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By Elena Schneider and Daniel Strauss | 04/07/2017 10:00 AM EDT


With Scott Bland and Bianca Padró Ocasio

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)

SPECIAL SURPRISE - "NRCC airs late negative TV ad in KS-04 special," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "The NRCC is pouring money into a last-minute TV ad buy in Kansas ahead of a Tuesday special election, seeking to pump up Republican enthusiasm and turnout in a district that President Donald Trump carried by 27 percentage points just a few months ago. The late independent expenditure seeks to boost Republican state Treasurer Ron Estes, who is running to replace CIA Director Mike Pompeo in Kansas' 4th District. The district has not been on the radar of most national groups and activists, which have focused on the upcoming special election in Georgia as a more competitive opportunity. But
Kansas Republicans are fretting that Estes' margin is closer than expected in his race against Democrat James Thompson, an attorney. 'Kansas should not be in play, but Kansas is in play,' said one Kansas Republican consultant." Full story.

- Daily Kos endorsed Thompson following the NRCC's ad buy, sending a fundraising pitch to members to funnel late money to the Kansas Democrat's campaign.

NEW THIS MORNING - Congressional Leadership Fund releases new ad linking Ossoff and Pelosi in GA-06: The GOP super PAC has spent nearly $3 million attacking Democrat Jon Ossoff in the special election, and its latest spot continues linking Ossoff to the House Democratic leader. The narrator says Ossoff "is on her side" on the national debt, high taxes, and the Iran nuclear deal, before finishing: "On April 18th, vote Republican and say no to Nancy Pelosi's yes man." Watch the ad here.

- House Majority PAC goes digital in GA-06 - The Democratic super PAC is reprising one of its digital GOTV ads from the 2016 elections in support of Ossoff in GA-06. The video stars Brooklyn Nine-Nine actresses Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero and urges viewers to vote on April 18. House Majority PAC hasn't been advertising in the special until now, given that Ossoff's $8.3 million fundraising haul has allowed him to fend for himself. Watch HMP's video here.

AD WATCH - Quist releases second TV ad in Montana House race: "Democrat Rob Quist released his second TV ad today, playing off his background as a folk singer to urge voters to back him to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in the Montana House special election." Watch "Right" ad here. Full story.

FIRST IN SCORE - EMILY'S List staffs up: The Democratic pro-abortion rights group announced additions and promotions of its senior staff ahead of the 2018 cycle, per a statement from EMILY's List. Kate Black, who most recently served as executive director of nonpartisan research firm American Women, will rejoin EMILY's List as chief of staff, after previously serving as the group's vice president of research. Leila McDowell, former vice president of McKinney & McDowell Associates, will now serve as vice president of communications. Melissa Williams, who worked as senior director of WOMEN VOTE! In 2016, will now serve as vice president of independent expenditures. Muthoni Wambu Kraal, who
joined the group in 2009, will now serve as vice president of national outreach and training. Leigh K. Warren, who most recently served as chief administrative officer, will now serve as chief operating officer.

Days until the 2017 election: 214.

Days until the 2018 election: 578.

Thanks for joining us. You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com and dstrauss@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin and @danielstrauss4.

COMING SOON - Perlmutter in the spotlight: Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter will "make an announcement" on Sunday at Natural Grocers in Golden, Colo., surrounded by "friends and neighborhoods, local Coloradans," per a statement from Perlmutter's campaign. Perlmutter is expected to jump into the Colorado governor's race, joining Democratic state Sen. Mike Johnston and Republican District Attorney George Brauchler - and leaving CO-07 open. Republicans have made several runs at Perlmutter's Democratic-leaning seat in the past, but the incumbent has always stood in their way.

TRUMP FUNDRAISING BUMP - RNC raised $12 million in March as "donors' enthusiasm for Trump energize[s]" fundraising, via the Wall Street Journal's Rebecca Ballhaus: "[T]he RNC raised $41.3 million in the first three months of the year-more than double what its Democratic counterpart raised in the quarter after former President Barack Obama was elected in 2008-while Mr. Trump's campaign raised $3.3 million and a joint committee between the two raised more than $9 million. Some $12 million of the party's haul came in March alone, up from $9.5 million in February but down from a whopping $20 million in January-the month Mr. Trump was sworn into office."

