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By Emily Schultheis (
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SCORE PREVIEW-DEMS PILE ON RYAN BUDGET PLAN: On the day Rep. Paul Ryan will release the framework of his budget plan, Democrats are out with a barrage of attacks hitting both Ryan himself and potential GOP 2014 candidates on the budget plan as a whole and on Medicare specifically.

DSCC GOES AFTER GOP SENATE HOPEFULS: As GOP House members consider their positions on the Ryan budget plan, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is going after all sitting GOP members of Congress who might run for Senate next year. In a release set for later this morning, the committee will say these GOP members of Congress are embracing an "extreme" budget that would "force ... seniors to pay more out of their pockets each year for health care, drastically cut funding for job creating infrastructure projects, and make college more expensive by slashing Pell Grants and financial aid." The candidates the DSCC will hit today include Arkansas Rep. Tom Cotton, Iowa Rep. Steve King,
Louisiana Reps. Jeff Landry, John Fleming and Bill Cassidy, Minnesota Reps. Erik Paulsen, John Kline and Michele Bachmann, Michigan Reps. Justin Amash and Mike Rogers, West Virginia Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, Georgia Reps. Paul Broun, Phil Gingrey and Jack Kingston, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell and Texas Sen. John Cornyn.

MORE-DCCC TALKS MEDICARE IN FACEBOOK ADS: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is taking to Facebook today to encourage voters to oppose Ryan's plans for Medicare, placing an ad on the social-networking site targeted to users 50 and older. "Call out Paul Ryan," the ad says, linking to a DCCC petition that already has more than 300,000 signatures. "Tell Paul Ryan to stop putting millionaire tax breaks before Medicare." See the petition here:
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House Majority PAC will also tackle the Ryan budget today with a video today, saying Ryan is "doubling down all over again" on the issue of Medicare. Watch:
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PREVIEW-NRCC HITS FRESHMAN DEMS ON BUDGET: Republicans are going after 19 freshman House Democrats on the lack of a balanced budget in Congress and Rep. Chris Van Hollen's comments on the issue Monday, in which he didn't name a timeline for balancing the budget. "The time has come," NRCC press secretary Andrea Bozek said in a statement, for these members "to speak out against her party's disastrous economic proposals and demand a balanced budget that will create American jobs." On the NRCC's list: Ron Barber (AZ-02), Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09), Ami Bera (CA-07), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Raul Ruiz (CA-36), Scott Peters (CA-52), Elizabeth Esty (CT-05), Patrick Murphy (FL-18), Lois Frankel (FL-22),
Joe Garcia (FL-26), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Bill Enyart (IL-12), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Rick Nolan (MN-08), Annie Kuster (NH-02), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Pete Gallego (TX-23), and Suzan DelBene (WA-01).

EXCLUSIVE POLL-SCOTT ROMNEY LEADS MICHIGAN GOP FIELD: Harper Polling, the new GOP polling outfit led by former NRCC deputy executive director Brock McCleary, is out with fresh numbers testing a handful of potential candidates in the now-open Michigan Senate race. On the Republican side, Scott Romney (brother of Mitt Romney) leads the field with 26 percent, followed by Rep. Mike Rogers at 17 percent, Rep. Justin Amash at 11 percent and former secretary of state Terri Land at 9 percent (38 percent were undecided). For Democrats, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm leads with 59 percent, followed by Rep. Gary Peters at 13 percent and Rep. Dan Kildee at 6 percent. The poll was conducted March 9-10,
after Sen. Carl Levin announced he wouldn't seek reelection next year. See full results here:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d2dbe6547ac205f72d0c363c03b0bedca833090d8402f0eb57591868f861555c
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SNEAK PEEK-PPP POLL SHOWS CORBETT IN TROUBLE IN PENNSYLVANIA: Gov. Tom Corbett, who's considered one of the most vulnerable Republican governors in the country next year, trails every Democrat he's matched up against in a new Public Policy Polling survey that will be released later this morning. Against Rep. Allyson Schwartz, former Rep. Joe Sestak or state Treasurer Rob McCord, Corbett would trail 11 points (45-34) against businessman Tom Wolf, he'd trail 9 points (42-33) and against former state Environmental Protection head John Hanger, he'd trail 7 points (41-34). Corbett's approval rating in the state, which has been consistently low, now stands at 33 percent, compared with 58 percent
who disapprove.

Maggie Haberman looked last night at how an Allyson Schwartz candidacy in the Keystone State could revive the "war on women" rhetoric that played so prominently across the country in 2012:
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EXCLUSIVE - HAGAN HIRES PRESTON ELLIOTT AS MANAGER: Gearing up early for the midterms, North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan (D) will announce later today that she has hired the man who led Sen. Jon Tester's successful reelection bid in Montana last year. In 2010, Elliott led the field operation and turnout efforts that helped Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid win. In 2008, he was deputy political director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "He has a proven track record of success, and with his help and the help of North Carolinians of all walks of life, I expect to cross the finish line with a victory in November 2014," Hagan said in a statement shared first with James Hohmann. In
the forthcoming announcement, Elliott previews the contours of Hagan's message next year - a moderate with a history of reaching across the aisle to get results. North Carolina is one of seven states carried by Mitt Romney that Democrats must defend. It is unclear who Republicans will nominate in the Tar Heel State.
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FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD-

1) How will potential Senate candidates in both parties respond to the Ryan budget rollout?

