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By Emily Schultheis (
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eschultheis@politico.com ; Twitter: @emilyrs)

MASSACHUSETTS SENATE-IT'S PRIMARY DAY: Voters head to the polls in the Bay State today, where there are contested primaries for both parties. For Democrats, Rep. Ed Markey is widely expected to beat fellow Rep. Stephen Lynch; for Republicans, it's a three-way race between state Rep. Dan Winslow, businessman Gabriel Gomez and former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan.

BOSTON GLOBE RAISES THE CURTAIN: "The three Republican candidates battled toward a potentially close finish in the Senate primary on Tuesday while an illness knocked Representative Stephen F. Lynch off the campaign trail on the critical last day of his challenge to Representative Edward J. Markey. A stomach bug forced Lynch to cancel six of the seven events he had planned for the day before the primary, a time when all five candidates were pushing to create a sense of momentum in a race that has been overshadowed by the Boston Marathon bombings. As the candidates made stops across the state, two Democratic groups dispatched camera-wielding operatives to track Gabriel E. Gomez, a sign that
the former Navy SEAL may be gaining on the perceived front-runner, Michael J. Sullivan."
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Outside spending in the race has topped $2.2 million, per the AP.
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SCORE EXCLUSIVE-HARPER FINDS SCHWEITZER LEADING IN MONTANA: No candidates have announced in Montana's Senate race following the news that Sen. Max Baucus will retire, but a new survey from Harper Polling finds former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer leading the field if he gets in. Schweitzer would lead Rep. Steve Daines by 10 points (50-40), former Gov. Marc Racicot by 4 points (47-43) and former state Sen. Corey Stapleton by 25 points (54-29). If Schweitzer doesn't run, state Democratic Superintendent of Public Information Denise Juneau would trail all three GOP candidates she was tested against. That said, Montana's still a red state: in the poll's generic ballot test, 42 percent of
those surveyed said they'd rather back a Republican candidate than a Democratic candidate. In other words, Democrats' hopes of holding the seat depend in large part on whether they can recruit Schweitzer for the seat. Full results:
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ABOUT LAST NIGHT-S.C. CANDIDATES COMPETE IN DEBATE SLUGFEST: Last night was the first and only debate in South Carolina's 1st district special election, and both candidates came out swinging. Alex Isenstadt: "Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch took the fight to embattled Republican Mark Sanford in a raucous debate here Monday night, at one point tagging the former governor as a hypocrite for preaching lower spending when he used taxpayer dollars to fly to Argentina to visit his mistress. Sanford called Colbert Busch, a Clemson University administrator and the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, a tool of Nancy Pelosi and labor unions who's a misfit for the conservative-leaning 1st District.
And so it went on one issue after another - from jobs and spending to Obamacare and gun control - in a 75-minute slugfest ahead of next week's battle for a vacant South Carolina congressional seat."
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SNEAK PEEK: NRCC GOES AFTER 20 DEMS ON WORKING FAMILIES ACT: The National Republican Congressional Committee is going after 20 House Democrats for their positions on the Working Families Flexibility Act, which allows for paid time off for private sector employees. In new online ads, targeted toward mom-friendly blogs and websites in the candidates' districts, the NRCC says the Democrats they're targeting aren't working to help working moms. "It's time for these out-of-touch Democrats to stand up for the thousands of working families in their districts and support this common-sense legislation," said NRCC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek. Democrats on the NRCC's list: Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), 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), Joe Garcia (FL-26), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Bill Enyart (IL-12), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Pete Gallego (TX-23), Jim Matheson (UT-04), and Nick Rahall (WV-03).

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD-

1) How big is Ed Markey's margin of victory in Massachusetts?

2) Does Brian Schweitzer make a decision about Montana's Senate race?

3) Who's the most prominent GOP figure to endorse Mark Sanford in the last week of the campaign?

4) Which Senate candidates will Ron Paul endorse next?

5) Will any other '16 hopefuls keep up the kind of busy early-state schedule Rand Paul is planning?

As Nikki Haley raises cash for Mark Sanford, Ken Cuccinelli goes on the air and Ron Paul weighs in in Georgia, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your guide to the permanent campaign.

