MISSOURI POLITICAL BUG PRESS AVAILABILITY -FRIDAY MARCH 30TH

Rod Jetton has started a campaign analysis service designed to provide political observers with the in-depth information needed to make informed decisions regarding Missouri elections.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO- The Missouri Political Bug, founded by Rod Jetton, is a campaign analysis service covering Missouri House, Senate and statewide campaigns as well as congressional politics, political developments and ballot initiatives in Missouri.  The Missouri Political Bug (MPB) is a non-partisan service; it will neither endorse candidates nor advocate positions on matters of public policy.

Redistricting has dramatically changed the political landscape in Missouri. Recent court challenges have compounded that change and have added to the uncertainty surrounding the new legislative lines. Many state associations, lobbyists, corporate industries, private donors, PAC’s, candidates, and partisan groups want to know how the new districts will affect the 2012 elections.   MPB has begun researching the voting histories of these new districts.  Now that the maps have been finalized and filing has closed they will start district visits, along with candidate interviews, to assess the upcoming elections.  MPB will then issue status reports and predictions based on their analysis of the research.       

Jetton stated, “The goal of MPB will be to provide unbiased and objective information that will help capitol observers reliably predict the winners of House, Senate and statewide campaigns as well as ballot initiatives in Missouri.” He plans to accomplish this by conducting exhaustive research on all Missouri candidates and their campaigns.  This research will cover the key factors that effect political races, including: fundraising activities, press relations, issue stances, grassroots organization and paid media efforts.

Jetton will be available next Friday, March 30th to meet with members of the media and answer questions.

WHO- Missouri Political Bug Publisher- Rod Jetton

WHAT- Press availability

WHEN- March 30, 10:00am

WHERE- SOS Building 600 W. Main St. Jefferson City, Mo 65101

WHY- Answer questions about The Missouri Political Bug, a campaign analysis service

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Who Created The Missouri Political Bug?

Speaker Jetton presiding over session

The Missouri Political Bug was created by Rod Jetton the former Speaker of the Missouri House.  Rod has a wide-ranging background in politics, and his experiences in county, state, and federal campaigns have provided him with a wealth of knowledge to draw upon.  Rod first came on the Missouri political scene as a campaign worker for Congressman Bill Emerson.  After working on Emerson’s 1990 re-election, he joined the United States Marine Corps.  When he returned home he was elected Bollinger County Commissioner in 1996, he was the youngest commissioner in the State of Missouri.

In 2000 he was elected to the Missouri House and as the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) chair in 2002 Rod’s abilities were a key reason the Republican’s won the majority after 48 years of Democrat control. His caucus quickly elected him to leadership and he is the only Missouri Speaker to serve four years since term limits started in 1998.  Since 2002 he has crisscrossed Missouri recruiting candidates, raising money and listening to community leader’s concerns about state government.  Those efforts have provided him with a long list of political contacts, which gives him a unique insight of Missouri’s political landscape.  Even though he is a Republican, Rod’s ability to work with the minority party and advance bipartisan issues has endeared him to both Republicans and Democrats alike. His efforts to give the minority party a larger voice by changing the House rules were appreciated by his fellow Democrats and are still being used today.  

Rod’s ability to predict winners is legendary. Here are his past House forecasts. 

                                        Rod's Forecast             Actual Results

	ROD’S FORECAST		ACTUAL RESULTS
	REPUBLICANS	DEMOCRATS	REPUBLICANS	DEMOCRATS
2002	91	72	90	73
2004	96	67	97	66
2006	95	71	95	71
2008	93	70	82	71
2010	101	62	106	57

In 2002 most experts discounted him as a foolish freshman until the results came in.  In 2004 he again proved everyone wrong, but by 2006 his political insights were being sought out by Democrats and Republicans alike. After leaving the legislature Rod began consulting on federal, state and local campaigns winning over 90% of his races.  In 2008 he continued his accurate assumptions, and in 2010 he was the only person to predict the Republicans would crack 100 seats.  Most laughed at his 101-62 prophesy, but after the campaigns were over and the dust cleared nobody was laughing. 

Rod predicts winners with accuracy because he knows the nuts and bolts of how campaigns are won.  Community and political leaders trust his judgment because he knows how to sift through the exaggerations and spin most candidates and party committees provide donors and voters.  No one knows the different and varied districts of Missouri better than Rod.  His ability to interpret polling data, call local leaders and gauge how fundraising or issues will effect a race are why Democrats, Republicans, lobbyists, PAC’s, and state association leaders all seek his insights on Missouri campaigns.