2) Does Bill Bolling jump into the Virginia race with his "major announcement" Thursday?

3) Which Republican pols give the standout speeches at CPAC this week?

4) What kind of reception will Mitt Romney get during his speech?

5) Do any candidates make their intentions official in Michigan's now-open Senate race?

As the Virginia candidates spar over fundraising, Christine Quinn announces in New York and voters still really don't like Congress, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your guide to the permanent campaign.

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR PREVIEW-CUCCINELLI HITS ON OUT-OF-STATE FUNDRAISING: GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli's campaign is going after Democrat Terry McAuliffe for holding frequent fundraisers outside of Virginia. In a release set for later this morning, the campaign notes that McAuliffe is raising cash with fellow former DNC Chairman Ed Rendell in Philadelphia tomorrow, and also points out that he's recently held fundraisers in Syracuse, N.Y., Orlando, Fla., and New Orleans. "After holding fundraisers in Syracuse, Orlando and New Orleans, Terry McAuliffe is now bringing the party to Philadelphia," Cuccinelli spokeswoman said in the statement, which will be released earlier today,
adding that McAuliffe is "only interested in hobnobbing with the liberal elite."

MORE FROM VIRGINIA-DEMS TIE CUCCINELLI TO DONOR ON TRIAL: Democrats in Virginia are launching an attack against Cuccinelli for not denouncing his former donor Bobby Thompson, who's on trial in Ohio for theft, money laundering, corruption and identity fraud. Thompson, the head of a fake veterans group that's under investigation in several states, donated $55,000 to Cuccinelli's campaign in 2009, the second-largest individual donation Cuccinelli got that year. "As Ohio's Attorney General brings Bobby Thompson to trial for his crimes in Ohio, Virginians are right to wonder why Ken Cuccinelli has sat on his hands for three years despite the crimes he committed here in the Commonwealth,"
Virginia Democratic Party spokesman Brian Coy will say in a statement later today.

SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE EXCLUSIVE-TEDDY TURNER DEFENDS HIMSELF: One week out from the GOP primary in the special election for South Carolina's 1st district, Teddy Turner is out with an ad responding to criticism from his opponent Chip Limehouse. Turner's ad calls Limehouse "desperate" and says he's "waging a shameful, negative campaign" against Turner. "Our survey shows were the ONLY candidate who can beat Sanford in a runoff," said a Turner adviser. "...Limehouse can't win, he's simply trying to deny a viable conservative from taking on Sanford, we won't let him get away with it.' Watch:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d2dbe6547ac205f7e8a97489cf8c651cf4f82f6f2e508e41385de06e80b60577
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MASSACHUSETTS SENATE-MARKEY, LYNCH GO ON AIR: Both Reps. Ed Markey and Stephen Lynch, the two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in Massachusetts's special Senate election, are going on air today, per the Boston Globe. The primary takes place April 30. From the Globe: "Lynch's ad, which shows him in jeans and a windbreaker and describes his childhood in public housing in South Boston and his 18 years as an ironworker, is intended to draw a subtle contrast with Markey, who has served in Congress for 36 years. Markey's campaign would not disclose the contents of his ad. The dueling spots promise to raise the metabolism of what has so far been a low-profile contest, as both
Democrats have focused on wooing and organizing party activists out of the public eye."
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NEW YORK MAYOR-QUINN ANNOUNCES: New York City Councilwoman Christine Quinn, considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in New York's mayoral race, made her candidacy official this weekend. "New York 'needs to remain and become even more that place of opportunity, a place that's a beacon for the middle class and for people who are fighting so hard to get into the middle class," she said at a press conference. "And I'm running for mayor because I want to keep New York City that place and make it more of that place.' Quinn, a close ally of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, would be the city's first female mayor and first openly gay mayor.Recent polling shows Quinn leading the
Democratic primary as well as crushing any of the Republican candidates in the general election.
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POLL OF THE WEEK: Gallup finds Congressional approval at a dismal 13 percent, down from 15 percent last month.
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2014 NEWS-

MICHIGAN SENATE-STATE OF THE RACE: Five days after Carl Levin announced he won't run again in 2014, a handful of pols have expressed interest in running on both sides of the aisle but none have made any formal announcements. On the Republican side, Rep. Mike Rogers said he's giving the race "serious consideration." Rep. Justin Amash, former secretary of state Terry Lynn Land and Scott Romney, brother of Mitt Romney, among others, are also reportedly looking at launching bids in the race. For Democrats, Rep. Gary Peters has expressed interest in a bid; other top names are former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, activist Debbie Dingell and Rep. Mark Schauer. A handful of GOP prospects have already
ruled out bids, including Rep. Candace Miller, Detroit charter school founder Clark Durant, former state attorney general Mike Cox, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley and state attorney general Bill Schuette.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d2dbe6547ac205f78985ea3f69202a01fe889ca9b0464d11b64791054f3c9166
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MINDMELD FROM THE PARTY COMMITTEES-

