PERRYVILLE, Mo. – The Friends of Tilley committee will soon cease to be, having transferred the remaining $562,500.00 to Missouri Majority PAC, which former speaker, candidate and current lobbyist Steve Tilley said will be focused on “growing the majority.”
Tilley flirted with a run for lieutenant governor in 2012. The committee accrued a war chest that once held well over $1 million. The Friends of Tilley committee has been used in the last years to support candidate-lawmakers, primarily in the Republican Party, which continues to hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate despite resignations.
“Since dropping my bid for lieutenant governor in 2011, I have often considered re-entering the political arena as a candidate,” Tilley said. “But the more I have been able to spend time with my family and work to grow my governmental relations business, I have come to realize that elected office is not the direction I wish to pursue. I spent nearly 8 years away from my family on the road helping electing Republicans to the Missouri House. I am extremely proud of the work we accomplished but it is not something that I wish to, again, pursue. I have decided to close my campaign committee and the remaining funds- funds that were largely raised from Republican contributors to help elect Republicans – have been contributed to the MO Majority PAC to continue to help advance the conservative cause and candidates in Missouri.”
Eddy Justice of Poplar Bluff was originally set to be the committee’s treasurer, but Justice said he needed to focus his energies on his role with the the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC).
“I have always been a strong supporter of conservative causes, helping Republicans win elections, and promoting unity in the state and Southern Missouri,” said Justice. “I have helped run organizations that support Republican Candidates as well, like MO Majority PAC. However, I believe this next election will play a critical role in the future of our state and country and I think it’s best to remain focused on my biggest priority, which is promoting and protecting the Republican Supermajority in the MO House with HRCC. Because of this, I am stepping out of MO Majority PAC and sticking with what has worked so well over the past 5 years.”
The monies were contributed to the PAC on August 21.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
