Lafayette County Democrats held a dinner and pie auction fundraiser in Higginsville this evening. It was also an opportunity for Democratic Party officeholders and statewide and local candidates to visit and speak to those in attendance before Tuesday’s primary election. Close to one hundred individuals attended the dinner and auction.

Jackson County Executive and Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Mike Sanders

addressed the gathering of Lafayette County Democrats in Higginsville.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D).

Jason Kander (right) a Democratic Party candidate for Secretary of State.

Former State Auditor – and a Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor – Susan Montee.

Holmes Osborne, the Democratic Party candidate in the 53rd Legislative District.

One of the auction pies.

Auctioning a cherry pie.

This past week we spoke with Holmes Osborne (D), the Democratic Party candidate in the 53rd Legislative District, outside the Johnson County Courthouse in downtown Warrensburg. The district includes Lafayette County and a portion of Johnnson County. Holmes Osborne is a Chartered Financial Analyst and the owner of a small business in Odessa. We spoke about public infrastructure, jobs, and education:

Video by Jerry Schmidt.

Previously:

Holmes Osborne (D) on Occupy Wall Street (October 27, 2011)

Holmes Osborne (D): running for the Missouri House (November 29, 2011)

On Sunday evening Lafayette County Democrats held a potluck dinner and meeting, hearing from candidates and getting the opportunity to speak one on one with them. There were over fifty individuals in attendance.

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) – the Fifth Congressional District

now includes Lafayette and Saline Counties to the east of Jackson County and south of the Missouri River.

Holmes Osborne (D), an announced candidate for the 53rd Legislative District encompassing Lafayette County.

State Representative Jason Kander (D), an announced candidate for Secretary of State.

At this stage in the political year office holders and candidates are engaging in the retail politics of meeting, listening to, and speaking with their constituents and the electorate. Statewide candidates obviously travel all over the state to do so. Congressional and state legislative redistricting changes the geography for office holders and candidates – so they travel throughout their new districts to meet voters and party activists.  

Previously: Holmes Osborne (D) on Occupy Wall Street (October 27, 2011)

Holmes Osborne (D) who ran against Mike McGhee (r) in the 122nd Legislative District in 2010 and is an announced candidate for the House in 2012 held a fundraiser in Warrensburg this evening. Mike McGhee (r) is term limited out of the House (and currently a candidate for the Senate). The Legislative District boundaries have yet to be determined in the redistricting process. There should be a decision on that within the next few weeks.

Nevertheless, serious candidates have to be well established in their fundraising and campaign planning if they hope to be successful in the election which will take place less than a year from now. Even if they don’t yet know the boundaries of their district.

Holmes Osborne (center) at his campaign fundraiser in Warrensburg.

Holmes Osborne was introduced by Representative Joe Aull (D) who praised his intelligence and his commitment to public service. Mr. Osborne then spoke about the current state of the General Assembly and the challenges currently facing Missouri. Jobs, the economy, public education, and infrastructure were a few of the issues he addressed which were areas of interest for those at the event. There was a lengthy discussion among those present about the distressing propensity of the current General Assembly to spend time on distractions rather than address those big issues facing the state.

These type of events at this stage of a campaign allow a candidate to spend more time in substantive conversation with supporters and voters. As the campaign gets closer to the election those opportunities become less frequent as the demands of door to door and get out the vote take over.  

A letter to the editor in today’s Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal:

Wall St. should be occupied

I’ve been hearing a lot about the “Occupy Wall Street” movement that’s going on across the country. As someone who runs stock and bond portfolios, I have my own stories to tell.

One is about IDT, the long distance phone card company which has two classes of shares, one the founders hold that gets one vote on company matters and one the public holds that gets 1/10th of a vote.

Then there is Health Management Associates which offered a $10 special dividend and loaded up the company with debt, all so the top five in management could retain their jobs by making the stock unattractive to potential acquiring companies.

