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By Theodoric Meyer | 08/02/2016 10:00 AM EDT


With Kevin Robillard, Elena Schneider, Maggie Severns and Scott Bland

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)

KHAN CONTROVERSY - GOP senators appalled by Trump's comments, but none withdraw endorsements: Nearly every Republican senator facing a competitive reelection race condemned Donald Trump's attacks on Khizr and Ghazala, the parents of a Muslim-American soldier killed in Iraq. At a bare minimum, the senators made it clear they disagreed with Trump. At a maximum, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) castigated Trump for defaming "those who are the best among us." But none took the next step of withdrawing their endorsements or declaring they couldn't support Trump in November.

- McCain: "I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump's statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates." In a later interview with local reporters, McCain made it clear he still supports Trump for president. Here's his full statement: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c6b541921abd896e3c118b2c571035236f32622663bffb2e9cbefa2227bf4e0

- Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri: "The Khans have made the greatest possible sacrifice for our country; they deserve to be heard and respected. My advice to Donald Trump has been and will continue to be to focus on jobs and national security and stop responding to every criticism whether it's from a grieving family or Hillary Clinton."

- Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania : "The Khan family, like all Americans who lose loved ones in the defense of our country, deserve our gratitude and honor. Anything else is inappropriate."

- Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin: "Captain Humayun Khan, and all the Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, deserve our deepest respect and gratitude."

- Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, through a spokesperson: "Rob does not agree with Donald Trump's remarks and believes that Capt. Khan was an American hero who gave his life for his country."

- Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire: "I am appalled that Donald Trump would disparage them and that he had the gall to compare his own sacrifices to those of a Gold Star family."

- Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina: "Captain Khan is an American hero in every sense of the term and the Khans deserve our sincerest gratitude."

- Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida: "I think it's unfortunate. Look, Sergeant Khan is a hero, for every measure. ... I think his parents are heroes and they have a First Amendment right to speak out on their politics, as all Americans do. Their son died for the Constitution and I honor that." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566fc7ad31b5fcc7e5df7f4083f6dd9dcebea4c76c233399536

- ON THE HOUSE FRONT - House Democrats push the issue: House Dems around the country called on Republicans to disavow Trump, and criticized them for not doing it already. Sample statement from CO-06's Morgan Carroll, running against GOP Rep. Mike Coffman, who spoke out against Trump's criticism of Khan: "Coffman has refused to unambiguously state that he is not voting for Donald Trump in November." GOP Rep. Scott Garrett's (NJ-05) campaign responded like many battleground incumbents, calling for respect for military families. A few more examples of Dems pressing the issue from around the country: LuAnn Bennett (VA-10), Steve Santarsiero (PA-08), Monica Vernon (IA-01), Jim Mowrer (IA-03),
and Jacky Rosen (NV-03).

PRIMARY DAY - KANSAS - "GOP civil war comes to Kansas," by POLITICO's Rachael Bade in Dodge City: GOP Rep. Tim Huelskamp is facing a potentially career-ending primary, four years after his rebellion against party leadership cost him his seat of the House Agriculture Committee - a huge strike against him in this rural district. The primary, in which Huelskamp is facing Roger Marshall, an obstetrician, has turned into "an unlikely, multimillion dollar proxy fight this summer between some of the most powerful interests in the Republican Party." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566b562156810d910bcd8f80dbca4faa14e74705dd8c5f2bc94

- In the latest sign of how deeply the primary has divided the GOP, Rob Engstrom, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's political director, tweeted last night that Huelskamp "is a key ally of Liberal Democrats & @BarackObama to attack the American Free Enterprise System. Not a single accomplishment." And in a final persuasion effort, ESAFund, the Ricketts family-affiliated super PAC backing Marshall, is out with full page ads in every western Kansas newspaper (reaches 130,000 subscribers), running again on Election Day. "The choice is clear," the ad reads. "In a race for Congress, Kansans face a choice between a pro-life doctor and family man who will be a fresh voice for us - or a career
politician who has embarrassed himself, and our state." It includes a quote from Bob Dole, who used to represent the district, calling Huelskamp a "naysayer." Check out the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c6b541921abd896a10637b0a6dace3943eae0308823dc891d0fef57107d4c8d

- Catch up on the Huelskamp-Marshall primary here, including: Huelskamp's war of words with the Chamber (http://politico.pro/2ar8fRI), Americans for Prosperity coming to the incumbent's defense (http://politico.pro/2aog4YC), and how the race divided Ted Cruz and two of the most important consulting firms in his political operation (http://politi.co/2ae28Ar).

