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By Emily Schultheis (
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DRIVING THE DAY-JOHNSON'S DECISION: South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson is expected to announce his retirement at a 3 p.m. CST press conference in his home state, which will make him the seventh incumbent Senator and the fifth Democrat to do so for the 2014 cycle.

WHO COULD RUN? The AP looks at the two top Democratic recruits in the race: "Aware that Johnson might decide to retire, Democrats in South Dakota and nationally have discussed possible successors on the ticket, including Johnson's son Brendan, South Dakota's U.S. attorney. The younger Johnson Monday said in an interview that he was unaware of his father's decision and declined to discuss whether he would seek the office. Former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, a contemporary of Brendan Johnson and another heir to a South Dakota Democratic legacy, also is looking at running. A granddaughter of former South Dakota Gov. Ralph Herseth, Herseth Sandlin served six years in the
U.S. House before being defeated for re-election in 2010. Action within Johnson's party is expected quickly."
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A Public Policy Polling survey late last week found Herseth Sandlin leading Brendan Johnson in a potential Democratic primary, 68 percent to 16 percent. On the GOP side, former Gov. Mike Rounds would lead Rep. Kristi Noem 43 percent to 39 percent. Full results:
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SAME-SEX MARRIAGE COMES TO SCOTUS: Gay rights activists are descending on the Supreme Court today for Hollingsworth v. Perry, which considers the constitutionality California's Prop 8. Tomorrow, the Court will hear U.S. v. Windsor, on whether the federal Defense of Marriage Act is constitutional. Josh Gerstein raises the curtain on expectations for the two cases: "For all the toasting in Washington and excitement among gay rights groups about the historic oral arguments this week, there's still a chance the case could culminate in a loss. Under the worst-case scenario for gay rights groups, the court could uphold both California's Proposition 8 and the federal law Defense of Marriage Act -
extending no new rights to gay couples looking to marry or take advantage of federal benefits extended to opposite-sex couples. But gay rights activists say this wouldn't have the impact of Plessy v. Ferguson - the 1896 decision that left "separate but equal" the law of the land until Brown v. Board of Education six decades later."
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EXCLUSIVE: DCCC CALLS RYAN BUDGET 'ROBIN HOOD IN REVERSE': The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is keeping up its attacks on House Republicans for backing the Ryan budget. In a new video out this morning, the group will hit the GOP budget as "Robin Hood in reverse," quoting from pundits and news reports about the effect the budget would have on middle-class families. "The Republican budget: Help the rich get richer. Soak the middle class and seniors," the video says. Watch:
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FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD-

1) Will there be a Democratic primary in South Dakota's Senate race?

2) Do red-state Dems up in 2014 say anything new about same-sex marriage with all eyes on the two Supreme Court cases?
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3) Will any other incumbent Republicans follow Rob Portman's lead on marriage?
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4) How much does President Obama push immigration while Congress is on recess?

5) Does Ken Cuccinelli move past the slavery and abortion story?
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As Bob McDonnell makes moves on transportation, Mark Sanford gets his runoff opponent and Rick Scott finds some outside support, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your guide to the permanent campaign.

