JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — St. Louis area Senator Joe Keaveny was elected Minority Floor Leader for senate Democrats during their caucus meeting earlier today. The small senate minority elected their full leadership team in the Capitol this afternoon.
Keaveny’s primary opponent was Sen. Paul LeVota of Kansas City, who served as minority leader when he was a House Representative. Keaveny’s ascension to minority leader also provides some hints into 2016. Sen. Scott Sifton, widely considered a prime candidate for a leadership role or a run for Attorney General, declined a nomination for Caucus Secretary at today’s meeting.
Earlier today, former House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, announced he was taking a fellowship position with the newly created Hammond Institute. Jones was widely rumored to be mulling his own run for Attorney General in 2016. His announcement that he will not seek statewide office leaves Sifton and Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia — who has already announced his AG intentions — set for a likely match-up in 2016.
Keaveny said he had very strong working relationships with Republican Senate Pro Tem Tom Dempsey and Senate Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, and that he anticipated more across the aisle bargaining in 2015. Last year, Republicans and Democrats in leadership struck a deal to kill “paycheck protection,” “Right-to-Work,” and voter ID bills in exchange for Democrats agreeing not to filibuster a controversial measure tripling the mandatory waiting period for abortions.
Keaveny said compromise was the only way the senate functioned properly.
“I think you can expect to see more bargains like that,” Keaveny said. “That’s how the senate functions, sitting down with Republican leadership and hashing out some agreements. That’s what’s in everybody’s best interest.”
Democrats elected St. Louis area senator Gina Walsh as Assistant Minority Floor Leader, Sen. KiKi Curls of Kansas City was chosen for Caucus Chair, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal will serve as Minority Whip and Sen. Jason Holsman was selected as Caucus Secretary.
Keaveny said he remained optimistic on Medicaid Expansion, a flagship issue for Missouri Democrats. Keaveny said he hoped to be able to negotiate “some form” of Medicaid expansion.
“I’m going to put a lot of work into that,” Keaveny said. “I’m still very optimistic that there is room for some kind of agreement on expansion. And if [Dempsey] is not of that mindset, and I’m not aware that he is, then we need to talk about that.”
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