DRIVING THE WEEK IN VIRGINIA-

DEMOCRATS RENEW STAR SCIENTIFIC ATTACKS: The controversy over Star Scientific just keeps getting bigger: the Washington Post reported Monday night that the FBI is looking into the relationship between Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and the company (http://wapo.st/YiXNSt), and late last week GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli announced there were more than $5,000 in gifts from the company's CEO that he hadn't disclosed (http://bit.ly/YiWRxu). This week, Virginia Democrats are taking the opportunity to hit Cuccinelli for his failure to disclose gifts. They're coming out with a release later this morning pointing out all the moments Cuccinelli could have remembered to disclose the gifts
but didn't. Star Scientific has been dogging Cuccinelli for weeks now-it doesn't seem like the story is going away any time soon.
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CUCCINELLI CAMP SEIZES ON GREENTECH REPORT: Cuccinelli's campaign is focusing this week on a new NBC12 report about Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe and his electric car company GreenTech, whose decision to build a factory in Mississippi and not Virginia has already become a big issue in the campaign. The NBC12 report, which aired last night, said an independent organization in Mississippi is auditing GreenTech's project there-a fact Cuccinelli's campaign says is a sign of McAuliffe's "inability to deliver on his promises." Link to the report:
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MORE-Cuccinelli released his first TV ad of the campaign last week, featuring his wife speaking direct-to-camera:
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MORE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA-HALEY RAISING FOR SANFORD: Former Gov. Mark Sanford may have lost the backing of the NRCC, but a sitting Republican governor is still on his side: Gov. Nikki Haley is hosting a fundraiser for Sanford tomorrow night, his campaign confirmed.The event, in Charleston, costs $250 per person to attend or $1000 per person to be an event sponsor. Haley endorsed Sanford earlier this month after he won the GOP primary. The fact that Haley is stepping in for Sanford even after his alleged trespassing incidents at his ex-wife's house-a situation that prompted national Republicans to pull out of the race-is a testament both to the close relationship the two pols have had over
the years, and also to what's at stake for Haley in the race. She appointed Tim Scott to the Senate when Jim DeMint announced his retirement, meaning she's got a stake in the way this special election turns out as well.
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2014 NEWS-

PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR-CORBETT STRUGGLES IN NEW POLL: It's no secret that Democrats see Pennsylvania GOP Gov. Tom Corbett as one of their top targets-and a new Quinnipiac poll out Monday helps show why. In hypothetical matchups with Democratic candidates, Corbett is trailing in all three of them: he'd lose to former Rep. Joe Sestak by 14 points, 48 percent to 34 percent; to Rep. Allyson Schwartz by 13 points, 47 percent to 34 percent; and to state treasurer Rob McCord by 9 points, 44 percent to 35 percent. Asked if Corbett deserves to be reelected, 50 percent of those surveyed said no; only 32 percent said yes. While the Democratic field is still being formed and Schwartz, the only declared
Democrat, could end up with a primary, it's not good news for Corbett that he's this far down against potential challengers a year and a half out from Election Day.
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MICHIGAN SENATE-PETERS SET TO ANNOUNCE: There's been a lot of talk about potential candidates in the race for Michigan's open Senate seat, but so far no official candidates-that's going to change this week, with Democratic Rep. Gary Peters reportedly announcing his campaign. Per National Journal, the congressman will make his announcement in the next few days. Republicans in the race still have no official candidates, though a handful of GOP pols in the state-including Reps. Mike Rogers and Justin Amash, former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and former Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis-have expressed interest.
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MAINE GOVERNOR-PINGREE WON'T RUN: Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree, considered a top gubernatorial recruit both by Democratic women's groups and national Democrats more generally, announced she isn't running to challenge GOP Gov. Paul Le Page. The move opens up the Democratic field for candidates like Rep. Mike Michaud and former Gov. John Baldacci. Both Michaud and Baldacci are still weighing their options, though, even in light of Pingree's announcement: Michaud chief of staff Peter Chandler told the AP the congressman is "continuing to consider the race," and Baldacci spokesman Dan Cashman said the former governor is "still evaluating." In Maine, where a three-way general election is likely
now that independent Eliot Cutler has formed a campaign committee, Democrats need a candidate that can appeal to enough voters to overcome both LePage and Cutler.
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KENTUCKY SENATE-MCCONNELL PLANS FOR DIGITAL ADVANTAGE: Republican 2014 candidates have an unlikely leader in the field of data and digital advertising: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Huffington Post looks at McConnell's growing digital operation, which is already hard at work despite McConnell's current lack of an opponent: "[T]he attitude among aides to the fifth-term Kentucky Republican is that while some in the GOP are holding soul-searching panel discussions and others are fighting over who gets to control the data and the money in 2016, they're going to run a cutting-edge, digital-savvy campaign in 2014 that shows their party how it's done. ... He has hired a small
firm called Crowdverb to run his campaign's data operation. For digital strategy, McConnell is turning to Vincent Harris, a 24-year-old digital specialist who worked for Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) campaign and on the presidential primary runs of Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga)."
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LOUISIANA SENATE-BAUCUS BUMP FOR LANDRIEU? Montana Sen. Max Baucus's retirement may indirectly help out another red-state Democrat who's up for reelection next year: Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu. POLITICO Pro's Darren Goode explains: "The Montana Democrat's upcoming retirement will create a domino effect that could land Landrieu a coveted chairmanship of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, a development that might aid the Louisiana Democrat's tough reelection bid. For a pro-oil Democrat eager to put space between herself and the party in a state that has become increasingly Republican, touting her influence on energy policy may be enough to land her a fourth term."
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IOWA SENATE-BRANSTAD WEIGHS IN: While criticizing Rep. Bruce Braley, the only Democratic candidate in the race for Iowa's open Senate seat, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad also seemed to take an indirect dig at one GOP Senate prospect, Rep. Steve King. Branstad said another U.S. congressman in Iowa's Senate seat is "the last thing we need"-and both Braley and King serve in the House. "I really believe that Iowans want somebody that will serve in the Senate that will be an Iowa problem solver, not another congressman," Branstad said at a press conference Monday. "...[T]he Democrats have decided, 'Well, we're going to send up another congressman.' That's the last thing we need is another congressman
in the United States Senate." Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Branstad's preferred candidate for the seat, announced last week that she wouldn't run. That leaves King, Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and potentially Chuck Grassley aide David Young.
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GEORGIA SENATE-RON PAUL BACKS BROUN: Ron Paul may not be in elected office anymore, but he's making it clear that he's not staying away from politics: he backed Rep. Paul Broun in the GOP primary for Georgia's open Senate seat. Broun was the first candidate to formally announce his campaign in the race, and will likely face a crowded primary that includes a handful of his colleagues in the House. This is Paul's first foray into the 2014 elections-and a GOP primary, at that, meaning there's likely more to come from Paul as the cycle progresses. In this race, Broun is the candidate Democrats would most want to face-raising the question of what kind of role Paul will play in narrowing the GOP
Senate field going forward if he continues to endorse in other primaries.
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PENNSYLVANIA SENATE-TOOMEY APPROVAL UP: Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey's compromise effort on the background checks bill may not have passed in the Senate, but his work is winning him more supporters back home in the Keystone State. A Quinnipiac poll out this weekend gave Toomey a 48 percent approval rating (with 30 percent who disapprove), compared with a 43-32 approval rating just a month ago. And asked specifically how Toomey's role in the background checks legislation affected their views on him, 54 percent of voters said it made them view him more favorably. Just 12 percent said the issue makes them view him less favorably. As your Score correspondent wrote just after Toomey and Sen.
Joe Manchin announced the compromise, Toomey's involvement in the bill is a way to position himself for a 2016 reelection bid in which he'll have to win over moderate voters in suburban Philadelphia-at least thus far, it seems the background checks issue is a boon to Toomey's image in the state.
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ILLINOIS GOVERNOR-SCHOCK CLEARS THE WAY FOR RAUNER: Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn still may not know yet what his Democratic primary will look like next year, but on the Republican side the decision by GOP Rep. Aaron Schock not to run helps clear the path for wealthy businessman Bruce Rauner. Schock, whose first-quarter fundraising haul was more than $700,000, would have been a formidable candidate financially. There are still a handful of state pols considering running in the Republican primary-state Treasurer Dan Rutherford, state Sen. Bill Brady and state Sen. Kirk Dillard-but Schock's decision is definitely a boon to Rauner's campaign going forward.
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WISCONSIN GOVERNOR: FEINGOLD OUT? Democrats may be down one major prospect to challenge Gov. Scott Walker next year: the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that former Sen. Russ Feingold is in talks with the State Department to become U.S. special envoy in Africa. If it's true and he gets the job, Feingold would be almost certainly be out of the running for the gubernatorial race. Early polling in the race finds Feingold may be the Democrats' strongest option against Walker: a PPP poll from February found that Feingold was the only Democrat that would beat Walker in a hypothetical matchup. While it's still early and Democrats have a handful of other possible prospects, a departure by
Feingold would take one strong option off the table.
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2016 WATCH-

