MoInd 📰

On July 19th, I had the opportunity to testify to a Congressional committee about the challenges and opportunities facing family farmers like me. Below is a slightly condensed version of what I said. I’m Doug Doughty. We grow corn, soybeans and hay along with a cow/calf operation in north Missouri. I returned to our farm […]

The post State, federal regulations of CAFOs are weak. It will take political courage to strengthen them appeared first on Missouri Independent.

TOPEKA — For Ashley All, the effort to defeat a constitutional amendment that would have eliminated abortion rights is the most consequential campaign the Kansas political veteran has worked on. The issue is personal, All told news reporters during a conference call Wednesday morning. “I have four daughters, and this” — All paused. “I don’t […]

The post Kansas abortion-rights activists emphasized attack on personal rights to defeat amendment appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Teachers, school administrators and advocacy groups on Wednesday laid out for a state commission a long list of grueling conditions they say drive educators out of the industry.   At the third meeting of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ribbon Commission — created by the State Board of Education — testimony focused on low pay, […]

The post Missouri state commission told low pay, lack of support is fueling teacher shortage appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers and legal experts at a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday outlined the need to pass legislation clarifying an archaic election law so that the peaceful transfer of presidential power is ensured. The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill being pushed by 16 senators, was proposed after the […]

The post Members of U.S. Senate committee consider bipartisan changes to Electoral Count Act appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — Democrats on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday explored how to combat violent threats lodged against election officials, while Republicans questioned why the Department of Justice isn’t doing more to investigate threats against crisis pregnancy centers and Supreme Court justices. During a hearing on protecting election officials, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite […]

The post Election officials at U.S. Senate hearing describe threats, spread of misinformation appeared first on Missouri Independent.

In late January, a GOP strategist named Kyle Plotkin bragged on Twitter about how popular U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley was in Missouri and how valuable his endorsement would be in the state’s upcoming Republican U.S. Senate primary. Plotkin, who had previously been Hawley’s Senate chief of staff but had transitioned to working for his campaign,used […]

The post Josh Hawley help for Hartzler unable to overcome Trump attack in Missouri Senate primary appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — Witnesses in a Tuesday hearing detailed to a U.S. Senate committee how investors and stagnant wages are driving an eviction and housing crisis across the U.S. The chair of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, said that families are being priced out of buying homes, and rising […]

The post Record rent increases, low wages are driving an eviction crisis, U.S. Senate panel told appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Candidates expected to align with the conservative caucus in the Missouri Senate had a good night on Tuesday, winning primaries in three open seats and knocking off one incumbent.  The victories likely mean the caucus — which has quarreled with GOP leadership and used procedural roadblocks to grind the chamber to a halt for the […]

The post Conservative caucus likely expands in Missouri Senate after GOP primary wins appeared first on Missouri Independent.

State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick easily won the Republican nomination for Missouri auditor Tuesday, defeating state Rep. David Gregory. With nearly all precincts reporting, Fitzpatrick held a nearly 30 percentage point lead over Gregory. This fall he will face Democratic state Rep. Allen Green of Florissant, who was unopposed in his party’s primary, and Libertarian John […]

The post Scott Fitzpatrick rolls to victory in GOP primary for Missouri auditor appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Trish Gunby won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday to take on incumbent U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.  Gunby, a state lawmaker from Manchester, bested Reed, who conceded the race shortly after 10 p.m. The Democratic nominee faces an uphill battle against Wagner, a five-term Republican incumbent who saw her district reworked […]

The post Trish Gunby defeats Ray Reed in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary appeared first on Missouri Independent.

State Sen. Eric Burlison claimed the GOP nomination in the heavily Republican 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, beating beating out seven other contenders in the Republican primary.  He will take on Kristen Radaker-Sheafer, who emerged from the Democratic primary, and Libertarian Kevin Craig. The GOP race attracted a big field of candidates after the longtime […]

The post Eric Burlison emerges from crowded field in 7th Congressional District Republican primary appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Anheuser-Busch heiress Trudy Busch Valentine won the Democratic nomination for Missouri’s open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, defeating her closest rival, former Marine Lucas Kunce. With nearly all precincts reporting, Busch had won 43% of the vote, compared to 38% for Kunce. Throughout her campaign, Valentine has said working as a nurse and experiencing immense grief […]

The post Beer heiress Trudy Busch Valentine captures Missouri Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Former Kansas City anchorman Mark Alford emerged from the crowded GOP primary in the 4th Congressional District on Tuesday. In the sprawling 24-county 4th District, Alfort bested his main rivals —  Sen. Rick Brattin, farmer Kalena Bruce and former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks — in a race that saw massive outside spending from political […]

The post Former TV anchorman wins GOP nomination in Missouri’s 4th Congressional District appeared first on Missouri Independent.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush easily won the Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District Tuesday, trouncing state Sen. Steve Roberts by more than 30 percentage points when the race was called shortly before 10 p.m.  In the heavily Democratic district, which includes all of the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County, the […]

The post Cori Bush cruises to victory in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District Democratic primary appeared first on Missouri Independent.

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas — Voters in a landslide Tuesday defeated a proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution that would have stripped residents of abortion rights, defying polling and political observes who expected a close result. The ballot measure was failing by a 63-37 margin at 9:45 p.m. as voters responded to an intense and costly campaign marked […]

The post Kansas voters defeat anti-abortion amendment in unexpected landslide appeared first on Missouri Independent.

ST. LOUIS — Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt beat back a crowded field of opponents Tuesday night to secure the Republican nomination for Missouri’s open U.S. Senate seat. With most precincts reporting, Schmitt led with 45% of the vote, compared to 22% for U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler and 19% for disgraced former Gov. Eric Greitens. […]

The post Missouri AG Eric Schmitt beats Hartzler, Greitens to claim GOP Senate nomination appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON —  The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed bipartisan legislation that would provide health care and benefits to millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances while deployed overseas, after many Republicans switched their votes and decided to once again back the legislation. The shift came after days of protest and vigils outside the U.S. Capitol, […]

The post U.S. Senate in turnaround backs aid for veterans exposed to burn pits appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A multi-year report analyzing maternal mortality in Missouri and published Monday found that women on Medicaid are eight times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than their counterparts with private health insurance. It also found Black women in Missouri were three times more likely to die within a year of pregnancy than […]

The post Stark disparities persist in Missouri’s maternal mortality rate, state board finds appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Former President Donald Trump finally issued his long anticipated endorsement in Missouri’s crowded GOP primary for U.S. Senate Monday night.  But it’s anybody’s guess which candidate he supports.  In a statement from his campaign, Trump endorsed “Eric,” without specifying whether he meant former Gov. Eric Greitens or Attorney General Eric Schmitt.  “I am therefore proud […]

The post Trump endorses ‘Eric’ in Missouri GOP Senate primary, but doesn’t clarify which one appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Boone County sent out more than 100,000 sample ballots to prepare voters for Tuesday’s primary election, and many were surprised at what they saw.  “They weren’t aware of redistricting happening,” said Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon. “So we had a lot of questions from people that were newly in the 3rd Congressional District that were […]

The post Missouri Election Day FAQ: What you need to know to make sure your vote counts appeared first on Missouri Independent.