And one of my favorites, 4Kids Entertainment, which instituted a “poison pill” which would add additional shares to thwart the shareholders from outing the CEO for his horrible performance.

Yes, I can assure you that there are problems on Wall Street. The top five people in management will do anything to retain their power, all to the detriment of stock shareholders, mutual fund share holders, college endowments, pensions, and rank and file employees.

Holmes Osborne, CFA,

Osborne Global Investors Inc., Odessa

Holmes Osborne (D) is an announced candidate for the Missouri House. He ran against Mike McGhee (r) in the 122nd Legislative District in 2010.

“…all to the detriment of stock shareholders, mutual fund share holders, college endowments, pensions, and rank and file employees…” And even an investment professional tells us that the Occupy Wall Street folks have it right.

Thirty-four votes.

From the Missouri Secretary of State:

Unofficial Election Returns

State of Missouri Primary Election  – 2010 Primary Election

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

State Representative – District 122 – Summary

Precincts Reporting 21 of 21

Grigsby, Gary DEM 1,052 49.2%

Osborne, Holmes DEM 1,086 50.8%

McGhee, Mike REP 3,671 100.0%

Total Votes   5,809

State Representative – District 122 – County

Grigsby, Gary DEM

CASS 273

JOHNSON 329

LAFAYETTE 450

Osborne, Holmes DEM

CASS 162

JOHNSON 153

LAFAYETTE 771

McGhee, Mike REP

CASS 817

JOHNSON 1,142

LAFAYETTE 1,712

[emphasis added]

A primary race decided by thirty-four votes. And, of course, turnout sucked.

There are three candidates in the 122nd legislative District race, two Democrats and one birther/tenther right wingnut republican incumbent.

State Representative – District 122

Democrat

GARY GRIGSBY HIGGINSVILLE MO 799 2/23/2010

HOLMES OSBORNE ODESSA MO 3/1/2010

Republican

MIKE MCGHEE ODESSA MO 583 2/23/2010

The first of two Democratic Party challengers (in alphabetical order), Gary Grigsby, filed his first quarter campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 15th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe: GRIGSBY FOR MISSOURI REP

ReportDate:

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $561.00

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $4,595.00

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $5,156.00

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $654.14

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $4,501.86

35. TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 29 + 30 + 31 – 32 – 33 – 34) $0.00

[emphasis added]

Okay, that’s a decent fundraising quarter, and much better than the previous one.

Let’s see where the money came from:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: GRIGSBY FOR MISSOURI REP

Report Date: 4/15/2010

Michael Bersin & Joan Ferguson Warrensburg, MO 02/18/2010 $25.00

4th Congressional District Democratic Committee Gravois Mills, MO 01/23/2010 $900.00

Johnson County Democratic Central Committee Warrensburg, MO 02/25/2010 $300.00

Clark & Tavia Hunt Dallas, TX 03/12/2010 $1,000.00

[emphasis added]

Yeah, those bloggers are big spenders. (Disclosure: I’ve known Gary Grigsby for twenty years. The two of us ran a mom and pop political polling operation in the 90s.) There are additional contributions from a few party committees and a bunch of small dollar contributions from individuals.

The expenditures:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe: GRIGSBY FOR MISSOURI REP

ReportDate: 4/15/2010

A. EXPENDITURES OF $100 OR LESS BY CATEGORY

Postmaster – Postage $52.80

Filing Fee $50.00

Cass Co. Dem. Central Committee $50.00

JoCo Dem. Central Committee $50.00

ActBlue Missouri $3.95

B. ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES ALL OVER $100 AND ALL PAYMENTS TO CAMPAIGN WORKERS

Lettercraft Printing & Graphics Lee’s Summit, MO 01/20/2010 Campaign Envelopes $220.58

Heroes Restaurant Warrensburg, MO 02/18/2010 Reception $226.81

Fundraising!

