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By Daniel Strauss | 03/16/2018 10:00 AM EDT


With Zach Montellaro

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)

DGA DREAMS OF JEANNE - "Democrats meddle in Illinois GOP primary," by POLITICO Illinois' Natasha Korecki and Campaign Pro's Daniel Strauss: "The Democratic Governors Association is planning to launch an ad calling Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's right-wing challenger 'too conservative' for the state - an apparent move to boost state Rep. Jeanne Ives in her campaign's final days. The ad, which is slated to begin airing on broadcast and cable TV in the state Friday, begins with a question: 'When is a conservative leader too conservative for Illinois?' But it quickly evolves into a list of Ives' conservative positions, presenting them in a way that could be appealing to some Republican primary
voters." Full story.

PA-18 FALLOUT - "Giffords pushes back on gun narrative in PA-18 special" by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "The gun control group led by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and her husband, Mark Kelly, is out with a poll pushing back on Republicans who've argued that Democrat Conor Lamb, the apparent winner of this week's special election in Pennsylvania, is 'pro-gun.' President Donald Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan and others have argued Lamb's win is a fluke, saying he was 'pro-gun' and 'pro-life,' unlike most other Democrats. But while Lamb opposed a ban on assault weapons, he supported universal background checks - a combination of stances held by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Joe
Donnelly (D-Ind.) and other Democrats - and the NRA endorsed his opponent, Republican Rick Saccone." Full story.

- "Democrats' civil war flares after Lamb's upset win" by POLITICO's Heather Caygle: "Conor Lamb's triumph in Trump country is being heralded by conservative Democrats as a major victory in their ongoing turf battle with the far left - and an object lesson on the kind of candidates the party needs to promote and win to take the House in November. ... Conor Lamb's triumph in Trump country is being heralded by conservative Democrats as a major victory in their ongoing turf battle with the far left - and an object lesson on the kind of candidates the party needs to promote and win to take the House in November." Full story.

PAYBACK - "Team Obama settles score with Lipinski" by POLITICO Illinois' Natasha Korecki: "Congressman Dan Lipinski was no friend to President Barack Obama when his fellow Chicago Democrat occupied the White House. On Thursday, Lipinski got his comeuppance. A collection of former Obama aides and supporters banded together to deliver some Chicago-style payback, just days before the embattled congressman faces a tough Democratic primary challenge that could end his career. ... In fact, Obama loyalists were so steamed that 10 former aides and volunteers stood in the Axelrod's old offices for the Thursday news conference - the very place they said Michelle and Barack Obama made their decision
to launch a 2008 presidential bid. The group recounted the difficulties of corralling enough votes to pass the Affordable Care Act eight years ago - and lamented that Lipinski was the only Illinois Democrat to vote against it." Full story.

MONEY CHASE - "Senate Majority PAC adds $500K to Indiana buy" by Robillard: "Senate Majority PAC is out with a new ad in Indiana and is adding $500,000 to its existing buy there as they try to counter a barrage of ads from Americans for Prosperity attacking Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. The new ad from the group, which is controlled by allies of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, features Hoosier George Poynter speaking direct to camera about why he opposes the law. 'They say the new tax law was written to help families like mine, but so much of it goes to millionaires and big corporations, and it had trillions to our national debt,' he says. 'Now they're talking about cutting Medicare
and Social Security to pay for it.' Poynter says 'out-of-state billionaires' are attacking Donnelly for opposing the law, referring to the $4 million the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity have put behind ads attacking the Democrat." Full story.

FIRST IN SCORE - "Concerned Veterans for America fires back in Wisconsin Senate race" by Robillard: "Concerned Veterans for America is firing back in the Wisconsin Senate race, releasing the latest ad litigating Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin's role in a scandal at a veterans' hospital in Tomah, Wisconsin. The new ad will run as part of an existing, $1.6 million buy from the group, which is backed by the Koch Brothers' network of conservative donors. The ad is the latest in a back-and-forth over the scandal between Concerned Veterans and VoteVets, a progressive group which has aired two ads defending Baldwin, a Democrat." Full story.

Days until the 2018 election: 236

Upcoming election dates - Illinois primaries: March 20.

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

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BREAKING OVERNIGHT - "Boughton Collapses at GOP Event; Opponent Srinivasan Comes to His Aid," by the Hartford Courant's Neil Vigdor, Daniela Altimari and Christopher Keating: "Mark Boughton, a top GOP contender for [Connecticut] governor, collapsed at a candidates' event in Avon and required CPR before he was rushed to the hospital. Boughton, mayor of Danbury, fell ill during a candidate meet-and-greet at the North House in Avon. Boughton, 54, was attended to by another candidate, Prasad Srinivasan, a physician and state representative."

- "It was one of the scariest moments of my life because we were not in a hospital setting,'' Srinivasan said during an interview in the ballroom where Boughton collapsed. "He looked paler than pale until the pulse came back. This was not a fainting spell. He was in tough shape. ... He's a lucky man. He's lucky to be alive.'' Full story.

