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By Kevin Robillard | 02/28/2018 10:00 AM EDT


With Elena Schneider and 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)

ARIZONA RESULTS - "Lesko, Tipirneni win AZ-08 primaries," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "Debbie Lesko, a former state senator, won a special Republican primary election Tuesday for an Arizona House seat, beating nearly a dozen other Republicans, including Steve Montenegro, a state Senate colleague who was drawn into a sexting scandal in the final week of the campaign. Lesko had 36 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race. Montenegro received 24 percent of the vote. Phil Lovas, who served as the state chairman of now-President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, received 23 percent. During the final week of the primary, a bombshell report of nude photos and text messages
exchanged between Montenegro and a legislative staffer left GOP operatives worried that the seat would be at risk in the general election if Montenegro was elected. Lesko's victory gives Republicans an advantage for holding onto the suburban Phoenix seat, which backed Donald Trump by 21 points in 2016. ... Lesko will face off against Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, a physician, in a special election on April 24. Tipirneni defeated Brianna Westbrook, a transgender, first-time candidate, in Tuesday's Democratic primary." Full story.

POPPING THE CORK - "Corker decides against reelection bid, sticks with retirement," by POLITICO's Burgess Everett: "After listening to some Tennessee Republicans and GOP senators who were privately urging him to run, the two-term senator and Foreign Relations Committee chairman decided that this will be his last year as a senator, said Todd Womack, [Sen. Bob] Corker's chief of staff. The move ends a period of intense speculation in Tennessee and Washington about Corker's future and avoids what could have been an ugly primary between Corker and Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn. ... Corker has been speaking to President Donald Trump with some frequency in recent weeks after a tense
back-and-forth between the two last fall. The White House made clear to the senator's team that the president would not get involved in a potential primary between Corker and Blackburn, according to a source familiar with the conversations. Republican strategists believe Corker might have needed an endorsement from Trump to re-enter the race and beat Blackburn." Full story.

- The big winner from Corker's float? Blackburn. Not only did Corker not run, but his flirtation may have played a role in former Rep. Stephen Fincher's decision to drop out of the contest. Now, Blackburn has a clear shot at the GOP nomination and will be able to bring a substantial war chest into this fall's race against Democrat and former Gov. Phil Bredesen. While Corker's bid did generate some discussion about whether Blackburn was a strong general election candidate, those Republican doubts were always going to emerge at some point.

MESSAGING MATTERS - "DCCC Advised Candidates Not To Discuss Gun Control Policy Right After Vegas Shooting," by HuffPost's Daniel Marans: "The morning after the Oct. 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's press staff warned House candidates and their staffs not to 'politicize' the shooting that day. Politicization, according to the DCCC official, included talking about gun violence prevention policy." Full story.

- "DCCC Internal Polling Presented To Members of Congress Panned Single-Payer Health Care," by The Intercept's Zaid Jilani: "[T]he Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats to the U.S. House, commissioned a survey and analysis from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and GBA Strategies to help think through health care messaging. In April, the firm's veteran pollster Stan Greenberg briefed House Democrats on the findings with a presentation at the offices of the Democratic National Committee. The messaging handouts, obtained by The Intercept, made clear where the party wants its candidates to stand when it comes to health care reform: preferably nowhere, but
certainly not with single-payer advocates." Full story.

- The dual leaks aimed at the DCCC may or may not be a coincidence. But they clearly demonstrate how frustrated many progressives are at the committee.

HELLUVA PREBUTTAL - "Trump backs Wicker as primary challenge looms," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: "President Donald Trump gave a full-throated endorsement to Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker on Tuesday, giving the incumbent a boost just one day before he's expected to receive a high-profile primary challenge. The endorsement is a blow to Wicker's soon-to-be opponent, conservative state Sen. Chris McDaniel, whose bid rests heavily on winning over the president's core supporters. ... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lobbied Trump directly last year to support Wicker's reelection bid. At the time, Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was threatening to support a McDaniel primary
challenge." Full story.

- Trump also endorsed a number of Texans: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sen. Ted Cruz and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Then he went even further down the ballot to endorse Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick.

2020 WATCH - "Trump picks loyalist Parscale to run 2020 campaign," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt and Darren Samuelsohn: "President Donald Trump has tapped Republican digital strategist Brad Parscale to be his campaign manager in 2020, opting for a staunch loyalist to run his reelection bid. Parscale was new to politics when he served as digital strategist on Trump's 2016 campaign. Yet he has remained close with the president and his family, particularly Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner - a key qualification for a president who prizes loyalty. ... During the 2016 campaign, Parscale played a key role in overseeing Trump's advertising strategy and reaching out to prospective
supporters on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter." Full story.

ALSO ON TUESDAY - "Democrats flip two more statehouse seats since Trump took office," by CNN's Eric Bradner: "Democrats flipped their 38th and 39th Republican-held state legislative seats since President Donald Trump took office Tuesday, with wins in New Hampshire and Connecticut state House races. ... In New Hampshire, Democrat Philip Spagnuolo defeated Republican Les Cartier, 54% to 46%, in a district Trump won by 13 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election. The district moved rightward after former President Barack Obama notched a one-point win there over Mitt Romney in 2012. In Connecticut, Democrat Phil Young narrowly bested Republican Bill Cabral for a seat that the GOP had
held for 44 years, though Hillary Clinton beat Trump there by 2 points in 2016." Full story.

Days until the 2018 election: 252

Upcoming election dates - Texas primaries: March 6. Pennsylvania 18th District special election: March 13. Illinois primaries: March 20.