- WASHINGTON - "Seattle primary features Sanders-endorsed candidate," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: An open House primary in Washington state today will test Bernie Sanders' pledge during the Democratic National Convention that his "political revolution" will continue - and offer "another reminder that Sanders isn't the only force at play in the down-ballot races he picks. The Vermont senator bestowed one of his first House endorsements this year to Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-American state senator and immigrant advocate. But Jayapal is one of three high-powered Democratic candidates running for retiring Rep. Jim McDermott's deep-blue seat in Seattle. And because of Washington's
top-two, open primary system and the district's partisan slant, a Democrat-versus-Democrat contest looks likely to stretch through the November election and involve more voters than just partisan Democrats." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566bdda0bed157d3f237830c4a8d16f49e3d9a844fbcce2973f

- MICHIGAN - "Republicans to pick nominees for open Michigan seats," by Campaign Pro's Maggie Severns: "Republicans will choose a candidate to defend an open seat targeted by Democrats Tuesday in Michigan, in the highest-profile of several House primaries as voters choose nominees this week. GOP voters will also choose a new nominee to replace retiring Rep. Candice Miller in the 10th District, a fairly safe Republican seat. But the party also has to defend retiring Rep. Dan Benishek's Upper Peninsula, 1st District seat - a largely white, rural, blue-collar district that Democrats once held and are trying to recapture, even as their House battleground map overall has moved into more diverse
and suburban territory." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566806ed5856f6468e8bd9600ec47f12dbe88b2d58d01d93ad8

- MISSOURI - Republicans have a four-way primary to face Democratic AG Chris Koster for governor. The two-year anniversary of the Ferugson protests hang over the election (http://politi.co/2aqLQTa), and a DGA-backed group made a late investment to try and knock out one GOP candidate before the primary (http://politico.pro/2aL9rSJ).

Days until the 2016 election: 98. Days until the Tennessee congressional primary: 2.

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 cargo shorts: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @theodoricmeyer and @maggieseverns.

NEW THIS A.M. - NRSC ad hits Cortez Masto on crime in Nevada: The NRSC is starting its fall buy in Nevada with an ad that's positively Trumpian in its outlook. The 30-second spot opens with the sound of sirens and stock footage of crime scenes, arrests and prison bars as a female narrator speaks: "Who do you trust to keep your family safe? In Catherine Cortez Masto's last term as attorney general, Nevada murder went up 11 percent. Robbery went up 28 percent. Rape? 51 percent." The ad then cites "24/7 Wall Street" to say Nevada was the nation's 3rd most dangerous state when Cortez Masto left office. "Catherine Cortez Masto couldn't keep us safe in Nevada. Why would we trust her to do it in
Washington?" Watch the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566fdc9e28d7ffa724cc4d2f0cfeaac8e3d0093c261fd12d780

- ALL OF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, AND ALL OF THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN - Ayotte asks NRSC to pull heroin ad: A new ad from the NRSC attacks Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan over the state's heroin and opioid addiction epidemic. The ad, featuring sparse text, imagery and music, ends with a female narrator declaring: "Maybe accidents, maybe oversight. It doesn't matter. Maggie Hassan mismanaged the heroin crisis, and New Hampshire is paying the price." (Here's the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c6b541921abd8962ce8ff89689c59cc9e279ec71d6de3bb798c90a39ed9d1b8 Ayotte, who has repeatedly said the heroin crisis shouldn't be politicized, has asked for the NRSC to take the ad down. The Hassan campaign says her calls mean little,
noting she's fundraised for the NRSC in the past. "Ayotte's words are hollow unless she pledges not to raise or accept funds from her Washington Republican colleagues who are running this offensive ad," said Hassan's campaign manager, Marc Goldberg.

