Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score: Norton ad questions Buck's spine - Bentley, Roby, Sewell are winners - Gibbs backtracks - Gingrich for Nathan Deal - Tenn. primary gets gangster - Another Vilsack eyes 2012 run
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:48:20 -0400 (EDT)

By Alexander Burns (@aburnspolitico, [email-masked])

SCORE EXCLUSIVE -- STOPPING BUCK HERE: Colorado Senate candidate Jane Norton is launching a new television spot targeting GOP primary rival Ken Buck over the support he's received from an outside conservative group, Americans for Job Security. Advertising from AJS has boosted Buck's campaign against the better financed Norton, and the group is up with a new ad attacking Norton's record on government spending. But Norton's commercial aims to turn Buck's air support against him, calling his character into question as he benefits from third-party attacks on his behalf.

Norton's ad shows the former lieutenant governor standing outside, speaking directly to the camera. “Seen those TV ads attacking me? They're paid for by a shady interest group doing the bidding of Ken Buck. You'd think Ken'd be man enough to do it himself,” she says, before addressing the AJS ad's factual claims. “Here's the truth: in state government, I cut budgets, cut programs and reduced staff. Ken Buck's office? His spending skyrocketed by 40 percent. We need a senator who's actually cut spending and has the backbone to stand her ground.” Watch Norton's ad here. http://politi.co/aXZoyl (Here's the AJS spot, too. http://politi.co/dwlTWI )

As Jack Conway opens his checkbook, Nancy Pelosi brushes back Robert Gibbs and Willie Herenton zings the president, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily cheat sheet for the 2010 midterm elections.

LAST NIGHT IN ALABAMA -- THE BIG THREE RACES: (1) Alabama state Rep. Robert Bentley won the GOP's nomination for governor, defeating Bradley Byrne despite a late wave of endorsements for Byrne from Gov. Bob Riley and multiple congressmen; (2) Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby vanquished bar owner and viral army-gatherer Rick Barber for the right to challenge Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright; (3) Attorney Terri Sewell won the Democratic nomination for outgoing Rep. Artur Davis's seat, defeating Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Smoot with the help of national groups including EMIILY's List. *** FULL RESULTS at politico.com/2010

NEXT PRIMARY: Georgia, where multiple House races and both parties' gubernatorial nominations are up for grabs on July 20.

COMING SOON -- MANCHIN'S TIMETABLE: West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin hopes to name a placeholder to Robert Byrd's Senate seat this week. West Virginia Metro News: “Manchin says the first priority is to have the state legislature clarify the state's succession law. ... Manchin says he hopes the legislature will suspend its rules and pass the bill in one day. He says if that happens he could have an interim replacement for Sen. Byrd named by the end of the week. Manchin says he would then announce his own future plans early next week. 'I'm third,' Manchin said.” http://bit.ly/btp9dr

GIBBS WALKS IT BACK: The White House press secretary revised and extended his weekend comments suggesting that the GOP could take control of the House, explaining in the briefing, “I think I said that there were enough seats in play, and I think that's true.” But, he continued: “I also said I thought that the election was going to be about choices. I think those choices are more -- those choices are clearer every day. ... I think we will retain the House. I was asked if there were enough seats in play, and I think there are.”

PELOSI REBUKES HIM: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told members in a meeting Tuesday that Gibbs doesn't “know what is going on in our districts,” noting: “Some may weigh his words more than others. We have made our disagreement known to the White House.” POLITICO's Jonathan Allen and David Rogers report: “Then she turned to [White House legislative staffer Dan] Turton and asked him to acknowledge that Gibbs' comments had been damaging to the Democratic cause, Democratic insiders said. ... Turton, responding to both Pelosi and accusations from Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), said Gibbs was speaking off the cuff and not from prepared material during a controversial appearance on Meet the Press Sunday, sources said.” http://politi.co/ayo4SG

FUNDRAISING TICKER -- MORE Q2: Washington Senate candidate Dino Rossi raised $1.4 million after entering the race against Sen. Patty Murray (and her nearly $7 million war chest) in late May ... Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway took in $1 million and contributed $400,000 out of pocket for his campaign against Rand Paul ... Pennsylvania Senate candidate Joe Sestak raised $2 million, including $1.6 million after the primary against Arlen Specter, but Republican Pat Toomey won the quarter with $3.1 million raised... Florida Democrat Joe Garcia raised an impressive $700,000 in his campaign for the seat Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart's vacating ... Stay tuned for more ...

