidate list short and sweet, six contenders are crammed up the tailpipe.

Back in November Missouri Democratic Party Chairman John Temporiti made the lieutenant governor primary a priority to keep uncontested, planning to get then only candidates State Rep. Sam Page of Creve Coeur and businessman Mike Evans of Arnold to come to some sort of agreement.

Apparently it was an agreement that left the window for a two-man field to become every man for himself. Six candidates are on slate now, including Page, Michael Carter, Richard Charles Tolbert, Becky L. Plattner, Mary Williams and C. Lillian Metzger.

The Republicans are working with less contentious fare - incumbent Peter Kinder and two lesser knowns, Paul Douglas Sims and Arthur Hodge Sr.

IN THE STATEWIDE RACES…

First off. Who isn’t running in this mother? Roberts and Hubbard and Waheed, oh my!

But let’s jump this off with the governor’s race and see where we can go from there.

GOV LOVE

After Gov. Matt Blunt abruptly announced he would not be seeking re-election the potential Republican candidates have been popping off the walls. Five people have signed up for the showdown, but the biggest players are current State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and Rep. Kenny Hulshof.

Steelman wasted no time after Blunt announced there would be no second term. Even though she’d already sent out a press release earlier on Jan. 22 tooting her run for re-election, the minute Blunt dropped his bombshell all plans for state treasure went out the window. Steelman has her eyes keenly on the governor prize.

Hulshof wanted to run for governor in 2004, but side-stepped in favor of Blunt. He had to settle for being a boring ol’ congressman despite his heart yearning for Columbia. He almost ditched Washington altogether in a bid for president of the University of Missouri. Home is where the heart is, after all. But with Blunt’s bow out, he can bring back that loving feeling. Now if only he can finagle Steelman out of the way.

Other candidates are Richard Allen Kline, Scott Long and Jennie Lee Sievers. All hope to face Democratic nominee, Attorney General Jay Nixon in statewide elections this fall.

DOWNLOAD THE FINAL LIST OF ST. LOUIS CITY CANDIDATES HERE.

GET THE FINAL LIST OF STATE CANDIDATES BY CLICKING HERE.

UPDATE @ 5:38 PM:

Tom Villa did not file for the 5th senate district. The game is set with Hubbard, Wright-Jones, and Johnson.

UPDATE 8 @ 4:45PM:

Mike Roberts, Jr., son of millionaire Mike Roberts (of the Roberts Brothers), has filed for state rep against Rachel Storch.

UPDATE 7 @ 4:40PM:

Connie Johnson has filed for state senate, joining Rodney Hubbard and Robin Wright-Jones.

UPDATE 6:

Activist and former police board commissioner Khatib Waheed has filed to run against 26th Ward committeeman Joe Palm.

And Chris Carter will be doing battle with Curtis Royston on two fronts — for state rep and now also for Royston’s committeeman post.

UPDATE 5:

Daniel Schesch has filed against longtime Treasurer Larry Williams.

Former State Rep and Alderman O. L. Shelton has filed for committeeman in the 4th Ward.

Chad Beffa, who is also running for state rep, has filed for committeeman in the 10th Ward. As reported earlier, Chad’s ally, fellow SLPS advocate Nicholas Clement, also filed for committeeman today in the 13th.

UPDATE 4:

Doubling his bets. Looks like Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. isn’t taking any chances. Just in case his first committeeman candidate’s tax issues aren’t cleared up, he filed a backup (Johnnie Saddler) today.

UPDATE 3:

Damn, those Ron Paul guys are tenacious!

Looks like the Paulies are making a play to take over the Republican Party in St. Louis City. Word is that several Paul supporters have filed for open Republican committeeman and committeewoman posts across the city today. Developing…

UPDATE 2:

Speaking of Connie Johnson, a third candidate has filed for her soon-to-be-vacated House seat. Anthony Bell, a former 3rd Ward alderman candidate, filed this afternoon, joining 27th Ward Committeeman Curtis Royston and Chris Carter, nephew of Alderman Greg Carter.

UPDATE 1:

In the 5th Ward, Committeeman (and state senate candidate*) Rodney Hubbard filed for re-election this afternoon. And his sister, Tammika Hubbard, filed for committeewoman. The incumbent committeewoman, Cheryl Nelson, is not seeking re-election.

In the 13th Ward, St. Louis Public Schools teacher and advocate Nick Clement has filed to run for committeeman. The incumbent, Fred Steffen, had not yet filed as of this report HAS FILED for re-election.

In the 21st Ward, after much speculation, it finally became official: PubDef.net publisher Antonio French is running for committeeman. Filing as his running-mate, Mrs. Laura Keys, a longtime friend and aide of French’s grandmother, former Committeeman Myrtle French (who passed away last year), is running to become the northside ward’s new committeewoman.

