Roundtable discusses Wood’s exit from U.S. Senate race, more
Our roundtable gathers to discuss the latest political news from both sides of the state line
CODY: WE ARE WATCHING THE AFTERMATH OF BIG POLITICAL NEWS. THE X FACTOR EXITS. JOHN WOOD IS OUT. JOHN: WHILE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES HAVE HAD LIMITED SUCCESS THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY IS SO DIVIDED. CODY: THAT WAS WOOD ON AUGUST 2 AND THEN HE CHANGED HIS MIND BECAUSE HE RAN TO GIVE CONSERVATIVES AN ALTERNATIVE FOR ERIC GREITENS. HE HAD THE SUPPORT AND BACKING OF JACK DANFORTH. NOW IT IS DOWN TO THE TWO MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES, SO WE HAVE ERIC SCHMITT ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE AND TRUDY BUSCH VALENTINE. HERE TO DISCUSS THE NEWS AND OTHER BIG POLITICAL HEADLINES, WE WELCOME BACK RYAN AND MICHAEL. WELCOME BACK, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THIS RAISE? BRIAN: I THINK WE DO NOT KNOW, THIS IS NOT A BIG HELP TO ERIC SCHMITT. THE RELATIVELY SMALL PEOPLE THAT WOULD’VE VOTED FOR JOHN WOOD ARE NOT GOING TO BE ERIC SCHMITT VOTERS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT TRUDY BUSCH VALENTINE HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE TO BE COMPETITIVE SO I THINK THIS MIGHT ALL BE SOMETHING THAT WE FORGET ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. MICHAEL: I THINK THE SCHMIDT CAMPAIGN IS PRINTING A SMALL SIGH OF RELIEF BECAUSE OF VOTERS THAT WOULD HAVE CAST A BALLOT FOR JOHN WOOD WOULD HAVE LIKELY COME FROM SCHMITT VOTERS AND NOT VALENTINE. THAT IS GOOD. HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE RUMORS WERE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE PRIMARY WORD — WAS THAT IF ERIC GREITENS DID NOT WIN THE NOMINATION, JOHN WOOD’S CAMPAIGN WOULD GO AWAY. IT DID NOT HAPPEN AND HE DID INTERVIEWS LIKE THE ONE WE SAW A MOMENT AGO WHEN HE SAID AMONG OTHER THINGS I AM IN IT TO WIN IT. AND THEN HE TURNS AROUND THREE WEEKS LATER AND GETS OUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE MUCH OF A WING. BRIAN: IT SEEMS LIKE HE MIGHT TAKE ONE LAP AROUND THE STATE AND SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN AND HIS CAMPAIGN WOULD CATCH FIRE. THAT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT HAPPEN. I AM INTERESTED IN WHAT THE IMPACT THIS IS ON THE INFLUENCE OF JACK DANFORTH AFTER SUPPORTING JOSH HAWLEY AND EXPRESSING HIS REGRET FOR SUPPORTING HIM TOOK ANOTHER FLYER ON A CANDIDATE WHO DID NOT WORK OUT. I AM SUSPECTING THAT WE DID NOT SEE JACK DANFORTH ENTER IN IN THE SAME WAY. MICHAEL: JACK DANFORTH WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LED THE RESURRECTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE 1970’S AND 80’S IS A SENIOR STATESMAN, TO SAY THE LEAST IN MISSOURI POLITICS. HIS INFLUENCE IN THE FUTURE IS LIMITED. MATT: LET US TALK ABOUT JEFFERSON CITY. WE KNOW THAT MIKE PARSON SAID I WILL CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO CALL FOR AN INCOME TAX CUT AND A RAISE TO STANDARD DEDUCTIONS. HERE’S WHAT HE SAID TUESDAY. GOV. PARSON: WE CAN AFFORD TO DO IT NOW AND IF WE DO NOT DO IT NOW IT WILL SPEND IT. IF WE LEAVE THAT MONEY THEY WILL FIND DIFFERENT THINGS TO SPEND THE MONEY ON. CODY: HE ALSO WANTS AND AGRICULTURAL TAX CREDIT ANY VETO TWO TAX PROPOSALS. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE? BRIAN: IT WILL BE INTERESTING. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS AN ASSUMPTION THAT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY WILL GO FOR A TAX CUT BEFORE AN ELECTION AND I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE CASE. I SPOKE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS LEADER AND MADE CLEAR THAT HE THINKS THAT THE DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE SAME PEOPLE THAT DID NOT PASS THE CUT DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, MIGHT NOT KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE GOVERNOR HOPES. MICHAEL: MIKE PARSON’S BATTING AVERAGE IS NOT A STRONG ONE AND I AGREE WITH YOU. THERE IS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS ON THIS. WE WILL SEE. THE OTHER THING IS THAT HE WILL GET NO DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT FOR THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR BECAUSE THEY WILL MAINTAIN THAT MUCH OF THESE TAX CUTS WILL GO TO HIGHER INCOME MISSOURIANS RATHER THAN FOLKS AT THE…
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