Politics & Government
Politics: Be Patient, Caucus Lovers
The caucus process will decide how Republican presidential delegates are dispersed, though results won't be known until late April.
After weeks of explanations and prognostications, caucus time arrived this weekend for Republican party supporters throughout Kirkwood and St. Louis.
A . A key point worth remembering, however, recently was reiterated by Missouri Republican Party spokesman Jonathan Poutry regarding how and when delegates' votes are counted.
“Unlike many other caucus states, there will not be a straw poll attached to the caucus. Caucus-goers will be voting for delegates, and with few exceptions, these delegates will not be bound to a particular candidate,” Poutry wrote. “Because there is no vote on candidate preference, neither the Missouri GOP nor any election authority will have or release any data regarding the ‘winner’ of the caucuses. Delegates selected at the county caucuses will elect and bind national delegates at the Congressional District Conventions on April 21 and the State Convention on June 2.”
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Paul and Romney visit
Now that Missouri’s presidential contests actually count, candidates are starting to pay attention. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney , while followed by a by Rick Santorum.
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Small Changes
As predicted last week, a bipartisan commission gave final approval to a state Senate map. That means that boundaries for state Senate districts are final, giving a bit of certainty to candidates seeking to serve in the Missouri General Assembly’s upper chambers.
“Today, the State Senate Reapportionment Commission filed finalized district maps with the Secretary of State’s office,” said Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in a statement Monday. “This action provides more clarity to state Senate candidates who were waiting to file or intended to file in one of the Senate districts created after the 2000 Census. All state Senate candidates have the option of withdrawing and re-filing in one of the districts approved by the reapportionment commission.”
“Any candidate who wishes to run for office in one of the finalized districts should make sure they come to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office and file by 5 p.m. on March 27,” she added.
As noted in an article in the St. Louis Beacon, commissioners made minor changes to the tentative proposal. In addition to minor changes to the boundary between the 13th and 14th Senate Districts, the biggest change was placing more of Clayton in to Sen. Joe Keaveny’s district.
In the tentative map, the entire city was placed in the 14th District. Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D-University City) currently represents that district.
The Associated Press also reported this week that opponents of the map decided to drop a lawsuit aimed at resurrecting a prior plan that was declared unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Su-spence?
It’s March Madness, and that means it’s become trendy for politicians to predict who they will go far in the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament.
President Barack Obama, who is well-known to have a passion for basketball, released a bracket earlier this week that included the beloved Missouri Tigers in the Final Four. Oops.
Also getting into the pick 'em spirit is Dave Spence, a Frontenac Republican running for governor. His campaign released a bracket that had Mizzou winning it all, and Saint Louis University making it to the Elite Eight.
By the way, intrepid politico Eli Yokley Tweeted a few days ago that Gov. Jay Nixon, who could be Spence’s opponent later this year, wouldn’t divulge his Final Four picks.