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Factional warfare marks passage of Republican priority as Freedom Caucus members denounce leadership for stripping out provisions labeled ‘ballot candy.’
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Missouri GOP leaders say they aren’t worried that potential disunity during the 2024 primary races will hurt their general election chances in November. Plus: Two companies in Kansas are trying to build the state’s first underground carbon dioxide storage sites.
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Big wins in statewide offices and the legislature have helped create bitter factionalism within the Missouri GOP. But since former President Trump is likely to take the state easily in November, many GOP officials aren’t worried about what’s to come.
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One of the bills would have allowed concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms onto public transportation like buses, and inside places of worship. The other would have exempted firearms and ammunition from both state and local sales taxes.
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The proposed ballot item, pushed by a longtime GOP political operative, would have allowed for abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. But another ballot campaign to legalize abortion in Missouri is already underway.
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As Republican lawmakers voted down amendments aimed at legalizing abortion in cases of rape or incest, one state senator defended the decision, saying, "God does not make mistakes."
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A small band of far-right conservative state senators in Missouri has drawn the ire of even their fellow Republicans. Their goal is to make it even harder to change the state constitution for issues like protecting abortion rights. And they might succeed.
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Abortion rights advocates said cutting funding to Planned Parenthood would be a "devastating blow" to Missouri's public health safety net. The Missouri Supreme Court previously struck down a state budget that would exclude abortion providers from receiving Medicaid reimbursements.
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Missouri Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin said she "absolutely" would vote to remove Sen. Bill Eigel from the chamber. Eigel and the other five members of the far-right Freedom Caucus have filibustered almost every day since the session began on Jan. 3.
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The far-right group of lawmakers have repeatedly clashed with Republican leaders. The actions from the Missouri Senate's leader comes days after the Missouri Freedom Caucus successfully held up a set of gubernatorial appointments from being approved.
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More than a dozen Missouri House and Senate members have formed the Missouri Freedom Caucus, which argues that GOP leaders haven’t pushed far enough for conservative priorities. They also decried the growth of the state budget, driven in part by an influx of money from the federal government.
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U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, has served in Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District since 2009. His retirement could kick off a competitive Republican primary.