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08/09/2016 10:00 AM EDT


With Kevin Robillard, Maggie Severns and Theodoric Meyer

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro's Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races - and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day's most important campaign news - sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

ANOTHER AUGUST PRIMARY DAY - In Wisconsin ... House Speaker Paul Ryan finally got his endorsement from the Republican presidential nominee last week. But Trump's hard-to-get game probably won't matter as Ryan squares off against his primary opponent, Paul Nehlen, who POLITICO's Rachael Bade dubbed "mini-Trump." Catch up on the Wisconsin primary here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=120d6e42872bb4c0b81535f7ec36789f49612ce1a845d02d59083a80e8737349 And here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=120d6e42872bb4c0a7e0adefba84a90dc2e75625920a7af70454a5756bdfbe63

MORE PREVIEWS - In Vermont ... The Bernie Sanders legacy is driving the gubernatorial primary, a sharp departure from Gov. Peter Shumlin, who's served as more of a centrist Democrat, Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard reported last week. "Three Democratic hopefuls - former state Transportation Secretary Sue Minter, former state senator and Google executive Matt Dunne and state Sen. and former ambassador Peter Galbraith - are all running as Sanders-style progressives ahead of the Aug. 9 primary, dropping his name at every opportunity, including in campaign ads." Read up here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=120d6e42872bb4c0a9ca5ffd19c89b4629a6a56a45f5bf2a32491ee7fe5bebc4

- Battleground House districts: GOP voters will choose new standard bearers in two districts represented by retiring incumbents: John Kline's MN-02 (http://politico.pro/2aEFL4o) and Reid Ribble's WI-08 (http://politico.pro/2aEFFK1). Check out Campaign Pro's previews before the polls close tonight.

AND NOW, YOUR LOCAL TRUMP - "Blunt could prove exception to Trump rule," by Campaign Pro's Maggie Severns from Springfield, Mo.: "GOP Sen. Roy Blunt, like other Republicans up for reelection this year, has generally avoided getting tied too closely to Donald Trump so far. But in recent weeks, there have been signs that Blunt - in contrast to many others in his increasingly alarmed party - has grown more comfortable with Trump at the top of his ticket. ... Blunt's comments came the week before Trump feuded with the family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier and his poll numbers sagged around the country. But Missouri Republicans still think Blunt could prove the exception to the emerging
feeling that Trump will hurt Republicans down the ballot. ... [S]o far, it's been Blunt and the GOP airing a TV ad tying Democrat Jason Kander to his presidential ticket - not the other way around." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1be4f1e97bc4cc7355adc45d4a2eecf05e074a21a1af04299

- FLIP SIDE - "GOP senator Susan Collins: Why I cannot support Trump," a Washington Post op-ed (one that could generate some questions for Collins' battleground-state Republican neighbor, Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire): "Some will say that as a Republican I have an obligation to support my party's nominee. ... I revere the history of my party, most particularly the value it has always placed on the worth and dignity of the individual ... It is because of Mr. Trump's inability and unwillingness to honor that legacy that I am unable to support his candidacy." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1ecf4a916b3b9b232fce362d712a2555c4223aebbee582743

- CA-07 - Republican nominee Scott Jones "vowed to support Donald Trump, now says 'I don't know,'" by the Sacramento Bee's Christopher Cadelago: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb111542d37298359b5057c803a67130e8d0c4ac6c726037a3e

Days until the 2016 election: 91.

Days until the Alaska and Wyoming congressional primaries: 7.

Thank for joining us. You can email tips to the whole Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, tmeyer@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter, where we tweet a lot about campaigns and occasionally about football players who smell each other: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @theodoricmeyer and @maggieseverns.