RAND'S PALMETTO STATE MOVES: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul hasn't exactly been coy about his early-state trips lately, given his scheduled stops in Iowa and New Hampshire in May. But he's also making an early play for South Carolina: the South Carolina GOP announced Monday evening that Paul will visit the state on June 28. And per CNN, Paul is slated to endorse Gov. Mark Sanford in the 1st district special election this week, possibly as early as today. While Paul isn't the only '16 hopeful to start making pilgrimages to the early states, the South Carolina stop-coupled with his involvement in the special election for Sanford-are definitive moves on Paul's part to build a network in the places
that matter most for a national campaign.
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GILLIBRAND FOR PRESIDENT? Maggie Haberman looks at how New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is building up her credentials for a possible presidential run down the line:"As a Blue Dog Democrat from upstate New York, the former congresswoman was viewed with distrust - if not disdain - by the left when she snagged a surprise appointment to Clinton's seat in 2009 amid fierce jockeying for the slot. Since then, the 46-year-old Dartmouth-educated attorney has demonstrated impressive political chops. She has managed not only to ease liberals' misgivings about her but also to win their enthusiastic support - all while maintaining her moderate cred and doing the kind of behind-the-scenes political scut
work that could enable an eventual national bid."
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LIGHTER CLICKS-

MITCH MCCONNELL posts an Eastwood-esque picture of himself having a beer with "Obama":
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NEWT GINGRICH says his talks about hosting a "Crossfire"-type show are "serious enough."
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JON STEWART takes on Congress's legislation to stop sequester airport delays:
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CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "When we talk about fiscal spending and we talk about protecting the taxpayers, it doesn't mean you take the money we saved and leave the country for a personal purpose." -Elizabeth Colbert Busch, making a not-so-subtle reference to Mark Sanford's affair while in office.
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