MOHELA Looks Short on Senate Votes

From my recent visit to Jefferson City there seem to be at least five Republican senators against or leaning against the MOHELA legislation. Some positions are fluid, but right now it puts the GOP count at 16 votes, two shy of passage.

The senators against appear to be: Bartle, Ridgeway, Lager, Purgason, and Loudon. Bartle, Purgason and Loudon's opposition is considered consistent with concerns of the Missouri Catholic Conference which fears money being used for the construction of medical facilities that do stem-cell research.

Lager, meanwhile, is said to be open to the legislation, depending on how much his district would benefit. Complicating his vote may be his association with northwest Missouri's "Graves" faction of the GOP which tangles from time to time with southwest Missouri's "Blunt" faction.

Governor Blunt has been meeting one-on-one with Democratic senators trying to peel some off. Republicans speak confidently that some senators like Chuck Graham (D) will have to vote for the bill because it would funnel so much money into their districts.

But with the restrictions on stem cell, Graham is quite clearly a No vote, according to good sources and from his own statements. Furthermore, with the Flagship Council against the current proposal, and rumors are that the university's Alumni Association will also side against the legislation, Graham has enormous cover to vote against the funding.

In theory, if the above-mentioned five GOP senators defect, Blunt only needs one Dem to create a tie - 17-17 - which could be broken by Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder. In practice, a Democratic senator, like for example Harry Kennedy, would "take a walk," be absent for the vote, denying the GOP of a tie and of the necessary 18th vote. So he needs two, which is twice as hard to get than one.