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By Kyle Cheney

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. (
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POPPING THIS MORNING: 'The importance of being Ernst' by POLITICO's Katie Glueck and James Hohmann: Sen. Joni Ernst may be a newcomer to Washington, but she's already wielding serious clout. The Iowa Republican freshman is seeking influence in the 2016 GOP presidential sweepstakes: "Likely candidates are expected to attend a summer political event put on by Ernst ... weeks after Ernst won a hotly contested Senate race, her staff started planning the June 6 gathering that she aims to turn into an annual tradition akin to the steak fry that her Democratic predecessor, Tom Harkin, put on 37 times ... The 'Roast and Ride' will likely be held in central Iowa and is expected to be a
family-friendly event featuring motorcycle rides and a pork-heavy menu."
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POLICY POLITICS - "Pence's perils on Obamacare," by Campaign Pro's Kyle Cheney: "Indiana Gov. Mike Pence won federal approval Tuesday for an Obamacare-inspired health care expansion, a development he cheered - but one GOP operatives say could put him in political peril if he runs for president ... [I]t's just the kind of ammunition opposing candidates are likely to deploy in a crowded presidential primary as they try to distinguish themselves ... For [Jeb] Bush, opposition to Medicaid expansion could help him mollify a base that views him skeptically for moderate statements on immigration and Common Core education standards." The former governor of Florida met quietly with state lawmakers
in early 2013 and lobbied against Medicaid expansion.
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INSIDE CPAC - "CPAC changes include audience questions for 2016ers," by POLITICO's Katie Glueck and Kyle Cheney: "The horde of likely presidential contenders expected at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference will be asked to deliver speeches about specific policy issues - rather than campaign-style stemwinders - and they'll also face audience questions, organizers told POLITICO in an exclusive preview Tuesday ... "If you're running for president and appearing at CPAC, you'll have to answer some tough questions not given to you ahead of time," said Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, which hosts the event. "The theme is 'Conservative Action Starts
Here.' Groups involved in facilitating those trainings include the youth-focused, Koch brothers-backed group Generation Opportunity; the Republican research-focused super PAC America Rising; Young Americans for Liberty; and American Majority, a conservative organizing group.
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As Nancy Pelosi makes predictions and the RNC's digital team gets a revamp, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: daily news, notes and essential information for the 2015 and 2016 election cycles.

Days until the 2015 election: 279; Days until the 2016 election: 650

Thanks for joining us. We're eager for your news and feedback. Email us at
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2016 GOP - "Walker forms fundraising committee as he preps for 2016," by POLITICO's James Hohmann: "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has formed a fundraising vehicle that will let him step up a presidential campaign-in-waiting before a formal announcement in late spring. The Republican recently filed papers to set up a 527 committee called Our American Revival and will roll out a new website Tuesday afternoon. Rick Wiley, who will manage Walker's eventual presidential campaign, is going to be the group's executive director.
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PELOSI'S CRYSTAL BALL - Is fourth time the charm for Pelosi predictions? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says Democrats will retake the House in 2016, upending projections of long-term gloom expected at least until the next round of redistricting in 2020.In an interview with The Hill, Pelosi said a Hillary Clinton nomination would energize the party and carry Democratic House candidates to victory. "There's opportunity, all kinds of statistics now about if the Democrats have a presidential candidate who ... wins by 52 percent - that's over 20 [House] seats," she said in the interview. "And so 53 [percent] is a victory [for House Democrats]."

STAFFING UP - "Big shakeup at RNC digital operation," by POLITICO's Darren Samuelsohn: "The Republican National Committee is undergoing a major shakeup in its technology efforts as its top digital official is set to leave for a rival data operation tied to the Koch brothers and a one-time prized Facebook recruit is also shifting into a new advisory role, multiple GOP sources told POLITICO. Chuck DeFeo, the RNC deputy chief of staff who engineered a $100 million tech overhaul credited in part with the party's 2014 midterm successes, gave notice earlier this month that he was exiting ... to join i360, a data and analytical powerhouse ... Also, former Facebook engineer Andrew Barkett is giving
up his title as the RNC's chief technology officer but will remain on the payroll as a Silicon Valley-based senior tech adviser to Chairman Reince Priebus."
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-RNC names new chief of staff: RNC finance chief Katie Walsh has been promoted to Chairman Reince Priebus' chief of staff, the committee announced this morning. The committee raised $194 million last year and spent $192 million, and its financial turnaround since emerging from the 2010 cycle with $21 million in debt helped propel Priebus to a third term as chairman earlier this month. Walsh succeeds Mike Shields as chief of staff. She previously worked as Sen. John Cornyn's finance director and the NRSC's deputy finance director.

-DSCC gets political director, press secretary: The DSCC has named Simone Ward - the former campaign manager for West Virginia Senate candidate Natalie Tennant - its political director for the 2016 cycle. Ward previously worked at the DNC as national constituency director and managed Sen. Barbara Mikulski's 2010 reelection campaign. The DSCC also named Sadie Weiner its national press secretary, following her stint as communications director for Kay Hagan's unsuccessful Senate reelection campaign in North Carolina last year.

RGA unveils senior staff: David Rexrode, who served as campaign manager for Ken Cuccinelli for Governor and executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia, will serve as political director. Jon Thompson is being promoted to communications director ... Mary Ann Laconte will serve as finance director ...Caitlin Schroder will serve as executive roundtable director ... Justina Rusch will be governors liaison ... Laura Ciciarelli will serve as director of operations ... and Mike Adams will continue to serve as general counsel.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Let's say, if a woman became president ... I could be called Adam." - Bill Clinton, in a Rachael Ray interview airing Thursday.
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