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FIRST IN SCORE - ON THE AIRWAVES - "CLF drops new TV ad in PA-18," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "Congressional Leadership Fund released its latest TV ad in next month's special congressional election in western Pennsylvania that tags Democrat Conor Lamb as 'a Pelosi liberal' who wants 'sanctuary cities and amnesty for illegals.' 'Lamb worked in the Obama administration that encouraged sanctuary cities, which put illegal immigrants who commit crimes back on the street,' the ad's narrator says. 'Now Conor Lamb wants to help Nancy Pelosi give amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.'" Watch the ad here. Full story.

- "Patriot Majority PAC hits Saccone in PA-18," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "Patriot Majority PAC is going up with TV and digital ads to attack Republican Rick Saccone in next month's special election for a Pennsylvania congressional seat - an effort to bolster Conor Lamb, who's been battered by millions in negative advertising. 'In Harrisburg, lobbyists paid for Rick Saccone's lavish meals, but Saccone still billed Pennsylvanians $435,000,' the ad's narrator says. '$435,000: seven years of paychecks, enough to buy three houses.' ... The ad will air over the next two weeks ahead of the March 13 election." Watch the ad here. Full story.

- Betsy Dirksen Londrigan pops new TV ad: Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, who's vying to run against Illinois GOP Rep. Rodney Davis, released a new TV ad on today that says "stopping Donald Trump and making sure middle-class families get good health care is a fight we have to win." Londrigan also promises to "stand up to Trump and support Planned Parenthood." The ad will air on broadcast and cable stations in the district. Watch the ad here.

- Rokita places ad buy: Indiana GOP Rep. Todd Rokita is going up with a television and radio ad buy starting today and running until March 27. So far, Advertising Analytics has captured $119,985 on satellite and radio, but that amount could increase.

SPECIAL ELECTION SEASON - "Lamb rakes in $3.2 million in pre-primary period," by Elena: "Conor Lamb's campaign says the Democrat collected $3.2 million in the seven-week-long, pre-general fundraising period for next month's special congressional election in western Pennsylvania. ... Lamb's campaign did not say how much it had spent over the first seven weeks of 2018, nor its cash on hand as of Feb. 21. GOP state Rep. Rick Saccone has not yet released his pre-primary fundraising totals, but he lagged behind Lamb early in the race." Full story.

ENDORSEMENT WATCH - "Detroit Mayor Duggan to endorse Whitmer for governor," by Campaign Pro's Daniel Strauss: "Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan plans to endorse Democrat Gretchen Whitmer for Michigan governor on Wednesday, according to multiple Democrats with knowledge of the mayor's plans. The endorsement comes the same day that Whitmer's campaign opens its new campaign headquarters in Detroit. Previously, the campaign headquarters were in Lansing." Full story.

SUNSHINE SPOTLIGHT - "Poll shows Nelson leads Scott in likely Senate contest, Rubio approval rating hits new low," by POLITICO's Marc Caputo: "In a sign of the tough environment for Florida Republicans, Sen. Bill Nelson has opened up a 4-point lead over Gov. Rick Scott, a generic Democrat leads a GOP challenger by 7 points in a gubernatorial contest, Sen. Marco Rubio's approval rating is awful, and President Trump is so unpopular that backing him might do more harm than good for a candidate in November, according to a new poll. ... Despite the good news for Nelson, though, Brown cautioned that the Democrat's 46-42 percent lead over Scott is essentially a 'dead heat' for a race that will
likely remain tied until Election Day if Scott decides to run for the Senate seat. The poll's error margin is 3.6 percentage points." Full story.

2020 WATCH, CONT. - "Booker, Gillibrand and Warren to join Doug Jones for March DNC fundraiser," by POLITICO's Gabriel Debenedetti: "New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will join new Alabama Sen. Doug Jones to host the DNC's 'IWillVote Gala' fundraiser in Washington on March 7, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO. The event - which is expected to draw roughly 400 attendees, according to a DNC aide who confirmed the plan - is the first in a series of large regional fundraising gatherings the committee is hosting ahead of the midterms. ... While the committee has at times struggled to raise cash as large Democratic
donors warily re-engage with politics after 2016's bruising losses, it did bring in $67 million in 2017. But, with a handful of exceptions, such as former Virginia governor and DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, potential presidential hopefuls have been slow to help the organization rebuild." Full story.

SNOWBALL'S CHANCE? - "Statewide independents roll out national slate," by POLITICO's Edward-Issac Dovere: "Unite America, the group backing and supporting independent statewide candidates attempting to capitalize on the current post-partisan political moment, will officially announce its slate of three governor candidates and two Senate candidates on Tuesday - along with what they are calling 'a Declaration of Independents.' The list of shared principles is vague and mostly rooted in principles of good government like 'use common sense and find common ground,' but the plans for 2018 are more hard-nosed: Core staff is helping candidates find donors, staff and publicity and build campaign
infrastructure with the aim of forcibly changing the political system through winning races." Full story.

YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS - "Wealth of Congress: Richer Than Ever, but Mostly at the Very Top," by Roll Call's David Hawkings: "The people's representatives just keep getting richer, and doing so faster than the people represented. The cumulative net worth of senators and House members jumped by one-fifth in the two years before the start of this Congress, outperforming the typical American's improved fortunes as well as the solid performance of investment markets during that time. ... The total wealth of all current members was at least $2.43 billion when the 115th Congress began, 20 percent more than the collective riches of the previous Congress, a significant gain during a period when both
the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index rose slightly less than 10 percent." Full story.

WEB WARS - American Bridge attacks Heller over farm: American Bridge is out with a digital ad attacking Nevada GOP Sen. Dean Heller over the lack of a license for his farm. "Is Dean Heller a lousy farmer or a liar?" the ad asks. Watch the ad here.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "That's your job." - Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, when asked by a Kansas City Star reporter if the scandal surrounding Gov. Eric Greitens would hurt the GOP's candidate in the fall.

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