IN THE RUMOR MILL:

Rumor has it that Jerryl Christmas, an aide to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, has been making calls encouraging support for attorney Hope Whitehead to run against Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. Christmas ran against Joyce twice and lost both times by large margins. Joyce’s re-election kickoff a couple of months ago saw most of the city’s elected officials (north, south and central) already pledging their support and adding their names to Joyce’s extraordinarily long host committee.

Rumor also has it that State Rep. Connie Johnson has been fantasizing about becoming the next senator of the 5th District. There are currently two candidates in the race: frontrunner Rodney Hubbard, who has already scored several key endorsements (including Congressman Lacy Clay, Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, and Lic. Collector Mike McMillan) and raised nearly $130,000; and state rep Robin Wright-Jones. A third candidate, Rep. Tom Villa, has long been thought as a possible candidate. His election would mean the City of St. Louis would have an all-white senate delegation for the first time in 50 years.

EARLIER STORY:

It’s time to put up or shut up.

Anyone running for office has to make their intentions known, loud and proud, by 5 p.m. today. At PubDef.net we’re expecting a flurry of late filings. The Post-Dispatch is reporting that statewide 60 of the 163 feature one candidate running unopposed. In the state senate only four seats are uncontested.

Jason Rosenbaum with the Columbia Tribune’s Political Blog is posing all sorts of questions about what the 5 p.m. filing deadline will foreshadow for the governor’s race and state elected offices.

Will Reps. Tom Villa, D-St. Louis, and/or Connie Johnson, D-St. Louis, jump into the race to replace Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis?

Will oodles of Democratic incumbents in Jefferson County, St. Louis City, Kansas City and elsewhere go without opponents? Will Republicans in southern Missouri get passes for another two years?

These “Unsolved Mysteries” as well as a host of other election questions will be answered tonight. Stay tuned!

*Hubbard is a client (campaign management) of PubDef publisher Antonio D. French.

They’re China bound!

Gov. Matt Blunt, along with U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill, are going on a bipartisan trade mission to China this week. The politicians will work on “creating new economic development opportunities between China and Missouri.” They will be heading to the People’s Republic of China with high-level members of government, business and civic leaders from the St. Louis area.

“Missouri businesses have shattered export records every year since I took office in 2005,” Gov. Blunt said in a press release Monday. “This bipartisan trade mission to China, one of our most important trading partners, will help strengthen business relations and help continue Missouri’s outstanding job growth.”

A who’s who of state and St. Louis politics are making the trip including: U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, former Gov. Bob Holden who serves as the vice chairman of the Midwest U.S.-China Association.

Business leaders making the trek include Richard C. D. Fleming, president and CEO of the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association (RCGA); David L. Steward, chairman and CEO of World Wide Technology; and executives with Pfizer, Peabody Energy, Unigroup, McEagle Properties, the World Trade Center St. Louis, and Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

Democratic candidate for attorney general, Rep. Jeff Harris is taking his fight against factory farms, and his Democratic opponents, to the web.

Harris launched a video on the internet Thursday highlighting large factory farms moving to counties and townships without the consent of those who live there. It plays on a children’s story motif, lambasting Republicans in the Missouri House and accusing Speaker Rod Jetton of holding up the bill. Then the clip takes a dig at his opponents Rep. Margaret Donnelly and Sen. Chris Koster*, accusing Donnelly of not having a plan and Koster of taking away local control.

Donnelly and Koster are also running to be the Democratic nominee for attorney general.

When reached for comment, Donnelly was aghast at Harris’ claim because she is a co-sponsor on Harris’ bills advocating local control regarding factory farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

“I’m puzzled as to why Rep. Harris is saying I have no plan. My record has been clear that I support local control,” Donnelly said. “I was just surprised he would make that statement. When this issue first arose two years ago … I was the first one to sign the petition on local control.”

CAFOs are massive complexes involving thousands of animals cooped up in buildings where their waste could run off from the farm and enter the water system through ground water. The bill was introduced in January. Harris is pushing it because of his concerns about how these farms can impact the environment.

“We’re not talking about animals running around fences in the outdoors. That’s not involved,” Harris said. “We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of animals cooped up in buildings and manure that runs off. It smells and it can affect water quality, air quality and the quality of life.”

Currently, the Department of Natural Resources oversees the business applications for these farms. Harris wants to give residents a chance to vote on whether or not they want factory farms to come to their area. The legislator said he wishes Republicans would come down in favor of local control.

“(We need to) move forward and build consensus behind the legislation, preserve and maintain local control, allowing people in a community to have a voice in whether or not (factory farms) should be in their community,” Harris said.

Editor’s Note: Chris Koster is a client (website design) of PubDef.net publisher Antonio D. French