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By Elena Schneider | 01/19/2017 10:00 AM EDT


With 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)

BEST-LAID PLANS - "Trump era alters 2018 plans for some Republicans," by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "The biggest example was Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), the second-term congressman who accepted Trump's offer to head the Interior Department instead of embarking on an expected run for Senate in 2017. GOP Rep. Rob Wittman also dropped his already-on run for governor of Virginia soon after Trump's win, to focus his full attention on a congressional subcommittee that oversees the Navy. And other ambitious members of the House Republican Conference - most of which have never served under a Republican president - now have legislative opportunities, new committee assignments, and a less certain
political environment than they were expecting after an unexpected GOP presidential win." Full story.

THE PARTY IN EXILE - "Democrats jockey for big money control," by POLITICO's Kenneth P. Vogel and Gabriel Debenedetti: "The tug of war between Hillary Clinton's supporters and the progressive left is spilling over onto a new front: control of liberal big money. Some of the left's most active financiers and groups - including the Democracy Alliance donor club - are bristling at Clinton enforcer David Brock's plan to officially launch his own donor network this weekend to fund his efforts to rebuild the left and, in his words, 'kick Donald Trump's ass.' Brock's plan, first revealed by POLITICO soon after Trump's Election Day victory, is seen in liberal finance circles as an implicit challenge
to the Democracy Alliance, which was launched in 2005 by billionaire financier George Soros and other major donors. Brock has not exactly discouraged that notion, explaining that his network will be more overtly political than the Democracy Alliance, which has endeavored to strike a balance between progressive policy initiatives and partisan politics, but which has drawn criticism from Democrats for diverting money away from winning elections to focus instead on liberal donors' pet causes." Full story.

- "Trump key to political ambitions of many big city mayors," by POLITICO's David Siders: "Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti took to a microphone on Wednesday, declaring that his city's schools and other gathering places would be 'places of refuge' for undocumented immigrants if Donald Trump moves forward with mass deportations. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney mocked the president-elect and his Cabinet choices, while New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio planned to protest outside Manhattan's Trump International Hotel and Tower on the eve of the inauguration. ... [T]heir harsh criticism also signaled ... the unparalleled political opportunity Trump presents to them. For big city mayors, resistance
to Trump's policies on issues ranging from immigration to health care and the environment stand to have a catalytic effect on their ambitions, strengthening their standing with local constituencies and fueling their statewide prospects in blue states where opposition to Trump runs deepest." Full story.

Days until the 2017 election: 293.

Days until the 2018 election: 657.

Thanks 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: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @theodoricmeyer and @maggieseverns.

AIR WAR, 2017 EDITION - "First TV ads of Virginia governor's race to air during inauguration," by The Washington Post's Laura Vozzella: "A Republican running for Virginia governor in the style of President-elect Donald Trump will launch the first TV ads of the race on Inauguration Day with a 30-second spot on Fox News. Corey Stewart said the ad, which will air in the pricey, populous but blue-leaning Washington media market, represents a 'five-figure' ad buy." Watch the ad here.

2018 WATCH - DEFINITELY IN - Democratic businessman Steve Cloobeck says he's in for Nevada governor: Cloobeck told The Las Vegas Review Journal that he plans to self-fund his campaign with $5 million. Cloobeck said he's "'purple' with plenty of friends on the right," name-dropping pollster Frank Luntz as a possible hire.

- MAYBE, MAYBE - Michigan state Sen. Patrick Colbeck mulls gubernatorial run: Colbeck, a Republican, is "definitely considering" a statewide bid, "citing concerns about higher taxes, shoddy road repairs and spiraling healthcare costs," The Detroit Free Press reported. Attorney General Bill Schuette and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley are also considering runs to replace Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

- AND THAT'S A 'NO' - Iowa state Sen. Liz Mathis declines gubernatorial run: The Des Moines Register reported that Democrats' top choice for a gubernatorial candidate to challenge GOP Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will take over from Gov. Terry Branstad when he assumes the ambassadorship to China, will not get into the race. Mathis said she was heavily recruited, but decided not to jump in for "personal reasons." Polk County Conservation Director Rich Leopold, a Democrat, has already started a run, and several other candidates are considering campaigns. (The Hiawatha World notes that Mathis did leave the door cracked slightly open for an IA-01 run, though she also said she is not running for
governor because she does not want to invite scrutiny on her family.)

