The Missouri Times editor Kaitlyn Schallhorn and business manager Conner Kerrigan sat down to recap an eventful week in Missouri politics over French 75s on the first-ever “Third Read” podcast.
The conversation covered this weeks’ campaign news as Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Gov. Eric Greitens announced their bids for U.S. Senator Roy Blunt’s seat in 2022.
“It is officially campaign season and we are off to the races,” Schallhorn said. “As of right now, it is the tale of two Erics who are vying for Senator Roy Blunt’s seat. Both of these men are Republicans, both officially announced their campaigns with a Fox News appearance, and both are also really promising to be fighters and touting their connections or defense of former President Donald Trump.”
The pair discussed the announcements this week as well as other possible contenders and Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s 2024 gubernatorial bid.
The discussion also recapped this week’s action in the legislature where a provision from Sen. Brian Williams banning the use of chokeholds by police officers was perfected as part of another bill. Another measure seeing action this week was the House education savings account (ESA) bill that was heard in a Senate committee this week.
Schallhorn also spoke with national Politico correspondent Gabby Orr about the response to Blunt’s announcement in Washington D.C.
“I think a lot of people were surprised because there are so many other vulnerable Republicans who are facing re-election in 2022 that the Senate map to begin with for the Republican Party was already not looking great,” Orr said. “You throw a fairly safe seat into the mix on top of all that and it was kind of a headache that a lot of Republican leaders weren’t expecting.
Listen to the full “Third Read” podcast here.
