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TWMP in Kansas City: Cierpiot and election analysis

On a special edition of This Week in Missouri Politics, the show hits Kansas City to celebrate its move into the KC television market. Scott Faughn sits down with one of the area’s most influential lawmakers in House Majority Floor Leader Mike Cierpiot.

They discuss Donald Trump’s chances of winning Missouri by double digits, the rest of the Republican Party’s statewide ticket’s chances and the contentious fights in some of the Kansas City area’s House districts. Cierpiot also talks Sen. Roy Blunt’s neck-and-neck race with Democratic challenger Jason Kander for his seat,

“For far too long, I think Mr. Kander was not viewed as he is,” Cierpiot said. “He’s farther left than most people realize.”

The panel, including Rep. Jon Carpenter, Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, Danny Pfeifer, and Rep. Glen Kolkmeyer, talks about the gubernatorial election and Eric Greitens’ continued climb in the polls against Attorney General Chris Koster.

“There’s a lot of mudslinging on both sides, but Greitens now has the momentum here at the end and I’m hopeful he can pull this off,” Kolkmeyer said.

They also talk about Kander’s continued success in his campaign against Blunt, downballot races in KC, and a few issues pertinent to Kansas City like the border war between Missouri and Kansas in the city, and the fight against the earnings tax.

“What it proves is that it’s not scaring people off,” Carpenter said. “People are choosing to move into Kansas City… and are not scared away at all by that tax.”

TWMP will air at 11:00 a.m. in the St. Louis area on ABC 30 KDNL, in the Kansas City area on 38 the Spot at 10:00 a.m. and in mid-Missouri on KRCG at 6:00 a.m. The show is available online at 11:00 a.m. at twmp.tv.