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PREBOOK CLUB - "Democratic governors reserve $20M in ads for redistricting fight," by POLITICO's Isaac Dovere: "The Democratic Governors Association and affiliated groups on Thursday reserved $20 million in advertising time through the year to highlight the brewing battle over redistricting in four target states. The money will be split between Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. Those four are among the eight states that the DGA last month announced were the targeted governors races in which to talk up the importance of electing Democratic governors ahead of the redistricting process, which would take place after the next census and toward the end of the terms of governors elected this
year." Full story.

- Two of the states overlap with the Republican Governors Association pre-booking plan: Nevada and Ohio.

WEST VIRGINIA WARS - "Restoration PAC up with ad backing Morrisey in West Virginia" by Robillard: "Restoration PAC, a conservative super PAC, is up with an ad backing state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey in West Virginia's competitive GOP Senate primary. 'Patrick Morrisey is the real deal,' a male narrator says in the 30-second spot. 'Unlike Joe Manchin, Patrick Morrisey wants you to keep more of your hard-earned money. And unlike Manchin, Patrick Morrisey will move President Trump's agenda forward.'" Full story. Watch the ad here.

THAT WAS FAST - DCCC names Lamb to Frontline Program. Per an announcement from Lamb's campaign: "Today, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján named Congressman-elect Conor Lamb (PA-18) to the DCCC's Frontline Program, its incumbent protection program, which helps ensure Members maintain strong campaigns, maximize resources and take full advantage of Democratic grassroots energy. 'Congressman-elect Conor Lamb embodies toughness, hard work and service, and represents the very best of his community and our country,' said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. 'Conor's record of service combined with a deep connection to labor and the grassroots community puts him in a very strong position to be
re-elected in November.'"

- Reminder: Most news organizations have not yet called Lamb the winner of Tuesday's special election.

AIM FOR THE KING - "'This is my battle on their behalf': NW Iowa man wages personal campaign against Steve King" by the Des Moines Register's Jason Noble: "Doug Alexander is waging a campaign against U.S. Rep. Steve King, but the 65-year-old businessman from the Great Lakes region of northwest Iowa isn't seeking office. If the campaign is for anyone, it's Alexander's three sons - who aren't old enough to vote. Alexander is running a political advertising effort across Iowa's arch-conservative 4th Congressional District with the goal of calling attention to King's long record of inflammatory statements on matters of race, immigration and culture and shaming voters into reconsidering their
support." Full story.

REPUBLICANS IN DISARRAY - "'Tea party governor,' Trump square off against tea party darling Chris McDaniel in Mississippi" by The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender: "A major internecine Republican battle is brewing over U.S. Senate midterm elections in Mississippi, one that could even split the more conservative, tea party-leaning branch of the state GOP. Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday said state Sen. Chris McDaniel appears more interested in his own political career than serving Mississippians or uniting Republicans. The 'tea party governor' and tea party darling McDaniel exchanged a few barbs via media. ... During the same interview, Bryant emphatically said he would not appoint McDaniel to
hold the seat in the interim before a Nov. 6 special election. Bryant said he - and likely Bryant's ally President Donald Trump - would campaign hard for Bryant's appointment and against McDaniel." Full story.

MARCH MADNESS - "Candidates shoot for March Madness bump" by Campaign Pro's Steve Shepard: "Political candidates are looking for their 'One Shining Moment' by blanketing the airwaves with campaign ads during this month's NCAA basketball tournament." Full story.

- Republican Luke Messer's Senate campaign also released an basketball-themed ad. Watch it here.

GUN POLITICS - "Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey goes on tweetstorm over gun control, one day after student sit-in," by the Arizona Republic' Dustin Gardiner and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez: "Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday that his plan to improve school safety in Arizona could include tighter gun laws in several areas, a surprising move for a Republican governor in a red state. In a flurry of afternoon tweets, Ducey outlined what his office said will be the basic components of his plan. Ducey said he is working on a bipartisan bill to tackle the issue." Full story.

STAFFING UP - Axiom Strategies hires Emily Miller: Axiom Strategies' public affairs firm, Clout, has hired Emily Miller as senior vice president of communications. According to a press release announcing the hiring: "Miller will serve as counselor and strategist for an array of Clout clients ranging from top-level political candidates to leading corporations and trade associations. 'Emily has the troika of political communications experience - journalism, State Department and Capitol Hill leadership,' said Jeff Roe, Axiom Founder and CEO. 'She is one of the most well-connected people in D.C., who will bring her high energy and relentless drive to win to our clients.' ... Miller was the
Senior Political Correspondent for One America News, where she covered the 2016 presidential campaign, Capitol Hill and the White House. Previously, she was the Chief Investigative Reporter for Fox 5 DC."

CORRECTION: The March 15 edition of Morning Score misstated Andrew Childs's position for Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani's gubernatorial campaign. He was hired as deputy campaign manager.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The answer is a big, fat 'No.'" - Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo when asked if California Democrats had done enough to make sure their candidates are on the ballot in November.

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