Dottie Bailey
A classic Tea Party vs. RINO battle is taking place in a safely Republican state representative district in southwest St. Louis County (mostly Eureka and parts of Pacific and Wildwood). It’s a battle for the soul of the Republican Party that demands your attention, even if, like me, you don’t live anywhere near the district.
I proudly endorse Dottie Bailey, who has been a Tea Party activist for several years. Bill Hennessy, co-founder of the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition, is her campaign treasurer. She is actively engaged in the grassroots activity of Heritage Action for America (a political affiliate of The Heritage Foundation) as a Sentinel. Her efforts to curb abuses by the unaccountable Consumer Finance Protection Bureau were recognized on a national level when Heritage Action honored her with a plaque on its national Wall of Honor. She was also in the forefront of the Tea Party’s humanitarian BUYcott to save small Ferguson businesses (mostly minority owned) after the Michael Brown riots in 2014. Hennessy has written extensively about her efforts here and here.
But it was Dottie’s interaction with her children’s school district that led directly to this contest. Bill Hennessy reports how she attends school board meetings, demanding the district promote liberty and sound fiscal management. She protested the district’s recklessness and cronyism, which had prompted former State Auditor Tom Schweich to give the district a failing grade. When this state rep seat opened up unexpectedly this year with the retirement of respected conservative Rep. Kirk Matthews, Dottie filed for the seat. Days later, Matt Doell, a director from the school board, filed against her in the Republican primary. Another school board director serves as his campaign treasurer and the current board president wrote his campaign a check.
The contest has turned into a classic Establishment vs. Grassroots battle. As of July 26, Doell had outraised Dottie, $33,381 to $25,665. Dottie hates having to ask people for money. What Dottie has instead is an army of enthusiastic volunteers, as well as her own personal work ethic. Hennessy reports that Dottie has already knocked on 3,000 doors. She also has the support of respected conservative leaders, including current State Rep. Kirk Matthews, County Councilman Mark Harder, and former House Speaker Tim Jones, who represented this area.
To see the battle lines, follow the money. Doell’s big contributors are primarily contractors and their employees, individuals with Democrat, labor or establishment Republican ties, and the education establishment. The big money is from contractors, with the Government Affairs Committee of the St. Louis Chapter National Electrical Contractors Association, AGC of MO PAC, ASA Midwest PAC, Mason Contractors Association and employees of electrical contractors pitching in over $10,000. This includes an individual $500 donation from Guarantee Electric’s David Gralike, whose late father Donald Gralike was president of IBEW Local 1 and a Democratic state senator. (I have been unable to confirm whether Doell contributor Tim Green is the former north county Democratic state senator of that name.) Ray Wagner, husband of RINO Congresswoman Ann Wagner, donated $500, and his employer’s PAC, Enterprise Holdings PAC, added another $750. Better Schools for Missouri PAC donated $1,000 to Doell, and the Missouri State Teachers Association Legislative Impact Committee added another $250. Both of those “education” PACs mainly support teachers unions and donate primarily to Democrats. The Swamp.
In contrast, Dottie’s PAC money comes from traditional conservative sources, including $500 from Leadership for America, the leadership PAC of former Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones, and $500 from Missouri Club for Growth. Her largest PAC contribution was $2,600 from the Next Generation GOP PAC. David Humphreys, the conservative businessman Claire McCaskill loves to hate, pitched in $2,600 earlier this month. World Wide Technology’s David Steward donated $500, and his CL PAC added another $1,000. Where Dottie has clearly outraised Doell is from individuals contributing $100 or less. Grassroots. If you would like to add your own grassroots contribution to Dottie, you can do so here.
Jefferson City needs Dottie’s principled conservative voice.
The Unablogger 
