8th District candidates kept away from Capitol by campaigns

A review of roll call votes for two Congressional candidates serving in the Missouri House of Representatives shows how running for office can interfere with the daily work of a legislator, contrary to the promises most will make when about to embark on a campaign.

Jason Smith, who represents the 120th House District and serves as the House's speaker pro tem, missed 23 full days, or 42 percent, of the legislative session through Thursday since he was nominated Feb. 9 by a congressional committee to run as a Republican in an upcoming special election. That election, set for June 4 in the 30-county 8th Congressional District, will decide a replacement for former congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, who resigned in January. While the last official day of the General Assembly session was Friday, the entire roll call record for that day is not yet available. Smith also missed casting more than two votes on legislation an additional nine days, between Feb. 9 and May 16, according to the daily journal of the Missouri House.

Steve Hodges, a Democrat who represents the 149th House District, missed three full days, or 6 percent, since his nomination Feb. 16, and was recorded in the journal as missing more than two votes on another 12 days.

The number of roll call votes taken in the Missouri House each day can range from as few as one to more than 100. There also are several days each session when no votes are held.

A comparison of years past with the just-ended session shows the time missed was out of the ordinary for Smith, who has an attendance record of above 90 percent in every legislative session in which he was a House member. Smith first was elected to represent the 120th District in a 2005 special election.

Hodges' attendance percentage since he was elected in 2006 also is above 90 percent.

In an interview after his nomination Feb. 9, Smith said he would keep his House leadership position despite having to campaign for Congress.

"I can multi-task," Smith said. "In case you haven't met me or know me very well, I can handle a lot at one time. I don't think it's going to be any problem whatsoever. We're going to have a very effective General Assembly this coming session, and at the same time we are going to be running the best campaign Southeast Missouri has ever seen."

Hodges' campaign staff has not hesitated to take Smith to task for missing time in the House to campaign.

"Where in the world is Jason Smith?" topped an April 30 release sent by Hodges' campaign manager, Jake Breymaier.

"Jason Smith has neglected to show up for work," Breymaier said in the release. "That would usually get you fired but apparently Smith has a different set of rules. Smith has failed to represent his district on important pieces of gun legislation, tax cuts and abortion laws. Yet that does not stop him from collecting tens of thousands of dollars in his taxpayer-paid salary."

State representatives receive an annual salary of $35,915, plus payments of $104 each day they are present.

Hodges' campaign also has pointed out that Smith missed session days because he was traveling to Washington, D.C.

Smith confirmed he has taken several trips there since his nomination, including one during which he met with the National Republican Campaign Committee.

While the question of Smith from Hodges' campaign is one of mostly missing days, the Missouri Republican Party has attacked Hodges through statements for not casting votes when he was at the capitol but collecting per diem pay.

Hodges admitted he has missed some votes even while present during the session, but said there are explanations -- stepping away from the floor to deal with constituent concerns is one.

"Very, very rarely have I missed votes," he said.

Smith's campaign staff pointed to Hodges' attending Friday's session, but leaving early, among instances in which he has collected per diem but did not vote on all proposed legislation.

Hodges left the Capitol at 1 p.m. Friday to travel to Jackson for a family member's funeral services.

"If [Smith] is wanting to criticize me for missing a couple votes, he was the sponsor of a couple bills and he wasn't even there to vote on the bills that he sponsored," Hodges said. "How can you go back, and look at the people you represent, and they know that, and justify it in any way? You can go and say, 'Well, I was working on the congressional race,' but if you do that there, what are you going to do in D.C.?"

"No one wants to miss a vote," Smith said. "There's no question about that. But I've never been someone who just goes [to Jefferson City] and just casts a vote and collects my per diem. I say that because people don't want someone in Washington, D.C., that's just going to be a wallflower and not push policy."

Smith was the lead sponsor of two bills this session, both of which received approval by the General Assembly. One will place a constitutional amendment before voters in 2014 that Smith said would protect the rights of farmers. The other, if signed by Gov. Jay Nixon, will require a special election be held in case of a vacancy in the lieutenant governor's office. For that reason, and because of other legislation passed by the House and Senate dealing with workers' compensation, an income-tax cut and "protecting Second Amendment rights," Smith called the session a successful one and said he felt he was able to fulfill his leadership role despite missing time in session.

"I have no doubt that I have been very effective as speaker pro tem," Smith said. "Just because I may have missed votes, or in some cases days, I was constantly on the phone with members back at the Capitol, and dealing with issues and problems and advising them on ways to direct policy."

A review of the journals since the start of the session in January through Thursday shows Hodges missed 171 votes and cast 595, while Smith missed 462 votes and cast 304.

During the session, Smith did not vote for or against final approval of measures that would eliminate a tax credit for low-income disabled and seniors who are renters, one that would require unions to receive annual consent to automatically deduct fees out of members' paychecks and a measure that would reduce income taxes for individuals and businesses, along with not voting for or against a proposed constitutional amendment that would have levied a 1-cent sales tax for transportation projects.

Hodges did not vote for or against the final approval of a bill that would add money back into the "Second Injury Fund," a fund for disabled workers, and additionally change the way people are compensated for job-related illnesses. Hodges also missed some votes on the state budget.

eragan@semissourian.com

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