Archive for April 2022

Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education Zora Mulligan is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where she talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg, Kate Grumke and Jason Rosenbaum about some of the challenges for the state’s colleges and universities.

Mulligan has served in her post since 2016. Before that, she was chief of staff for the University of Missouri System — including during a time of great turmoil for the University of Missouri-Columbia. The West Plains native was recently announced as one of three finalists to be executive vice president and provost at Missouri State University in Springfield.

Here’s what Mulligan discussed on the show:

• Some of the biggest challenges in higher education right now, including persuading prospective students to come to the state’s colleges and universities.
• The state’s role is in higher education — including explaining how the Coordinated Board of Higher Education often makes key decisions for public institutions.
• How students, faculty and staff responded to the proliferation of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Mulligan said that technology like Zoom made advising appointments more convenient, she’s received feedback that people at higher education institutions prefer in-person learning.
• How Missouri plans to spend a good chunk of federal funds from what’s known as the American Rescue Plan on capital improvement projects at colleges and universities — and whether there’s opportunities to spend the funds on things other than buildings.
• With mental health care at colleges and universities a significant concern, what the state’s role is in making sure services are available to students who are struggling on campus.

Follow Sarah Kellogg on Twitter: @sarahkkellogg

Follow Kate Grumke on Twitter: @KGrumke

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Zora Mulligan on Twitter: @zzmulligan

After a nearly eight-year hiatus, former Missouri state Sen. John Lamping returns to Politically Speaking to discuss this year’s unpredictable U.S. Senate Republican primary.

Lamping represented the 24th Senate District from 2011 to 2015. Since then, he’s moved to St. Charles County but knows many of the contenders to succeed U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt well. He noted that he hasn’t endorsed any of the candidates and doesn’t plan to at this point.

Here’s what Lamping discussed on the show:

• The candidates he sees as the top-tier contenders: U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrsionville; Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Gov. Eric Greitens. He also provided his analysis of some of the contenders, including whether the scores of unknown candidates could affect the outcome.
• Whether Greitens’ campaign can survive affidavits from his ex-wife alleging emotional and physical abuse — and whether some political figures are working against him due to fear he’d lose a general election or because they don’t want to give him a platform as a senator.
• The upcoming Republican primary for St. Charles County executive between incumbent Steve Ehlmann and state Sen. Bob Onder.
• His analysis of the likely Republican gubernatorial showdown in 2024 between Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

Lamping is a financial adviser who won a close race in 2010 for the St. Louis County-based 24th District. In four years in the legislature, he was a notable critic of tax credits and spoke out against a sales tax increase for transportation projects.

He chose not to run for a second term in 2014 but has remained in communication with numerous GOP officials. Democratic Sen. Jill Schupp succeeded Lamping in the Senate in 2015.

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow John Lamping on Twitter: @JohnLamping

State Rep. Sarah Unsicker talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum on Politically Speaking about the ups and downs of the 2022 legislative session.

The Shrewsbury Democrat currently represents the 91st District, which includes parts of St. Louis, Webster Groves, Crestwood and Marlborough. Because of redistricting, when she runs for her final term in 2022, she’ll be seeking the 83rd District seat that includes her home in Shrewsbury — as well as parts of Richmond Heights, Maplewood and Brentwood.

Here’s what Unsicker, who serves on the House Budget Committee, talked about on the program:

• How her Democratic colleagues were able to make significant progress on some of their budget priorities.
• A plan from Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith that would provide $500 state tax credits for single filers and $1,000 credits for married couples. Democrats have criticized the plan for not being targeted to lower-income individuals.
• Legislation aimed at protecting children who are the victims of sex trafficking. That includes not charging minors with prostitution and alerting the state’s Children’s Division of trafficking activity.
• Her expectations for the rest of the legislative session, including whether House Republicans and Democrats can find common ground on major issues as they did in some instances throughout 2021.

Unsicker is an attorney who was first elected to her seat in 2016. She won reelection in 2018 and 2020 by comfortable margins.

After redistricting, Unsicker’s home was placed in the same district where Rep. Ian Mackey resides. But Mackey chose to run in the nearby 99th District, which currently does not have an incumbent. Since she doesn’t have a primary opponent, Unsicker is favored to win reelection, since the 83rd District is heavily Democratic. She will be unable to run for the House again after 2024 due to term limits.

Follow Sarah Kellogg on Twitter: @sarahkkelogg

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Sarah Unsicker: @SarahUnsicker

Sen. Bill Eigel returns to Politically Speaking to talk about the tense impasse over congressional redistricting — and whether lawmakers can get more done in the second half of the legislative session.

The Weldon Spring Republican represents the 23rd Senate District, which includes portions of St. Charles County. He first won election to his post in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. He will be barred from running again for the Senate because of term limits after 2024.

Here’s what Eigel told St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum:

• Eigel explained the origins behind some of the tensions within the GOP Senate caucus. Eigel is part of a subgroup of Republican senators, known as the Conservative Caucus, that’s gotten into very public fights with GOP leadership.
• He talked about why congressional redistricting has bogged down — and why he pushed for a map that would have made Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City-based 5th District unwinnable for Democrats.
• Eigel addressed criticism that members of the Conservative Caucus were pushing for a map out of pure self-interest, especially since some of them are either running for Congress this year or have aspirations to run for the U.S. House some time in the future.
• He discussed his expectations for the rest of the 2022 session, including how the Senate will handle the budget and whether lawmakers will address bills related to education curriculum or COVID-19 restrictions.

Eigel was first elected to the Senate in 2016, after emerging out of a competitive primary against then-state Rep. Ann Zerr and longtime municipal Judge Mike Carter. He went on to defeat Richard Orr in the general election by a comfortable margin — and then defeated Orr again in 2020 after a landslide win in that year’s GOP primary.

As a member of the Conservative Caucus, Eigel has differed with GOP leadership on a number of fronts. They include a prescription drug monitoring program and an incentive package to get General Motors to expand in Wentzville.

Follow Sarah Kellogg on Twitter: @sarahkkelogg 

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Bill Eigel on Twitter: @billeigel