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By Kevin Robillard | 06/23/2017 10:00 AM EDT


With 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)

THE FIRST STEP - "Redistricting looms over governor's races," by Campaign Pro's Daniel Strauss: "While Republicans are trying to protect hard-won conservative policy gains and Democrats are trying to regain a foothold in state government, redistricting has become a common, motivating subplot already in gubernatorial races around the country, starting in Virginia and New Jersey, which will elect new chief executives this year. ... [T]his is the first widespread opportunity to elect officials with a say in that process after the 2020 census. It's why the Virginia Democratic Party invited former Attorney General Eric Holder to address its annual fundraising dinner last weekend. The chairman of
the new National Democratic Redistricting Committee cast the coming race between Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie as the first step in a four-year battle. ... 'What I am seeing is kind of an "aha" moment where donors are very committed,' said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, the next chairman of the DGA. 'This really is an interesting epiphany moment for the donor community on the Democratic side of the coin and I think it's going to bear fruit.'" Full story.

HEALTH CARE STATUS - "Senate GOP reveals Obamacare repeal bill but still lacks the votes," by POLITICO's Adam Cancryn, Burgess Everett and Jennifer Haberkorn: "Senate Republican leaders unveiled their long-secret plan to repeal Obamacare Thursday, formally kicking off the search for the 50 votes needed for passage amid stark party divisions. Just hours after Republicans were briefed on the bill, four conservatives put out a statement saying they were withholding their support for the plan. A number of moderate GOP senators, meanwhile, said they were still poring through the the 142-page bill, which was crafted after weeks of work behind closed doors. ... Indeed, conservatives, moderates and
senators from Medicaid expansion states all remained on the fence even after coming out of the meeting." Full story. Winners and losers here. Go inside McConnell's repeal plan here.

WHAT THE 2018 SENATORS SAID - Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.): "I have made clear that I want to make sure the rug is not pulled out from under Nevada or the more than 200,000 Nevadans who received insurance for the first time under Medicaid expansion. At first glance, I have serious concerns about the bill's impact on the Nevadans who depend on Medicaid. I will read it, share it with Governor Sandoval, and continue to listen to Nevadans to determine the bill's impact on our state."

- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.): "I agree with President Trump that the House bill needed more heart, and it seems that the Senate bill needs more soul. Based on my initial review, the healthcare bill released by Republican Leadership today appears to be as bad of a deal for West Virginia as the House bill."

- Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.): "Hard-working Hoosier families ... deserve better than this disastrous legislation. This bill would make it tougher and more expensive for people - including those with pre-existing conditions - to get coverage, harder to access opioid and heroin treatment programs, and raise premiums on older Americans."

- Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.): "Current healthcare law needs to be fixed, no question about it-and I've proposed specific legislation to help fix it. But the bill announced today is a disaster for Missouri that seemingly only benefits insurance companies and the very wealthy."

- Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.): "After no public input, this bill emerged from the shadows-where it was written in secret-with a warning label for rural America. It will rip away Medicaid from thousands of Montanans, impose an age tax on folks in their 50s and 60s, make it harder to get coverage if you have a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure, all while cutting taxes for corporations and the extremely wealthy."

- Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.): "[T]he best Senate Republicans could come up with is a bill that looks very similar to the cruel bill the U.S. House of Representatives passed. Both bills are downright bad for North Dakota. ... We should work together and have this important conversation in a bipartisan way, out in the open for all to see and hear."

- SPEAKING OF... - "North Dakota's Last Democrat?," by Burgess Everett in Wahpeton, N.D.: "Though every Democrat from the oil patch in Williston to bustling Fargo is banking on Heitkamp running, winning and reviving the party in this state, the plain-spoken, stridently moderate Democratic senator is months away from making it official. That's in part because she'd far rather govern than spend 15 months talking about her campaign. But she says she's also undecided. 'There's days I have doubts ... I mean this is a hard life. Actually, the happiest I am is on days like today,' she says on a sparkling June day as she crisscrosses the state's southeastern corner. 'You know, I haven't made up my
mind.' A few minutes later, she's convincing herself she must run again: Would her replacement care as much as she does about Native American children or changing the minds of Democrats who criticize fossil fuels? 'I think: What value do I add in the Senate? Why am I important to the institution? Not just to North Dakota,' she says. 'I'm a very effective advocate for North Dakota. That's easy.'" Full story.

