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By Daniel Strauss | 07/17/2017 10:00 AM EDT


With Maggie Severns, Kevin Robillard and Scott Bland

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)

PRIMARY POLITICS - "White House squeezes Jeff Flake," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: "The White House has met with at least three actual or prospective primary challengers to Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake in recent weeks, a reflection of Donald Trump's strained relations with the senator and the latest sign of the president's willingness to play hardball with lawmakers who cross him - even Republican incumbents. ... Since taking office, Trump has spoken with Arizona state Treasurer Jeff DeWit, a top official on his 2016 campaign, on at least two occasions, according to two sources familiar with the talks. More recently, since June, White House officials have also had discussions with former state
Sen. Kelli Ward, who has announced her bid, and former Arizona GOP Chairman Robert Graham, who like DeWit is exploring a campaign. At a Republican National Committee meeting outside of San Diego in May, David Bossie, Trump's deputy campaign manager and the president of the influential conservative outside group Citizens United, told Graham that either he or DeWit would likely get substantial backing from conservatives should either enter the contest, according to three people familiar with the conversation." Full story.

FOUR WEEKS OUT - Brooks raised $298,000 for Alabama Senate primary in second quarter: The Republican congressman spent nearly $105,000 and finished the quarter with $1.2 million on hand, according to his FEC filing. Brooks' biggest disbursements were for consulting by Precision Campaign Group and ad-making from Steinborn Films.

- MORE SENATE FUNDRAISING - Messer raises half a million dollars in Indiana: Republican Rep. Luke Messer, a top contender for the Indiana Republican Senate nomination, raised over $578,000 from April through June, according to a campaign disclosure posted over the weekend. Messer's fundraising haul was significantly smaller than that of possible Republican contender Rep. Todd Rokita, who raised $1.04 million during the second quarter of the year. After starting to raise funds aggressively this spring as he reportedly considered a Senate bid, Rokita finished the first six months of the year slightly ahead of Messer in the money race: He had $2.35 million cash on hand to Messer's $2.02
million.

- Gibbons raises $690,000 in Ohio, per a press release from Mike Gibbons for Senate: "Republican candidate for United States Senate Mike Gibbons (R-OH) announced that his campaign raised nearly $700,000 since his initial announcement just 4-weeks before the end of the 2nd Quarter fundraising period. All told, Gibbons raised $690,000 during the 2nd Quarter, of which just $200,000 was a personal loan to the campaign. Gibbons would end the quarter with approximately $615,000 cash-on-hand."

REDISTRICTING WATCH - "At tail end of Texas redistricting trial, judges skeptical of state's defense," by the Texas Tribune's Jim Malewitz: "The state of Texas faced a healthy dose of judicial skepticism on Saturday as its lawyers laid out final arguments in a trial over whether lawmakers intentionally discriminated against minority voters in enacting current Texas House and Congressional district maps. ... Over the course of the week, minority rights groups and the state tussled over whether - and how - the state's political maps should change to fix possible voting rights act violations ahead of the 2018 elections. But the trial also probed a question that's more consequential in the long
term: Whether the 2013 Legislature intentionally minimized the political clout of Latino and black Texans in enacting the maps. Federal courts have already scolded Texas for intentional discrimination in three rulings this year. Another such finding would boost the odds that judges put Texas back onto a list states that need the federal government's permission to enact any new voting legislation." Full story.

- GOP Rep. Will Hurd "defended the rationality of the boundaries of District 23, one of a relatively few genuine 'swing' districts in the nation," the San Antonio Express-News' Jeremy Gerlach reported. "'If more districts were like mine, we'd have better caliber people in Washington,' Hurd said. 'My district is competitive, and that's a good thing ... because it forces people to talk to a broader sense of the community.' Attorney Luis Vera, representing one of the plaintiffs, the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, said Hurd's appearance was more of a 'stump speech' designed to distract the judges from the real arguments over racial discrimination at hand in the case." Full
story.

- Texas' 2018 primaries are scheduled for March 6.

- "Judges criticize Maryland's congressional redistricting map," via the Associated Press: "Federal judges reviewing Maryland's congressional redistricting map say there is convincing evidence the state's Democratic leaders drew the districts to gain a seat for their party. A three-judge panel heard arguments Friday as part of a lawsuit. The panel was divided about whether the 2011 redistricting plan directly caused former Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett to lose his seat and whether the map should be changed. ... The judges didn't indicate when they would rule." Full story.