-NRSC: "Senate Democrats have an expensive problem in Michigan and a weak bench with which to solve it. Instead of Senator Carl Levin snoozing his way to re-election, Democrats now face a costly open-seat battle, in a state that consistently elects Republicans statewide in non-Presidential years. Valuable dollars and resources that were to be spent defending Kay Hagan, Mark Pryor and Mary Landrieu will now be drained by Michigan. Our nominee will share the ticket with an incumbent Republican Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General, along with strong Republican majorities in both legislative chambers and a majority in the Congressional delegation. As if those
Democratic skies weren't already cloudy enough, now consider that Republican donors in Michigan out raised or kept pace with the Democrats and the Obama campaign in every quarter throughout 2012.Two words: Don Riegle. We saw this movie in 1994, when Senator Riegle's seat opened in a non-Presidential year and the Republican won decisively."

-DSCC: "In 2012 Republicans promised they would be competitive in Michigan. They landed what they claimed would be their top recruit, pledged resources, and touted the fact that they had their hometown boy at the top of the ticket... then went on to lose by 20 points. Republicans are once again engaging in the same blustery rhetoric. The fact is that Republicans have not won a Senate race in Michigan in nearly twenty years, and won only once in the last 35 years (1994's Republican revolution-paging Newt). Democrats are extremely confident that we will have a strong candidate with broad support and that Michigan will elect another Democratic leader who will continue Senator Levin's
work on behalf of the middle class."

KENTUCKY SENATE-DSCC MUM ON JUDD ENDORSEMENT: In the wake of a new round of speculation about actress Ashley Judd's intention to challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell next year - and more early attacks on her from Republicans - national Democrats aren't ready to coalesce behind Judd as the party's nominee. On a conference call with reporters Monday, DSCC Executive Director Guy Cecil called Judd a "quality candidate" but stopped short of endorsing her over other prospective candidates in the race. "We think there are actually a handful of quality candidates in Kentucky, that there's actually a deep bench," Cecil said, per James Hohmann. "Quality candidates would include folks like
the secretary of state [Alison Lundergan Grimes] and folks like Ashley Judd."
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GEORGIA SENATE-GINGREY CLARIFIES: GOP Rep. Phil Gingrey, who's seriously considering a run for Senate in Georgia, sat down with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday to clarify his previous comments on both gun violence and rape and abortion. He told the paper that he would not support a ban on high-capacity magazines and his previous comments suggesting he'd consider it were just him "thinking out loud." In regards to his past defense of Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comments, he said those comments were "stupid" and he regrets them. 'Rape is rape. If it's rape, it's legitimate. I certainly regret very much weighing in on that issue, which was something that was already pretty much
roundly condemned and criticized,' he told the AJC. For Gingrey, the interview was an attempt to clear up controversy on both of those issues before his expected campaign for Senate.
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OHIO GOVERNOR-FITZGERALD MOVES TOWARD A RUN: Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, who's been mulling a gubernatorial bid against John Kasich for a while, has formed a campaign committee in the race that allows him to spend and raise money going forward. The Cleveland Plain Dealer: "While not an official declaration of his candidacy, the committee FitzGerald is registering with the Ohio secretary of state is necessary to show he is serious about running. ... FitzGerald already has tapped Aaron Pickrell, who managed former Gov. Ted Strickland's campaigns and President Barack Obama's Ohio victories, as a consultant. He also has steadily increased his politicking across the state
since Strickland announced he would pass on a rematch with Kasich. That's crucial for FitzGerald, who is little known outside the Cleveland media market."
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2016 WATCH-

FAITH & FREEDOM COALITION PLANS '16 CONFAB: Per Alex Burns, the social conservative group Faith & Freedom Coalition has invited top GOP presidential prospects to a conference in D.C. this June. From the story: "The social conservative group intends to invite the biggest names in the 2016 field, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has drawn attention over the last week with a provocative new book on immigration reform, is also on the invitation list for the "Road to Majority" conference. So is Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has become a favorite of
national conservative activists since being sworn in just over two months ago."
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MARTIN O'MALLEY is keynoting a South Carolina Democratic Party conference on March 23.
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LIGHTER CLICKS-

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND BOBBY JINDAL spoke at the Gridiron Dinner over the weekend. Transcripts of their speeches:
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A NEW YORK JUDGE blocked New York City's new soda ban.
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INTRADE officially shut down on Sunday.
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CARDINALS IN ROME begin conclave to choose a new pope today.
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CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You guys are crack addicts. You really are obsessed with all this politics." -Jeb Bush, to NBC's David Gregory about reporters and their round-the-clock focus on elections.
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