FIRST IN SCORE - AFSCME and EMILY's List go after Ayotte: A new 30-second ad from ASCME People and Women Vote!, EMILY's List's super PAC, goes after GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte for voting with corporate interests and the Koch Brothers. The ad, titled "Mom," features a mom from Nashua discussing how she can't afford to donate to Ayotte. "In Washington, Kelly Ayotte listens to too many millionaires and not enough moms," the mom concludes. The ad is backed by $1.5 million and is airing in the Boston market from August 9 to August 22. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb12f9811a45e66f8be637301ca1da77949c0279a1c7eb31787

NEW THIS MORNING - New McCain ad focuses on Iran deal: GOP Sen. John McCain's campaign is going up with a new TV ad in Arizona, attacking Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick for supporting the Iranian nuclear deal. "U.S. sailors captured," a narrator says. "Unsanctioned missile launches. A secret cash ransom. Still, Ann Kirkpatrick proudly supports the disastrous Iran deal, which sends $55 billion to the largest sponsor of terrorism." "But John McCain has a lifetime of service," the narrator continues, as a shot of a young McCain in uniform appears. The McCain campaign is spending six figures to air the ad statewide on broadcast and cable for the next two weeks. Watch the ad:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb186f4408704cf9a8a95496e2cab5718824751987b7f6848a1

- More in Arizona ... Super PAC backing McCain airs another ad attacking Ward: Arizona Grassroots Action PAC, a super PAC supporting GOP Sen. John McCain, is airing one more TV ad attacking McCain's primary opponent, former state Sen. Kelli Ward, ahead of the Aug. 30 primary. "ISIS terrorist Mahin Khan plotted to kill Arizonans," a narrator says. "Federal and local officials stopped him," the narrator continues. "But Kelli Ward sponsored a bill that would have prevented Arizona law enforcement from sharing intelligence with national officials. What could have happened it Ward's bill had passed? Kelli Ward. Bad judgment, wrong for Arizona." The ad is part of a statewide, six-figure buy on
cable and digital. The super PAC - which has focused on attacking Ward as McCain's campaign has gone after Kirkpatrick - expects to remain on the air through the primary. Watch the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb136d0b66c54a8568908483bd0f3d9396ec3290fcc6df1b1e1

MORE ADS, ADS, ADS - In Indiana ... "The NRSC's new TV campaign in Indiana begins with an ad painting Democrat Evan Bayh as dishonest and too liberal for the state." Watch the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb191140096c2a907524fd7a75f13d16ea3389006984104859f

- In Pennsylvania ... "A new TV ad from Freedom Partners Action Fund paints Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee Katie McGinty as a politician who placed her own interests ahead of Pennsylvanians and went through the revolving door between business and government. ...Freedom Partners is spending $2 million on the new ad." Watch the ad here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1e684968148cbb516049ada4e8c94eaec204bd5c610f08ab3

FIRST IN SCORE - Group files FEC complaint over McGinty website: The conservative watchdog group Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust is asking the FEC to investigate signaling between Pennsylvania Democrat Katie McGinty and super PACs. During the Pennsylvania primary, McGinty posted notes on her website that hinted at messaging she'd like to see in ads -- like being the daughter of a police officer and the ninth of ten children -- which was then picked in outside spending up by EMILY's List. FACT alleges McGinty is "using her campaign website to coordinate illegally." Read POLITICO's story from July: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1a535b55e635b2d353b864590b27ded114f6acfbef0cd514f and the complaint:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb155fb5d938976b5da38757c51d2880dda3bc7eeff0cdcf570

- POLL POSITION - McGinty 42, Toomey 40 in Susquehanna poll: McGinty's slim advantage in the mixed-mode survey comes alongside a 47-37 advantage for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in their head-to-head presidential matchup. See the results here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb170e49751a7f92fda201162e7d946b79400d99e2265671da4

- GETTING THE NOD - Fetterman endorses McGinty: Democrat Katie McGinty finally picked up an endorsement from one of her primary opponents on Monday, as Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, a progressive favorite, backed her on a conference call with reporters. (No sign of a Joe Sestak endorsement on the horizon.) Fetterman, who attacked McGinty from the left during the primary, backed her as a clear pick over GOP Sen. Pat Toomey. "Katie and I agree on 95 out of 100 issues," he said. "We're stronger together and I'm proud to support Katie without any kind of reservations." In particular, he praised her stances on Wall Street reform, an area where she's trying to draw a contrast with Toomey.