Days until the 2017 election: 113.

Days until the 2018 election: 477.

Thanks for joining us. Send me your thoughts on the Game of Thrones premiere. You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com and dstrauss@politico.com.

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

OBAMACARE WARS - NRSC frames "Trump state Dems" as accountable for broken promises. According to the NRSC release announcing the new digital ad: "Back when they were trying to sell Obamacare to the American people, Democrats promised their constituents that their bill would make premiums and health care costs drop, and that if they liked their health care plan they could keep it. But while premiums soar and millions have been dropped from their insurance, Senate Democrats are still refusing to confront the reality that Obamacare has failed...Back when they were trying to sell Obamacare to the American people, Democrats promised their constituents that their bill would make premiums and
health care costs drop, and that if they liked their health care plan they could keep it. But while premiums soar and millions have been dropped from their insurance, Senate Democrats are still refusing to confront the reality that Obamacare has failed." Watch the ad here.

LET'S GET IT STARTED -The Republican Party of Wisconsin is continuing to aggressively attack in Wisconsin governor's race, with mailers attacking two Democrats: businessman Andy Gronik ("He can't be trusted. ... Con Artist Andy Gronik") and state Rep. Dana Wachs ("Trial Attorney Dana Wachs Exploits The System For His Own Gain.") Gronik announced a run against GOP Gov. Scott Walker earlier this week, while Wachs is still considering a run. The mailers are accompanied by similar statewide digital ads and are aimed at specific demographics.

- Democratic oppo research organization American Bridge is launching a new website and online ad campaign painting Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie as a "Swamp Creature." The digital ad and site focus on Gillespie's lobbying career, including hits on Social Security privatization and the environment.

ENVIRO ADS - EDF Action ads push House Republicans to oppose EPA budget cuts: EDF Action is spending $1 million on TV, radio and digital ads (see ad 1 and ad 2) in 10 GOP-held House districts, some battlegrounds and some not, criticizing proposed budget cuts to the EPA. The targeted districts: AZ-02 (incumbent Martha McSally), CA-21 (David Valadao), CA-42 (Ken Calvert), CO-06 (Mike Coffman), FL-17 (Tom Rooney), FL-25 (Mario Diaz-Balart), MN-02 (Jason Lewis), MO-02 (Ann Wagner), NV-02 (Mark Amodei), and VA-10 (Barbara Comstock).

STAFFING UP - Kaine hires reelection staff: Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine has brought on a number of senior staffers for his 2018 reelection. Keren Dongo, former deputy state director for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, will be campaign manager. Ian Sams will serve as communications director. Jenny Nadicksbernd will serve as finance director. Jess Reid will be digital director and Megan Apper will be research director.

ADMINISTRATION SPEED READ - "Pence will join GOP leaders for fundraiser benefiting his PAC," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: "Vice President Mike Pence will join congressional GOP leaders later this month for a fundraising reception benefiting a newly formed, Pence-overseen political action committee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy are slated to headline a July 25 fundraiser for Pence's Great America Committee. The event is to take place in Washington, according to an invitation, and attendees are being asked to pony up $5,000 apiece." Full story.

- "How the White House and Republicans underestimated Obamacare repeal," by POLITICO's Nancy Cook and Burgess Everett: "The longer Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare flounder, the clearer it becomes that President Donald Trump's team and many in Congress dramatically underestimated the challenge of rolling back former President Barack Obama's signature achievement. The Trump transition team and other Republican leaders presumed that Congress would scrap Obamacare by President's Day weekend in late February, according to three former Republican congressional aides and two current ones familiar with the administration's efforts...The failure of the plan to quickly repeal Obamacare earlier
this year forced Republican leaders to start over and attempt the daunting task of crafting a more comprehensive health care plan that would unite all sides of a squabbling conference. And the Trump administration's lack of sufficient staff and planning for that early effort helped lay the groundwork for the legislative chaos the GOP's agenda is mired in today." Full story.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Whether we will be able to get the Russian nationals to come over and testify is an open question." - Sen. Mark Warner, saying he wants to hear from everyone involved in the meeting between Donald Trump Jr.and a Russian lawyer.

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