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR-MCDONNELL WILL TWEAK TRANSPORTATION PLAN: Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, up against a midnight deadline to act on a slew of legislation - including the state's huge transportation package - is expected to change some measures in the bill to allow for locality-specific taxes in northern Virginia and Hampton Roads to raise revenue for regional projects, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch. GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli opposed the plan, putting McDonnell on the same side as Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe on the issue.
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DRIVING THE WEEK IN VIRGINIA-DEMS GO AFTER CUCCINELLI ON INVESTMENTS: Democrats in Virginia this week are focusing their attacks on Cuccinelli's ties to a company the Attorney General's Office is defending for unpaid taxes in the state. Per an AP report last week, Cuccinelli received $13,000 in gifts from the company's CEO and is the only company in which Cuccinelli owns stock. "Cuccinelli's cozy relationship with a company that failed to pay $700,000 worth of taxes and is now engaged in a lawsuit with the Attorney General's Office raises serious questions about the level of transparency and accountability Cuccinelli is bringing to his job," the state party will say in a release today,
asking Cuccinelli to answer questions about his relationship with the company, Star Scientific, and how specifically he knows the company's CEO. The AP contacted Cuccinelli's office, and representatives there said Cuccinelli is trying to move the case along but "the attorney has stated he is extremely busy with another significant litigation matter.'
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MASSACHUSETTS SENATE-DEMS TELL BILLIONAIRE TO STAY OUT: Both Democratic candidates in the Massachusetts special election to replace Sen. John Kerry have blasted California billionaire Tom Steyer for his plans to make the proposed Keystone XL pipeline an issue in the race. Steyer, a former hedge fund manager, has said he'll campaign against Rep. Stephen Lynch on the issue if Lynch doesn't drop his support for the pipeline. Both Lynch and Markey have said Steyer's threat would violate the "People's Pledge," the pledge both candidates signed to keep outside ads out of the campaign. Steyer, on the other hand, says there are ways he could get involved without running ads and violating the pledge
directly, such as phonebanking and holding rallies. The moves by Steyer come just over a month ahead of the April 30 primary.
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NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR-CHRISTIE CLARIFIES ON 'CONVERSION THERAPY': After getting a lot of heat from Democrats over whether he supports the use of 'gay conversion therapy,' New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie voiced his opposition to the practice late last week. His Democratic opponent, state Sen. Barbara Buono, called his delay in responding "disgusting," and the Democratic Governors' Association raised money off the issue. From the Star-Ledger: "'Governor Christie does not believe in conversion therapy,' spokesman Kevin Roberts said in a statement. 'There is no mistaking his point of view on this when you look at his own prior statements where he makes clear that people's sexual
orientation is determined at birth.' Roberts declined to say why Christie crystallized his opinion overnight, or whether he would sign a bill pending in the Legislature that would ban the practice of trying to 'convert' gays to become straight. Christie remains opposed to same-sex marriage."
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LOS ANGELES MAYOR-CLINTON FOR GREUEL: Bill Clinton jumped into the Los Angeles mayoral race Monday when he endorsed City Controller Wendy Greuel. "In her many years of public service in Los Angeles ... Wendy has personified good, honest and effective government, improving the lives of countless Angelenos while saving millions of their tax dollars," Clinton wrote in a letter, per the LA Times. "And she's not done yet. Los Angeles is a great city with equally great challenges, so it's vital that Angelenos elect a proven, creative problem solver to lead them. That's Wendy Greuel. I urge you to join me in supporting her for mayor of Los Angeles." Clinton has a history of endorsing people
who either served in his administration or backed his wife's presidential campaign in 2008; Greuel, who worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Clinton and also endorsed Hillary Clinton early on, fits the mold on both fronts. She'll face City Councilman Eric Garcetti in the May 21 runoff election.
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SOUTH CAROLINA SPECIAL-IT'S SANFORD VS. BOSTIC: After last Tuesday's crowded GOP primary in the special election in South Carolina's 1st district, former Gov. Mark Sanford and former Charleston City Councilman Curtis Bostic are fighting in the final week of a two-week runoff to face Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch in the general election. Both candidates have started to pick up endorsements from former rivals in the race: Ray Nash, Keith Blandford, Jeff King, Sean Pinkston and Elizabeth Moffly have backed Sanford, while John Kuhn endorsed Bostic. Sanford's the favorite to win the runoff: he took 37 percent in the March 19 primary, compared with Bostic's 13 percent.
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MORE IN SOUTH CAROLINA-Joe Biden will speak at the S.C. Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on May 3, just four days before the special election on May 7. He's not appearing for Colbert Busch directly, but his presence in the state so close before the election will be a last-minute boost to her campaign.
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2014 NEWS-