DEPT. OF ILL-ADVISED COMMENTS - Rubio edition: The Democratic group American Bridge caught Florida Sen. Marco Rubio admitting that, because of his leadership roles in Florida's legislature, he had another legislator cast his votes for him most of the time. While totally allowed and a common practice, it might not be the best story to tell when you're under fire for missing votes in D.C. "I was never in my chair and he was, so he would vote for me, which is allowed under the rules," Rubio said at an event last week. "He voted for me. He casted 67 percent of my votes. He was pressing that button. Later that year I was named Bay County legislator of the year because of my voting record." Watch
the quick clip here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1645dfea81cf5d977a2a59584e5abbdf8bfbd245d71aaa214

- SCALING BACK - "Beruff still airing ads, but slows TV ad spending," by POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1a0aa2bccd8d252634966102ce99c93a5f9aa190ceee42817

RUMBLINGS IN TEXAS - Cruz critics urge McCaul to mount primary challenge, CNN reports: "A quiet Republican campaign to oust Sen. Ted Cruz in next cycle's Texas primary is unfolding as the conservative firebrand has launched an aggressive effort to keep his seat ahead of another likely run for the White House. In the wake of Cruz's controversial speech at the party convention where he refused to endorse Donald Trump, the Texas senator's GOP critics believe there could be a new opening for an intraparty challenge. And behind the scenes, GOP donors and Texas politicians have urged Rep. Mike McCaul to consider mounting a bid against him in 2018, according to three sources familiar with the
matter." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb124ecca6974c6d59b54bfc883405d4e4da5868a070985caa9

We're Afraid For Our Police: After a tumultuous summer of violence, America's mayors reveal in POLITICO Magazine's quarterly Mayor's Survey, part of the award-winning "What Works" series, the multi-dimensional anxiety that they now feel for their citizens and their officers. Read More

PRESIDENTIAL SPEED READ - "The 2016 race isn't about issues - it's about character," by POLITICO Magazine's Todd S. Purdum: "...But if you were thinking this was the start of a 'normal' presidential campaign, forget it. In his speech Trump glanced over the issues - giving very few details - and mostly attacked Clinton personally, blaming her for Detroit's plight (even though her former boss, Barack Obama, bailed out the auto industry against GOP opposition). And that's really the only thing that remains on track in this campaign. To judge by the daily parade of headlines and sound bites, the 2016 presidential election has boiled down to one steaming mass of invective, calumny, character
assassination and contempt: the madman versus the prevaricator, the bully versus the biddy, the devil you know versus the devil you don't." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb14ded75bae886d8a2ac250674b6906d85ed0204f902611d22

- "Trump mixes facts, falsehoods to rip Clinton on the economy," by POLITICO's Eli Stokols in Detroit: "Donald Trump, whose campaign has tapped into economic anxieties and a nostalgia for a bygone American greatness, promised to be the president with an economic vision for a better future in a speech here Monday. In an address that was interrupted at least 14 times by protesters, the Republican nominee outlined a number of changes to his original tax plan, aligning the income brackets with the plan proposed by Paul Ryan and congressional Republicans, while also proposing excluding childcare expenses from taxation, ending the estate tax and carried interest deduction and cutting taxes across
the board. Trump offered no details on how he intended to fund the cuts, other than promising to eradicate the country's trade deficit." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb19152f283a64d642d1bbde032af0f890afa3f285388329fa4

- "Evan McMullin, Anti-Trump Republican, Mounts Independent Presidential Bid," by The New York Times' Maggie Haberman: "Evan McMullin, a former C.I.A. official and a Republican who passionately opposes Donald J. Trump, announced Monday that he would run for president as an independent candidate. Mr. McMullin, who until recently worked on policy development with the House Republican Conference, has missed the ballot-access deadlines in more than two dozen states. But Mr. McMullin, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, studied in Utah and could take votes from Mr. Trump in the heavily Mormon state. In an interview, Mr. McMullin said he was strongly opposed to both Mr.
Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. But his harshest words, and his clearest motivation, appeared to come from Mr. Trump's candidacy." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb11cce545496fb530cc6ca46f27b3d4a3a4a4f92e16eefd2b4

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "She makes Bernie Sanders look like Sean Hannity." -- NY-19 Republican candidate John Faso, on his Sanders-endorsed Democratic opponent, Zephyr Teachout. Via the New York Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e6a20370be32eeb1802d10ce385c93718782b1eaa484068550b685dbf3804baf

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