By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, November 09, 2006 at 8:58 AM
UPDATE: Coleman has retained her leadership position. Labels: Announcements, Black_Caucus, State_Senate
Democrats in the state legislature are in Jefferson City today to meet and select their leaders. For some time it has been rumored that State Sen. Maida Coleman, the current minority floor leader, will be challenged for her post. Back in September, Coleman sat down with PUB DEF to discuss this challenge.
Sources tell PUB DEF that Coleman's future might rest on the vote of her newest colleague, State Senator-elect Jeff Smith. A vote by Smith for Coleman would help insure his fellow St. Louis Democrat another term leading the Senate's minority party.
But if Smith were to instead vote for Sen. Chuck Graham, who is challenging Coleman for the position, it would help place control of the Democrat's House and Senate agenda squarely in Columbia, MO, which is where Graham and House Minority Leader Jeff Harris are both from.
The Democrats will meet to vote at noon.
And in the Legislative Black Caucus... there is word that State Rep. Rodney Hubbard (St. Louis City) will be challenging State Rep. John Bowman (St. Louis County) for the chairmanship.
Though the caucus' rules have stated that the chairmanship should alternate between City, County and Kansas City legislators, Bowman (who is the current chairman) lobbied to have that rule changed.
Check back later for more...
UPDATE: Coleman has retained her leadership position.
UPDATE 2: From Sen. Coleman's office:
After a two-seat pick up two days ago, Missouri Senate Democrats returned Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis) to her position as Minority Floor Leader during the first caucus meeting of the new Senate members.
"While Missouri didn’t make the dramatic gains of Democrats at the national level, picking up two Senate seats and five House seats is notable," she said. "Missouri is a cautious state, but we laid the groundwork for 2008."
Sen. Coleman said the Democrats look forward to working with the Republican majority, especially on key issues like restoring the Medical Assistance for the Working Disabled program. She added that she hopes the House can be convinced to pass the strong Medicaid provider fraud bill which passed the Senate last year.
Other leadership positions went to Sen. Chuck Graham of Columbia, Assistant Minority Floor Leader; newly re-elected Sen. Frank Barnitz of Lake Spring, Caucus Chairman; and Sen. Yvonne Wilson of Kansas City, Caucus Secretary.
Sen. Coleman emphasized that the Democratic caucus is strongly united and will be acting in the best interests of Missouri’s citizenry.
"Democrats will be outlining our legislative priorities more fully in the coming weeks," she said. "I hope Republicans will take notice of the changing political air nationally and in Missouri and focus on solving problems."
3 Comments:
Why would Smith support Chuck Graham? Is there reason to change minority leadership?
11/09/2006 11:20 AM
Jeff Smith's close ties to Mayor's Office have many white liberals and African Americans concerned that he has sold out. Mayor's Office has really set race relations in this town back. Wouldn't be at all surprising if Mayor's Office allies would preferentially support someone white over someone black [I'm assuming Chuck Graham is white, here.]
11/11/2006 9:02 AM
Jeff Smith hasn't sold out. He's playing the game. Maida Coleman supported Rep. Amber Boykins for the 4th Senatorial District seat, in the newspaper she was quoted as not having made any endorsement.
Coleman can't fight like a man and then cry like a woman.
12/06/2006 7:13 PM
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