The second of two Democratic Party candidates, Holmes Osborne, filed his first quarter campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 9th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe: OSBORNE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

ReportDate:

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $0.00

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $2,485.00

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $2,485.00

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $981.57

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $1,503.43

35. TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 29 + 30 + 31 – 32 – 33 – 34) $0.00

[emphasis added]

Okay. Let’s see where the money came from:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: OSBORNE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Report Date: 4/9/2010

Holmes and Candace Osborne Bates City, MO 03/05/2010 $300.00

Paul Bennett Lakewood, CA AT&T 03/27/2010 $500.00

12. TOTAL ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $25 OR LESS $25.00

13. TOTAL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM PERSONS GIVING $100 OR LESS $160.00

Individual contributions, no party committees, and no organizations.

The expenditures:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe: OSBORNE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

ReportDate: 4/9/2010

A. EXPENDITURES OF $100 OR LESS BY CATEGORY

Check Printing $19.95

County Clerk $54.47

Priting $69.00

Newspaper Subscriptions $66.39

Advertising $67.50

B. ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES ALL OVER $100 AND ALL PAYMENTS TO CAMPAIGN WORKERS

Visionary Marketing Plano , TX 03/22/2010 Printing $507.26

Campaign Secrets 03/31/2010 Web site $197.00

Fundraising?

Mike McGhee, the republican incumbent, filed his first quarter campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 15th:

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report

Committe: CITIZENS TO RE-ELECT MIKE MCGHEE

ReportDate:

1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $8,680.00

2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $5,450.00

9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A – 8A) $14,130.00

15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $5,204.42

28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 – 27) $8,072.36

35. TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD SUM 29 + 30 + 31 – 32 – 33 – 34) $0.00

[emphasis added.

Okay, that’s some burn rate – and he doesn’t have a primary.

Let’s take a look at where the money came from:

Detailed Summary of Contributions And Loans Received

Committee: CITIZENS TO RE-ELECT MIKE MCGHEE

Report Date: 4/15/2010

Imagine Schools-Missouri Region St. Louis, MO 3/27/2010 $5,000.00

You’ve got to be kidding me – $450.00 in individual contributions and $5000.00 from a charter school special interest. Oh, joy. That’s real grassrootsie, isn’t it?

The expenditures:

Detailed Summary of Expenditures And Contributions Made

Committe: CITIZENS TO RE-ELECT MIKE MCGHEE

ReportDate: 4/15/2010

A. EXPENDITURES OF $100 OR LESS BY CATEGORY

Meals $143.14

Advertising $186.00

Filing Fee $50.00

Sponsorship $75.00

B. ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES ALL OVER $100 AND ALL PAYMENTS TO CAMPAIGN WORKERS

Higginsville Chamber of Commerce Higginsville, MO 1/23/2010 Advertising/Dinner $200.00

Higginsville Rotary Higginsville, MO 1/29/2010 Advertising/Dinner $375.00

Higginsville Rotary Higginsville, MO 2/13/2010 $125.00

Johnson Co. Republican Central Committee Johnson Co. MO 2/23/2010 Advertising $100.00

Lafayette Co. Central Committee Lafayette Co., MO 3/1/2010 Advertising/Dinner $200.00

Three Trails Winery Lexington, MO 1/16/2010 Appreciation Dinner $140.00

R & R Buttons Pleasant Hill, MO 3/1/2010 T-Shirts $259.14

Food! Ads! T-shirts! Ah, old school political consumption of food seems to be important to Mike McGhee’s reelection campaign. Burp.

…to post photos on your campaign web site of you hanging with a republican presidential candidate.

Two Democratic Party candidates, Gary Grigsby and Holmes Osborne, have filed in the 122nd Legislative District to challenge incumbent Mike McGhee (r – birther). Holmes Osborne has some interesting content on his campaign web site.

From Holmes Osborne’s campaign web site.

That Mitt Romney, the republican presidential candidate and hypocritical health care reform scold? Yeah, that would be a great association to emphasize in trying to persuade all those Democratic Party voters making a decision in a Democratic primary.