HOUSE RACE MUST-READ: Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen, battling a primary challenge from former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton in his majority-black district, has won an endorsement from President Obama and financial support from several members of the Congressional Black Caucus. POLITICO's Jessica Taylor reports: “Cohen's campaign released a statement from the president calling the second-term Memphis congressman a 'proven leader in the United States Congress and a strong voice for Tennessee.' ... [He] drew financial support from key black Democrats in Congress, including former civil rights movement leader John Lewis of Georgia. Cohen has not yet released his fundraising totals from the last quarter, but spokeswoman Stephanie Young said he received donations from Lewis and Congressional Black Caucus members Alcee Hastings of Florida and Lacy Clay of Missouri.” http://politi.co/9SEKQ6

PLUS -- HERENTON'S ZINGER -- The primary challenger shot back: “Mr. Obama's got to look hard and long to even know where Memphis, Tenn., is, OK? ... I'm going to always be respectful to the president. ... ... He doesn't understand the aspirations of people in this community. He made a political decision.” http://bit.ly/birWLG

POLL OF THE DAY -- CRIST LEADS, GOV RACE TIGHT -- If Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is going to feel the force of gravity in his independent Senate campaign, it hasn't kicked in yet: he had a 35 percent to 28 percent lead over Republican Marco Rubio in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday, with Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek in third place with 17 percent. Meanwhile, both Republican candidates for governor are closely matched with Democratic state CFO Alex Sink: “Republican Rick Scott leads Democrat Alex Sink by 34 percent to 31 percent. But Sink leads slightly, 31 percent to 30 percent, when matched against Republican Bill McCollum. McCollum and Scott are waging a bitter Republican primary race.” http://bit.ly/coeu8V

BIDDING WAR -- NEWT COUNTERS PALIN: The former House speaker backed Nathan Deal for governor of his home state of Georgia, a day after Sarah Palin gave her blessing to former Secretary of state Karen Handel. Gingrich cited personal friendship to explain his decision: “Nathan's an old friend, and I've endorsed him. ... I think he'd be a good governor. He's a very solid practical conservative. He knows a lot about how to govern.” http://bit.ly/aRTp1n

ACROSS THE BIG MAP -- with POLITICO's Tim Alberta:

-- McInnis's copycat incident. Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis apologized for having lifted passages in essays he wrote for a foundation from the writings of Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hobbs. The former congressman said he planned to reach out to Hobbs and the Hasan Family Foundation to express contrition, but insisted to 9NEWS: “This is a non-issue if it's not a political year.” http://bit.ly/cMNOiD

-- And then there was Jan Brewer. The Arizona governor is now without serious rivals for the GOP nomination, after wealthy NRA board member Buz Mills announced his departure from the primary race Tuesday evening. He spent $3.2 million on the race, largely out of pocket, according to the Arizona Republic. Brewer is expected to face state Attorney General Terry Goddard in the general election. http://bit.ly/b4UqjC

-- Biden to Columbia. Vice President Joe Biden plans to appear at a fundraiser in South Carolina next week with Democratic Rep. John Spratt, the Budget Committee chairman preparing for a tough reelection fight against state Sen. Mick Mulvaney. Biden will be in Columbia to help dedicate a new library at the University of South Carolina named after his former Senate colleague Fritz Hollings. http://bit.ly/9zl3ms

-- Credit to Kirk where due. After weeks of getting hammered over inconsistencies in his biographical record, Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk is finally seeing the pendulum swing back in the other direction with an upbeat AP story about his military service. The wire service reviewed Kirk's records and concluded: “Kirk has been an exceptional officer.” (The flip side: “If he had just discussed his actual military record, he would never have lacked for achievements to brag about.”) http://bit.ly/9fNe0Z

-- Gangster-style in Tennessee. The independent advertising group run by Republican House candidate Ron Kirkland's brother is targeting GOP primary opponent George Flinn for owning radio stations that play -- wait for it -- rap music. The group is targeting Flinn over the play list of a Memphis station that “promotes gang violence, drug abuse and insults women,” according to the Kirkland brother's TV ad. Most of the crossfire in the 8th District primary so far has been between Kirkland and NRCC favorite Stephen Fincher. http://politi.co/bIFdoe

LOOKING AHEAD -- THE NEXT VILSACK CAMPAIGN: Former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack plans to run for office -- and soon. She told POLITICO's Jonathan Martin she has a “legislative personality,” noting that Iowa's map would look different after the next round of redistricting. “I'm just really interested,” she said. “I think I have all the ingredients, it's really a matter of timing.” http://politi.co/9TKJlx

Go to Morning Score Now >> http://www.politico.com/morningscore

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