FIRST IN SCORE - Holcomb hires Daniels vets to lead campaign: GOP Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana, now his party's nominee for governor, has hired fellow veterans of former Gov. Mitch Daniels' operation to lead his campaign. Mike O'Brien, a former legislative director for Daniels, will be the campaign manager. Brian McGrath, who was Daniels' finance director for his 2008 reelection and for his affiliated PACs, will do the same job for Holcomb. Mindy Colbert, who has worked for the state GOP and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, will be the deputy finance director. Matt Huckleby was the political director for Pence's gubernatorial campaign and will have the same job on Holcomb's bid. Joe
Eisner will be the coalitions director and Ethan Lawson will be the deputy political director.

- Portman digital ads target union members: Sen. Rob Portman's campaign will boast about the Ohio Republican's union endorsements in a six-figure digital ad buy on LinkedIn and Facebook starting today. The ads, which are targeted towards union members and conservative Democrats, highlight the three union endorsements Portman has secured over his opponent, Democrat Ted Strickland: The Ohio Conference of Teamsters, the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police and the United Mine Workers of America.

THE SANDERS TOUCH - "Swing-state Democrats ask Bernie for help," by POLITICO's Seung Min Kim: As Bernie Sanders gears up for next phase of his political revolution, Senate Democratic candidates are clamoring for his support in swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania - where his anti-trade, populist message could give Democrats a key political edge come November. So far, Sanders has only stumped for a single Senate Democratic hopeful: Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, a former colleague in the chamber and a kindred liberal spirit. And it's unclear at this point how much energy Sanders - a longtime independent who has never exactly been a Democratic Party stalwart - is willing to expend on behalf
of the party." But many Democrats would welcome his help. "POLITICO surveyed more than a dozen Democratic candidates running in this year's most competitive Senate races. Five say they would eagerly campaign with Sanders." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566f8f0ac7d36f595d82ab0ca545866f965c1e17934a12ed017

PRESIDENTIAL SPEED READ - "Trump fires at least 2 aides," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt and Kenneth P. Vogel: "At least two senior Donald Trump aides were fired by the campaign Monday in what three sources described as a shakeup. Both aides - Ed Brookover and Jimmy Stracner - had worked for the presidential campaign of former Trump rival Ben Carson, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. Brookover, a longtime GOP strategist, had been working as a political adviser. He played a role in helping to organize last month's GOP convention. Stracner, had been working as the Trump campaign's Western regional political director. ... One source familiar with the move said that Brookover
received a phone call from another Trump aide, Jim Murphy, informing him of the news. During the call, Murphy said two senior Trump aides, William McGinley and Mike McSherry, would take on elevated roles." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9940b36603ca566c4d321916b6a69cead39adcc1c924ae01828e65950f88af5

- "Donald Trump reaffirms support for warmer relations with Putin," by The New York Times' Alexander Burns in Mechanicsburg, Pa.: "Donald J. Trump unabashedly trumpeted his support for warmer relations with Russia at a campaign rally here on Monday night, acidly mocking opponents who say he is too friendly to Vladimir V. Putin, the country's strongman president. Mr. Trump, who has been under fire from Democrats and some conservative national security leaders for his accommodating stance toward Mr. Putin, cast his supportive remarks as a matter of practical necessity. ... 'If we could get Russia to help us get rid of ISIS - if we could actually be friendly with Russia - wouldn't that be a
good thing?' Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c6b541921abd896a4bd141c42e4c17b613518c35b93ba5edf7d183471ebce47

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Mrs. Clinton is not the apotheosis of evil." - Bret Stephens, a conservative columnist for The Wall Street Journal, who urged House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans to disassociate themselves with Donald Trump. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0c6b541921abd8968d9acc78478e3c1d36433ff66bc66c427a3eedabd3b752ab

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