- "Frequent fundraising emails bearing Mr. Trump's name brought in about 250,000 new online donors to the RNC, campaign and their joint committees, according to an RNC official. That marks a 398 percent increase over the number of new donors the RNC won in 2016 - an election year." Full story.

- NRCC raised $15.5 million in March, via McClatchy's Alex Roarty and Katie Glueck: The NRCC "raised nearly $36 million in the year's first three months, officials there said Thursday, almost double what the committee raised during the same time frame two years ago. ... [NRCC chair Steve Stivers] said the organization had raised more online in the first quarter of 2017 than it did through digital advertising in the entire year of 2015." Full story.

- The NRSC "raised $7 million in March, its highest monthly haul for a non-election year," via Roll Call's Simone Pathe. "The NRSC has attracted 20,000 new donors this cycle." Full story.

- Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson raised $2 million in Q1 and has $3.6 million on hand, according to his campaign.

- IL-08 Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi raised over $820,000, ending the first quarter with $1.65 million cash on hand, his campaign said Thursday.

- MN-01 Republican Jim Hagedorn "raised more than $220,000" in the first quarter, the Rochester Post-Bulletin reports, as he runs again for retiring Democratic Rep. Tim Walz's district. (Walz is running for governor.) "To put that number in context, Hagedorn raised a grand total of $358,000 for his last congressional bid. ... Hagedorn credits last year's close election to the boost in campaign donations."

BERN NOTICE - "Sanders stumps for Perriello in first 2017 campaign foray," by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "Sanders ... prais[ed] former Rep. Tom Perriello as 'one of the few politicians' who is willing to take the necessary steps to combat income inequality. Perriello has rejected direct comparisons to Sanders, a Democratic socialist who provided a surprisingly robust challenge to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primaries. But he is counting on a similar wave of enthusiasm from young people and activists to lift him over Northam, the lieutenant governor backed by Virginia's biggest political names." Full story.

NO SENATE, BUT MAYBE GOVERNOR? - Two national Republican sources recently speculated that Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette could run for Senate against Democratc Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2018, instead of an expected run for governor and a GOP primary against Lt. Gov. Brian Calley. But Schuette made clear in an interview with Score that he will not run for Senate. "I am not running for the United States Senate, period. That's not happening. My path in public service to Michigan goes smack dab through Lansing, Michigan, not Washington D.C.," Schuette said. Schuette won't offer a timeline for when he will make a decision on running for governor, despite expressing strong interest in
running.

TRANSITIONS AND EXPANSIONS - POOLHOUSE opens Atlanta office: The Republican ad agency, based in Richmond, is now opening an office in Atlanta and Director of Production Matthew Mazzone will lead it. The office will focus on production in the "Hollywood of the South," per a memo from the group.

- Hustle adds two staffers: Hustle, an elections tech company, hired two new staffers - Mike Cassesso, who most recently worked at the DSCC as national field director, and Matthew Ferry, who hails from the design team at Change.org, per a statement from the group.

ADMINISTRATION SPEED READ - "Frustration mounts, careers jeopardized over Obamacare failure," by POLITICO's Rachael Bade and Jennifer Haberkorn: "Tempers are flaring at the White House over House Republicans' failure to repeal Obamacare. But that hasn't changed the reality on the ground: As Congress skips town for a two-week recess, Speaker Paul Ryan and his team are no closer to approving legislation....The back-and-forth has strained relations between the White House and Hill Republicans. Multiple sources told POLIITCO that administration aides are under intense pressure to help the House deliver on one of Trump's top campaign promises - and many are fretting that their jobs will be in
jeopardy if it doesn't happen." Full story.

- "U.S. launches air strikes against Assad forces in Syria," by POLITICO's Tara Palmeri, Nahal Toosi, and Bryan Bender: "The Trump administration launched a series of missile strikes at Syrian government targets late Thursday, President Donald Trump said Thursday night. ... Trump cast the strikes as retaliation Syrian President Bashar Assad over a chemical weapons attack that left dozens dead. ... It was an extraordinary moment for President Donald Trump, who, less than three months into his presidency, has now taken military action against a foreign government after long promising he would not entangle America in more Middle Eastern wars. The U.S. strikes also pose enormous risks, not
least because the Syrian government is backed by Russia and Iran." Full story.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I hope the governor does what is best for the state and seriously considers stepping down." - Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, a Republican, on urging Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley to step down, according to the AL.com.

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