ON THE TRAIL - "Obama returning to campaign trail to stump for Northam in Va. governor's race," by the Washington Post's Fenit Nirappil: "David Turner, a spokesman for Northam, said the former president agreed this week to hit the campaign trail for Northam, but said he wouldn't 'go into any further detail about the private conversations that Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam had with President Barack Obama.' An aide to Obama confirmed that the former president agreed to campaign for Northam during a congratulatory call, although no events have been planned." Full story.

Days until the 2017 election: 137

Days until the 2018 election: 501

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.

NERDCAST PODCAST: The most closely watched House race ever is over, and Republican Karen Handel came out the victor over Democrat Jon Ossoff. POLITICO's Scott Bland, Charlie Mahtesian, Eliana Johnson and Nancy Cook break down Georgia's special election and the resulting discontent with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi among some Democrats. Plus, POLITICO Pulse Check host Dan Diamond joined to walk through what's in the Senate GOP health care bill and which factions will push the bill in different directions in the days to come. Listen and subscribe: iTunes | Panoply | Stitcher

MONEY MATTERS - "NRSC raised $3M in May, has $14M on hand," by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "The GOP committee spent $3.1 million. The DSCC raised $5.1 million in May, the committee announced earlier this week, and its FEC report shows they spent $2.1 million. The DSCC has $16.9 million on hand. Both committees still have plenty of debt: The NRSC is $12 million in the red, while the DSCC still needs to pay just over $18 million." Full story.

- "Steyer to plow $7.5 million into voter mobilization efforts," by POLITICO California's David Siders: "Through his NextGen Climate group, Steyer told POLITICO he will spend $7.5 million this year in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and California, with an expectation that he will spend more money organizing young voters in those states in 2018. ... The program is expected to begin in earnest this fall on more than 200 college campuses, including in Virginia, where NextGen plans to hire more than a dozen full-time field organizers. Steyer said his group is already organizing young voters in Virginia, Pennsylvania and California." Full story.

HINDSIGHT HEADACHES - "After close South Carolina special election race, Democrats wonder 'what if?'," by the Charleston Post and Coruier's Emma Dumain: "U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn - the S.C. delegation's lone Democrat, third most senior member of his party's leadership and highest-ranking black lawmaker in Congress - agreed more resources were needed. 'I don't think we had the campaign that was designed to win,' said Clyburn. 'If we had gotten the resources, I think we would have won.'" Full story.

2018 WATCH - "Sisolak to launch Nevada governor campaign," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "Nevada Democrat Steve Sisolak, chairman of the Clark County Commission, is announcing his gubernatorial campaign today, per a Democratic source familiar with the decision. Sisolak would be the first major candidate to enter the race to replace GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval. But Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt has also been raising significant funds and is expected to run. Sisolak also enters the race with a cash advantage, as he has about $3 million in the bank." Full story.

- "Kirkpatrick considers CD2 run, forms exploratory committee," by the Arizona Daily Star's Joe Ferguson: "Kirkpatrick, who recently moved to Tucson, told the Arizona Daily Star on Wednesday night she will form an exploratory committee ahead of a run for the Democratic nomination next year. The Democratic winner will face in November Republican U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, who is in her second term as the CD2 representative. ... Kirkpatrick, who served three terms in Congress, said she wanted to tour the entire district, which includes all of Cochise County and a portion of Tucson and Pima County, to get a better understanding of what residents want from their representative." Full story.

GOP PRIMARY WATCH - "GOP heavyweight Sam Fox woos Hawley for Senate bid, tells donors not to give to other contenders," by USA Today's Deirdre Shesgreen: "One of Missouri's most influential GOP donors, Sam Fox, is urging his national political network to woo Josh Hawley into entering the U.S. Senate race. ... In a June 20 missive to other Republican donors, Fox extolled Hawley's political credentials, and he even attached the Missouri attorney general's resume for them to peruse. ... The kicker? 'I also ask that you withhold your support for other potential candidates in order to give Josh time to make his final decision,' Fox wrote. That request is a blow to Rep. Ann Wagner, a St. Louis
County Republican who has made it clear she intends to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill." Full story.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WATCH - A tidbit from National Journal's Alex Rogers: "So far, only first-term Rep. Jacky Rosen has announced that she'll run for the Democratic nomination. [Rep. Dina] Titus told National Journal that she will make a decision after polling is completed this week." Full story.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Talking politics on Tinder works because your matches are waiting for you to say something personal to them. And they are willing to listen" - Yara Rodrigues Fowler and Charlotte Goodma in a New York Times op-ed, "How Tinder Could Take Back the White House."

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