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By Kevin Robillard | 02/12/2018 10:00 AM EDT


With Elena Schneider

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)

THE RETURN - "Pawlenty tries to shake off failed presidential bid in political comeback," by Campaign Pro's Daniel Strauss: "Minnesota Republicans have some advice for former Gov. Tim Pawlenty as he ponders a political comeback: Don't try to be the man who ran for president in 2012. Be the candidate who first ran for governor in 2002. ... Pawlenty is expected to enter the gubernatorial race this spring; his resignation at the Financial Services Roundtable is effective next month. But if he does mount a campaign, the 'Sam's Club' Republican will be running for the nomination of a party dominated - at the national level - by President Donald Trump's controversial personality. ... When
Pawlenty first ran for governor, his resume included a blue-collar background and time as the state House majority leader. If he runs again this year, his resume will also include some potential liabilities: a 2012 presidential candidacy that didn't even make it to the Iowa caucuses and his time as head of a major lobbying organization in Washington. ...

"Republicans close to Pawlenty, including those planning to attend his powwow, argue that he's only a serious candidate if he sheds the staid Midwestern Nice persona he became known for during the 2012 presidential race. He'll need to revert back to who he was when he was running statewide the first time around. 'If he runs, Minnesotans will see the Tim Pawlenty they've known and liked,' said Brian McClung, a longtime adviser to Pawlenty." Full story.

MONEY CHASE - "Desperate Republicans turn to Adelson," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt in Las Vegas: "Confronting the potential loss of one or both chambers of Congress in the midterms, and struggling to raise money against an energized Democratic base, the party is desperate for Adelson's millions. So the praise at the annual Republican Jewish Coalition conference he hosts overflowed, even though the billionaire, attending the funeral of a close friend in Israel, wasn't on hand. ... With energized Democratic candidates raising fistfuls of cash, party officials say they are depending on major givers like Adelson, a longtime bankroller of GOP causes, to close the gap. ... Several of the
billionaire's aides, including top gatekeeper Andy Abboud, were seen darting from meeting to meeting. And as they milled throughout the resort's casino floor, attendees gossiped about how much Adelson, whose net worth is said to top $38 billion, might give to his besieged party in 2018. Some said they hoped the billionaire would give earlier in the election year than he usually does and provide the party a much-needed cash infusion." Full story.

INDECISION, PART I - "Sen. Bob Corker's second thoughts on retiring," by CNN's John King and Rebecca Schatz: "Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker has had conversations with a few colleagues in recent days about whether he should reconsider his decision to leave Congress and not seek re-election this year, GOP sources tell CNN. ... But several sources say the issue has come up in recent conversations Corker has had with fellow Tennessean Sen. Lamar Alexander and with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, two of Corker's friends. It also came up at least once in a conversation with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, CNN is told, posing a bit of a dilemma. McConnell likes Corker, and would have preferred
that he sought re-election. But once Corker announced he was not running, the GOP establishment quickly rallied behind Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who is already in the Senate race and has support across the party's often fractious spectrum. ... CNN is told McConnell's view is that if Corker is serious, he would need first and foremost to get the President on board." Full story.

COMING ATTRACTIONS - "Vukmir teases endorsement from Tonette Walker," by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "Tonette Walker, the wife of Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker, will soon endorse state Sen. Leah Vukmir in the Badger State's Republican Senate primary, Vukmir told a group of local Republicans this week. 'It's coming out soon, but First Lady Tonette Walker is going to be officially supporting me,' Vukmir told the Chippewa County Republican Party's annual caucus on Saturday, according to audio obtained by Campaign Pro. Tonette Walker's forthcoming endorsement would make her the latest figure around the governor to back Vukmir. Walker's son, Alex, is working as a field organizer for
Vukmir's campaign. And state Sen. Joel Kleefisch, the husband of Walker's lieutenant governor, has also endorsed Vukmir - as has Reince Preibus, the former Republican National Committee chairman who led the state GOP during Walker's election. ... 'First Lady Tonette Walker can think on her own, and just because the governor is neutral doesn't mean that his family can't support causes important to them,' said Walker campaign spokesman Brian Reisinger. 'The Walkers raised their families in Wauwatosa, just like Leah raised hers, and they've known each other for years. The governor plans to remain neutral and support the eventual [GOP] nominee.'" Full story.

FIRST IN SCORE - PRIMARY WATCH - Scott Dacey attacks Jones in radio ads in NC-03: Republican Scott Dacey released two radio ads on Monday, attacking GOP Rep. Walter Jones. The ads charge that Jones "missed more votes than 90 percent of his colleagues, the worst attendance record for North Carolina congressmen." The ad goes on to criticize Jones for voting "against relief funding for North Carolina victims of Hurricane Matthew." A second radio ad casts Dacey as a Trump ally, while saying that Jones is a Republican "opposing the Trump agenda" and voting against "the Trump tax cut." Dacey, a Craven County commissioner, outraised Jones last quarter, along with double the cash on hand.

Days until the 2018 election: 267

Upcoming election dates - Arizona 8th District special primary: Feb. 27. Texas primaries: March 6. Pennsylvania 18th District special election: March 13. Illinois primaries: March 20.

