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By Daniel Strauss | 03/13/2018 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)

ELECTION DAY IN PA - "What to watch in Pennsylvania" by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "Republicans want to avoid an embarrassing loss in Trump country, Democrats are hoping for a narrative-setting victory - and it's all for a special election in a district that won't exist in a few months. Tuesday's results in the race between Republican Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb will provide clues on the midterm season ahead, specifically how bad it might be for President Donald Trump and the GOP. Trump carried the district by 20 points in 2016; a loss in the special election would disastrous to the party's fading hopes of holding the House.

"In response, Republican outside groups have unleashed millions in TV ads to damage Lamb, who's cast himself as a centrist Democrat and vowed not to back Nancy Pelosi if he's elected. A Monmouth University poll released Monday showed Lamb with a single-digit lead. So far, Democrats have largely outperformed turnout in regular and special elections throughout the last year, and Lamb's team is hoping that holds." Full story.

- "Republicans abandon tax cut message in Pa. special election" by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "Republicans have backed away from their signature tax cut bill in the final days of a closely-watched special House election in the Pittsburgh suburbs - even though it's the very accomplishment on which they had banked their midterm election hopes. Instead, GOP groups that once proudly declared the tax law would be the central fight of the midterms are now airing ads on so-called sanctuary cities and attacking Democrat Conor Lamb's record as a prosecutor as they try to drag GOP state Rep. Rick Saccone over the finish line. The strategy shift has been dramatic." Full story.

- "Poll: Democrat Lamb leads in Pa. special election" by Schneider and Steven Shepard: "Democrat Conor Lamb heads into the final day of the special congressional election in western Pennsylvania with the lead, according to a new public poll released Monday." Full story.

- "Pennsylvania GOP chairman says Tuesday special election is in 'Democrat district'" by Politico's Louis Nelson: "The chairman of Pennsylvania's Republican Party said Monday the special election in which Democrat Conor Lamb is running neck-and-neck with Republican Rick Saccone is in a 'Democrat district,' even though it was represented by a Republican for more than a decade and President Donald Trump won it handily in 2016." Full story.

- "Inside the DCCC's stealth effort to help Conor Lamb," by McClatchy's Alex Roarty: "The group's multi-pronged effort totaled more than $1 million and included significant investments in field staff, NFL-themed digital ads, and a last-minute get-out-the-vote effort to pull Lamb across the finish line. It also included a nearly $450,000 infusion into the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, money used to fund voter outreach." Full story.

Days until the 2018 election: 239

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.

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

NEW TESTER AD - "Tester touts laws signed by Trump in first ad" by Robillard: "Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is out with the first ad of his reelection campaign, which touts the 13 bills he's had signed into law by President Donald Trump. 'Washington's a mess, but that's not stopping me from getting bills to help Montana signed into law by President Trump,' Tester says direct to camera in the ad, before Tester and an array of Montanans begin ticking off the laws: improving veterans' health care, expanding education benefits for veterans, doing 'right by our cops, firefighters and paramedics.' After the eighth bill, Tester declares: 'I'm out of fingers. But I'm not finished getting things done
for Montana.'" Full story. Watch the ad here.

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DIGITAL AD WARS - The National Republican Senatorial Committee is launching a new website dinging Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. According to a release: "The website, which can be viewed HERE, continues with the theme of High Five Heidi, a reference to Heitkamp's celebratory high five with Chuck Schumer after she voted against the 5-month abortion ban. So far, the NRSC has released a radio ad and a digital ad slamming Heitkamp for her celebration and abysmal voting record."

- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is launching a statewide digital ad highlighting the reforms he spearheaded in Wisconsin. The ad, called "Working" details "how Wisconsin made the tough decisions that resulted in balanced budgets and enabled the state to invest historic amounts in our classrooms - including $200 more per student this year and $204 more per student next year. Additionally, Wisconsin's bold reforms have resulted in increased sparsity aid for rural school districts and further investments in worker training to help everyone who wants a job, find not just a job, but a career." Watch the ad here.

PAWLENTY FUNDRAISER ... IN FLORIDA - "Florida fundraiser, new account point to Pawlenty run for governor" by MPR's Brian Bakst: "Republican Tim Pawlenty is fundraising toward a now-likely campaign for Minnesota governor. A fundraising invitation obtained Monday by MPR News contains a 'Pawlenty for Governor' committee disclaimer. It advertises a Naples, Fla., fundraiser next week that seeks up to the maximum donation of $4,000 per person ... Pawlenty has yet to announce a formal campaign for the office, which won't have an incumbent on November's ballot. But all signs point to a campaign, including his decision to leave a high-paid Washington D.C. job lobbying for financial services
companies." Full story.

ADMINISTRATION SPEED READ - "Trump close to tapping Kudlow to succeed Cohn" by Politico's Andrew Restuccia and Ben White: "President Donald Trump is close to choosing economic analyst Larry Kudlow as his new top economic policy adviser, according to three people briefed on the internal deliberations. After souring on Kudlow because he publicly criticized the president's decision to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Trump is now leaning heavily toward tapping the CNBC contributor and former Reagan administration official to lead the National Economic Council, the people said. ...

"Some White House officials said they were unsure as of Monday afternoon exactly what the president would decide - and when. Aides have grown accustomed to working for a president who often makes decisions without warning. Trump abruptly announced via Twitter last summer that John Kelly, who at the time was Homeland Security secretary, would become his chief staff." Full story.

STAFFING UP - "Flush with cash and bracing for November, the RNC builds an army," by NBC News' Alex Seitz-Wald: "The RNC will add an additional 170 permanent staffers to its field program by the end of March, more than doubling the number already in the field to over 300. And the party expects to add 200 more before before the start of the summer." Full story.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It really is a test that sets things in motion," - former RNC chairman Michael Steele to The Washington Post on the stakes in the PA-18 special election.

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