- With Mathis out ... A handful of Democratic state legislators, including state Rep. Todd Prichard and state Sen. Janet Petersen, are leaving their options open, The Des Moines Register reported.

RETIREMENT (OR NOT) WATCH - Sen. Dianne Feinstein hints at future plans: The California Democrat, the oldest member in Congress, told KQED that she hasn't made up her mind yet on running for reelection, but she will "make it formal" at an "appropriate" time. "What I've said is, as long as I feel I can get things done, and I can, then I think I benefit the people of my state as opposed to someone new coming in. That, I realize is in anyone's mind is different, but you asked me what I think. If I can produce, and I can produce, and I can continue to produce, then I will continue to produce," Feinstein said. "If I believe I can't, either by health or any other way, I won't, but as long as I
believe I can, I will. Is that pretty clear?" Listen to the full exchange here.

PERSONNEL MOVES - NRSC's Andrea Bozek and RNC's Tyler Brown to Mercury: The bipartisan firm announced that Bozek and Brown will both join as senior vice presidents in a statement on Wednesday. Bozek will be based in Buffalo, N.Y., where she will "expand Mercury's New York State presence." Brown will work on Mercury's "global digital practice." Read the memo here.

- Third Way taps Steve Israel to help with campaign: The centrist think tank Third Way has recruited former Democratic Rep. Steve Israel to help with its $20 million campaign to study how the Democratic Party lost its way. It's the second new gig for Israel, a former New York congressman and DCCC chairman, since he left the House two weeks ago. Israel is also working as a consultant for the DGA.

TRANSITION SPEED READ - "He Has This Deep Fear That He Is Not a Legitimate President," by POLITICO Magazine's Michael Kruse: "...after more than two months of Trump's norm-shattering transition, we gathered Gwenda Blair, Michael D'Antonio and Tim O'Brien by conference call (Wayne Barrett, the dean of Trump reporters, could not participate because of illness) to assess whether Trump has continued to surprise them. Their collective wisdom? In a word, no. From his pick of nominees for posts in his cabinet to his belligerent use of Twitter (our conversation was a day before he traded barbs with Congressman John Lewis) to his unwillingness to cut ties with his business to avoid conflicts of
interest, they see the same person they've always seen-the consummate classroom troublemaker; a vain, insecure bully; and an anti-institutional schemer, as adept at 'gaming the system' as he is unashamed. As they look ahead to his inauguration speech in two days, and to his administration beyond, they feel confident predicting that he will run the country much as he has run his company. For himself." Full story.

- "Republicans blow past Trump Cabinet controversies," by POLITICO's Seung Min Kim, Burgess Everett and Elana Schor: "Donald Trump's Cabinet picks have been battered by revelations of questionable stock trades and potentially undocumented employees. They've undergone rocky confirmation hearings and faced criticism from Democrats that they're unfit to lead a major federal agency. Consider Republicans unmoved. From the top tiers of GOP leadership to rank-and-file committee members, Republicans are fanning out en masse to defend Trump's Cabinet selections. They've got the back of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Price, who's come under fire from Democrats about his investments in health
care companies that may have benefited from legislation he supported. And they're standing by Betsy DeVos, the education secretary hopeful who stumbled during her confirmation hearing earlier this week, and Commerce pick Wilbur Ross, who told senators that he recently fired a household employee who could not show proof of legal immigration status." Full story.

- "Walking guide for Inauguration Day," by The Washington Post's Robert Thomson: "Most people traveling in central Washington on Friday will need three things: a map, a SmarTrip card and sensible shoes. ...If you work within the security zone, you may need to walk far to the east or west to get around the barrier imposed by the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route, especially with the Smithsonian and Federal Triangle stations closed on the south side of the parade route. The parade route barrier also will be a factor for people arriving at Union Station and trying to reach the Mall for the swearing-in." Full story.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Believe it or not, even though I played one on the radio for 25 years, I'm not an expert." - Freshman Rep. Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) on the congressional learning curve, the Post Bulletin reported.

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