BACHMANN FACES ETHICS PROBE: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is reportedly under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics for alleged campaign finance violations during her 2012 presidential bid, but her attorney said Monday that the congresswoman has done nothing wrong. "There are no allegations that the congresswoman engaged in any wrongdoing. We are constructively engaged with the OCE and are confident that at the end of their review the OCE Board will conclude that Congresswoman Bachmann did not do anything inappropriate," Bachmann attorney William McGinley told POLITICO.Per the Daily Beast, which first reported the probe, Bachmann is under investigation for under-the-table
payments by staffers and improper money transfers by the campaign.
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VIRGINIA SENATE-WARNER BACKS MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who's up for reelection next year, announced on his Facebook page Monday that he's in favor of same-sex marriage - joining a slew of politicians on both sides of the aisle who've spoken out on the issue in the last few weeks. "I support marriage equality because it is the fair and right thing to do," he said in the post. "Like many Virginians and Americans, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and this is the inevitable extension of my efforts to promote equality and opportunity for everyone." He's one of a handful of Senators to voice his support for same-sex marriage in advance of this week's Supreme Court cases.
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FLORIDA GOVERNOR-SUPER PAC TOUTS SCOTT'S RECORD: Florida Gov. Rick Scott, whose reelection bid will be one of the most-watched governor's races of the 2014 cycle, is already getting a boost from an outside group with an online ad touting job growth in the state. It shows Scott speaking about the unemployment rate falling to 7.8 percent, the first time in five years that it's dropped below the national average. Scott, who's struggled from consistently low approval ratings, will face a difficult reelection battle next year. Watch:
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OHIO GOVERNOR-SUTTON OUT: Former Rep. Betty Sutton announced last weekend that she won't run against GOP Gov. John Kasich, essentially clearing the field for Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald to challenge Kasich next year. "I will always be honored by the support and encouragement I have been given," Sutton said in a statement, "but after thoughtful consideration, I have decided that I will not run for governor in 2014." Sutton is the latest Democratic prospect to bow out: Rep. Tim Ryan and former Gov. Ted Strickland, both of whom were considered potential candidates, have already announced they're not running.
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ARKANSAS SENATE-PRYOR SPARS WITH BLOOMBERG ON GUNS: Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor pushed back against New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's $12 million ad campaign to influence the gun control debate. "I don't take gun advice from the Mayor of New York City," Pryor said in a statement Monday. "I listen to Arkansans." Pryor, a red-state Democrat who could face an uphill next year, has worked to distinguish himself from other Senate Democrats: he also recently reiterated his support for the Defense of Marriage Act, despite the slew of endorsements of same-sex marriage from both Democrats and Republicans.
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GEORGIA SENATE-BARROW HINTS AT 'SERIOUS CONSIDERATION': Most of the news in the race to fill retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss's seat next year has been on the Republican side: a handful of GOP House members are weighing runs and one congressman, Rep. Paul Broun, has already thrown his hat in the ring officially. For Democrats, though, the bench of potential candidates is comparatively shallow - so an email to supporters about the race from Rep. John Barrow, considered the party's top prospect in the race, is a welcome sign. "Some have suggested that I run for the United States Senate to replace the retiring Senator Saxby Chambliss, and I would appreciate your thoughts as I give this serious
consideration," Barrow wrote in the email last week. "I've asked my top campaign advisors to present to you how we believe the next few years will unfold politically, and how we can meet the challenges ahead."
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ARKANSAS-BEEBE VETOES VOTER ID BILL: Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe vetoed the state's proposed voter ID law, which would require all voters to show a photo ID before casting their ballots. Beebe said in his veto letter that he "believes that the bill will unnecessarily cost taxpayers money, grow bureaucracy and risk disenfranchisement of voters.' Under the current law, poll workers can ask for ID but can't stop voters from casting their ballots if they don't show it. The Republican-led state legislature plans to vote to override the veto.
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WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN-THE NEWT-SANTORUM UNITY TICKET: Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported late last week about an untold almost-alliance of the 2012 GOP primary: between Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. From the story: "As Mitt Romney struggled in the weeks leading up to the Michigan primary, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum nearly agreed to form a joint 'Unity Ticket' to consolidate conservative support and topple Romney. 'We were close,' former Representative Bob Walker, a Gingrich ally, says. 'Everybody thought there was an opportunity.' 'It would have sent shock waves through the establishment and the Romney campaign,' says John Brabender, Santorum's chief
strategist. ... But the negotiations collapsed in acrimony because Gingrich and Santorum could not agree on who would get to be president. 'In the end,' Gingrich says, 'it was just too hard to negotiate.'"
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2016 WATCH-

PRO-RAND SUPER PAC: "Stand With Rand," the slogan of Rand Paul's supporters following his 13-hour filibuster on the Senate floor earlier this month, is now the name of a new hybrid PAC supporting the pol and his libertarian values. (A hybrid PAC can both raise limited funds to give directly to a candidate and unlimited funds to run independent advertisements.) Per the Center for Public Integrity's story on the new group: "[Founder Bill Willenbrock's] Stand With Rand PAC won't just support Paul, but become an 'effort to stand for other candidates who stand for liberty,' Willenbrock said, offering Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, as examples. Stand With Rand PAC
is 'in its embryotic stage' and doesn't yet have a fundraising goal, but Willenbrock hopes to raise enough money to produce advertisements - both in and out of election season - that 'educate the public on conservative principles,' he said.'
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SCOTT WALKER is writing a book with former Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen. Per the National Review, the book will focus on his work as governor of Wisconsin, but will be autobiographical as well.
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CHRISTIE, RUBIO TOP 2016 GOP LISTS: Smart Politics takes a look at all the lists of potential 2016 GOP candidates and finds that, of 23 total potential candidates named across various lists, Chris Christie and Marco Rubio are the only ones that show up on every single one. For Democrats, the three candidates named on every list are Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo.
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LIGHTER CLICKS-

REPORTERS COVERING NEWT finally released parody lyrics about the former House Speaker that were written during the campaign.
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SARAH PALIN wore a Chick-fil-A shirt to a Phoenix Suns game.
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JON STEWART takes on President Obama's Middle East trip.
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CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The president, to paraphrase the vice president, could literally not have been any clearer." -White House spokesman Josh Earnest, poking fun at Vice President Biden's penchant for using the word "literally."
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