By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

There hasn’t been a time, in recent memory anyway, when the Joplin area had members in leadership positions in both the Missouri Senate and House at the same time.

“Even though this is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the state, it has never happened before,” said state Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin.

But the political planets could align for Joplin in the next few weeks.

State Rep. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, is vying for the top job in the Missouri House. Republican legislators, as part of the Sept. 12 veto session, will decide who will be speaker of the House beginning in 2009.

Richard is seeking the post, as is state Rep. Allen Icet, R-Wildwood. The post being sought by Richard and Icet, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee, is a cre-ation of current Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill. The position is designed to give his replacement — in the term-limited Legislature — a running start before taking office. The speaker-elect would work with Jetton for the next year and in 2009 would assume the top job in the House — if the GOP keeps its majority and if Richard is re-elected in 2008.

Nodler, meanwhile, recently was named chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. He has been in Senate leadership since 2005, when he was elected assistant majority floor leader. He resigned that post because the appropriations chairman is an automatic member of Senate leadership.

Though Nodler also has filed papers that would position him for a possible run for statewide office, he said he has not decided if he will make a statewide run. Nodler reported a balance of more than $104,000 in his campaign fund after the 2006 election.

“I haven’t decided, but I’ll need those resources if I do, and I don’t want to liquidate the fund in a way that’s not well thought out,” he said. “Keeping it active also allows me to make contributions to other candidates.”

In the 2006 election cycle, Richard’s campaign fund contributed more than $53,000 to other candidates and campaigns. Donations included $17,000 to the House Republican Campaign Committee, plus contributions to nearly 40 House candidates, and a dozen other candidates running for the Missouri Senate or other state offices. He reported more than $33,000 in cash on hand after the November election.

Nodler made nearly $16,000 in contributions to other candidates’ campaigns — 13 in state Senate races — in 2006.

“From my experience,” said Jack Cardetti, communications director for the Missouri Democratic Party, “they are two vastly different legislators. Most of that is the approach they take.”

Benefits flow

Having two people in positions of power, regardless of party, could lift a community’s profile in the Capitol and put more of its issues on the radar in Jefferson City.