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, dstrauss@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

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

ENDORSEMENT WATCH - Trump, Pennsylvania GOP back Barletta: Rep. Lou Barletta's campaign for Senate in Pennsylvania has been the subject of sniping from both neutral GOP observers and supporters of state Rep. Jim Christiana. But Barletta's path to the GOP nomination looks all but assured after this weekend. On Saturday, he unanimously won the endorsement of the Pennsylvania Republican Party. And on Sunday, Trump endorsed him. "Rep. Lou Barletta, a Great Republican from Pennsylvania who was one of my very earliest supporters, will make a FANTASTIC Senator," Trump wrote. "He is strong & smart, loves Pennsylvania & loves our Country! Voted for Tax Cuts, unlike Bob Casey, who listened to Tax
Hikers Pelosi and Schumer!"

SPECIAL ELECTION SEASON - "Luján won't commit to more DCCC money in PA-18 special," by Campaign Pro's Elena Schneider: "DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján won't commit to sending additional resources to boost Democrat Conor Lamb in next month's special election for a House seat in Western Pennsylvania, even as Republican outside groups are spending millions to keep the seat in GOP hands. ... Luján said Friday that Lamb, not the national party, is the 'strongest voice' to reach voters, which has put him 'within striking distance of pulling an upset.'" Full story.

- "The Democrats' secret weapon to take back statehouses," by POLITICO's Edward-Isaac Dovere: "Donald Trump has certainly helped. But Democrats' massive success in flipping statehouse seats in special elections this past year isn't happening by accident. The party's dominance - it's flipped 35 seats, and is hoping to make it 36 next week in a Florida House race - is also the result of old-fashioned political organizing. Nuts and bolts steps like funding year-round staff on the ground in the states, designing digital fundraising platforms, training volunteers, screening résumés for campaigns around the country and, of course, collecting huge checks. At the center of those
efforts is the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, mostly forgotten in the 25 years since it was founded as the D.C. hub for state legislative campaigns, but now working to coordinate efforts and partners, and along the way double its spending for the cycle to $35 million." Full story.

RETIREMENT WATCH - "Minnesota Rep. Nolan won't run for reelection," by POLITICO's Steven Shepard: "Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.) said Friday he won't seek reelection this year, a blow to Democrats' chances at holding his battleground seat in November. Nolan, 74, was first elected to Congress in the Watergate midterm election of 1974. After serving three terms in the House, he retired ahead of the 1980 elections. ... While Nolan's Iron Range district has been traditionally Democratic territory - former President Barack Obama won 53 percent of the vote there in 2008 and 52 percent in 2012 - it swung heavily toward President Donald Trump in 2016. Trump carried it by a wide margin, 54 percent to 39
percent, over Hillary Clinton. Still, Nolan withstood those national headwinds and barely held on, defeating GOP challenger Stewart Mills by just over 2,000 votes. Mills - whom Nolan also defeated in 2014 - isn't running for a third time. But Republicans were hopeful Pete Stauber, a St. Louis County commissioner and police officer, could be the one to knock off the incumbent." Full story.

INDECISION, PARTS II AND III - "Madison investor Eric Hovde looking to hire staff as he mulls GOP primary for U.S. Senate," by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jason Stein: "Republican investor Eric Hovde is interviewing candidates for top jobs in a potential U.S. Senate campaign - the clearest sign yet that the businessman wants to turn the GOP primary into a three-way race. With two other Republicans already in the Senate race, Hovde isn't guaranteed to run and faces challenges in recruiting talented staff and launching a campaign. But multiple sources said that in recent weeks Hovde has been seeking the political pieces needed for a potential run." Full story.

- "Cramer 'mildly reconsidering' Senate run," by the Forum News Service's John Hageman: "Rep. Kevin Cramer said Friday he is 'mildly reconsidering' his decision not to challenge Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. The North Dakota Republican said he has received encouragement from people he declined to name. But he said 'not a lot has changed' and he's focused on the House race." Full story.

FINAL, FINAL, FINAL, FINAL, FINAL Q4 NUMBERS - "Jenkins raises just over $200K in fourth quarter," by Campaign Pro's Kevin Robillard: "GOP Rep. Evan Jenkins raised only $204,000 in the fourth quarter of last year for his bid for Senate in West Virginia, according to FEC records, and entered 2018 with just shy of $1.4 million on hand. Jenkins' fundraising trails state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who brought in $739,000. But his cash-on-hand total tops Morrisey, who had just $1.1 million in the bank. A super PAC supporting Morrisey, 35th PAC, has $468,000 on hand. ... Jenkins also released an automated poll of the GOP primary, conducted by Harper Polling, which found him earning 33
percent of the vote to Morrisey's 25 percent. Convicted coal baron Don Blankenship was earning 18 percent of the vote, with minor candidates in the single digits. In a head-to-head contest, Jenkins leads Morrisey, 42 percent to 36 percent. Twenty-two percent of voters were undecided. Harper polled 500 likely GOP primary voters on Feb. 5-6. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points." Full story.

GETTING THE NOD - EMILY's List backs Kathy Manning: EMILY's List endorsed Democrat Kathy Manning, who's challenging North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd, on Friday. Manning outraised the Republican congressman last quarter.

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The Tim Pawlenty in '02 is a guy that can do well in 2018. He was a truck driver's son. He was 'Hockey-Hair Tim.' He was fun. He was up a deer camp, was it '06, maybe it was '07. He called into a radio station - I think he'd had a couple - and he talked about his smoking hot wife, and he got into a lot of trouble for that. But it was fun. He was fun." - Former Minnesota legislative leader Amy Koch, on Tim Pawlenty.

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