Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score: Fla. Dems blitz for Sink - Joe Miller takes shock lead - NRCC targets Geithner, Summers - AJS hammers Carnahan - Quayle win Ariz. nod - Bachmann, Klein on the air
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:12:36 -0400 (EDT)

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

SCORE EXCLUSIVE - SINK'S TURN TO SWIM: Hours after former health care executive Rick Scott claimed victory in Florida's brutal Republican gubernatorial primary, the Florida Democratic Party is launching its general election effort for state CFO Alex Sink with a new ad blitz in select television markets. The FDP commercial, titled “Enough,” sharpens Sink's message and features the candidate introducing herself as an honest, fresh face for state government. “My career was in business, but I've seen just enough of state government to know that the partisanship and special interests are even worse than you think. And I'm fed up with it. I want the wasteful spending cut, I want the corruption out the door,” Sink says. “Partisanship? I've got no patience for it. Special interests? Nothing special about 'em to me. My only interests are a stronger economy, an accountable state government and being nobody's governor but yours.” Watch the ad here. http://bit.ly/9hpUW4 And read Jonathan Martin's take on Scott. http://politi.co/d2PdwC

SHOCK - MURKOWSKI TWISTS IN THE WIND: Veteran Joe Miller is clinging to a slight but very real edge over Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska Senate primary, leading 52 percent to 48 percent with 77.4 percent of precincts reporting. The Anchorage Daily News reports: “Miller credited the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his lead. 'I'm absolutely certain that was pivotal,' he said. Murkowski took a shot at Palin. 'I think she's out for her own self-interest. I don't think she's out for Alaska's interest,' Murkowski said as she waited at her campaign headquarters … The final results of the race won't be known for a week. The Alaska Division of Elections said over 16,000 absentee ballots were requested and as of Monday night 7,600 had been returned. The first count of absentees will be next Tuesday and there will be subsequent counts as they trickle in on Sept. 3 and on Sept. 8.” Blow-by-blow primary coverage continues below … http://bit.ly/bTKIBv

THE BIGGER 2010 PICTURE - BOEHNER'S LEAD: The NRCC and Republican House candidates plan to amplify Minority Leader John Boehner's call for the resignations of Larry Summers and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, pushing Democratic candidates to respond to Boehner's message or defend the top Obama administration officials. The NRCC is booking radio appearances across the country to push the issue, and a House GOP strategist said the committee has already placed Republican messengers in the Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo markets - around where Boehner first delivered his message on Tuesday. Said the strategist: “Republicans will remain on an aggressive footing by continuing to talk about the economy, jobs and the desperate need to stop these disastrous policies, while Democrats will be forced to explain away their positions and double down on the Obama agenda.”

SENATE EXCLUSIVE - PRO-BLUNT INSTRUMENT: Americans for Job Security, the conservative pro-business group that helped kill Bill Halter's campaign in Arkansas and boost Ken Buck to victory in Colorado, is mounting a two-week radio campaign in Missouri tying Democratic Senate candidate Robin Carnahan to her party's cap-and-trade energy proposals. The first ads launch today, running statewide and targeting rural voters. Against a soundtrack featuring crickets and other farm-friendly sounds, one male voter tells another that cap and trade would impose a “twenty-four percent [tax] on every gallon of gas you put in your pickup or tractor. When farming costs more it drives up prices for everyone.” The same voter adds that Carnahan has “been voting in lockstep with Barack Obama's job-killing agenda,” prompting his conversation partner to respond: “I even heard him say he'd have his whole agenda done if he had Carnahan's vote. … Yeah, said it just the other day.” Listen to the ad here. http://politi.co/a8b2Wt

As John McCain exults, one embattled dynasty prevails and Jeff Greene goes back to hanging out on a pile of money, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily cheat sheet for the 2010 midterm elections.

AFTER-ACTION REPORT - WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT? (1) In Florida, Rep. Kendrick Meek blew out Greene by about 26 percentage points in the Democratic Senate primary; (2) Jeb Bush fave Dan Webster won the GOP primary for Alan Grayson's seat; (3) State Rep. Sandy Adams ran it up the middle between Craig Miller and Karen Diebel, holding on to a small lead in the Republican primary against Rep. Suzanne Kosmas; (4) In Arizona, John McCain vaporized J.D. Hayworth by 24 points; (5) Maricopa County pol David Schweikert took the GOP nod against Rep. Harry Mitchell; (6) Veteran Jesse Kelly beat state Sen. Jonathan Paton for the right to face Rep. Gabrielle Giffords; (7) In Oklahoma, Huckabee-endorsed camp director James Lankford claimed the GOP nomination for outgoing Oklahoma Rep. Mary Fallin's seat.

AND - THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR: The Republican nominee and general election favorite for retiring Arizona Rep. John Shadegg's seat is none other than - wait for it - Benjamin Eugene Quayle. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, the former vice president's son had a 23 percent plurality and a total of just 14,266 votes.

ALSO IN THE BALANCE: In Vermont, state Senate President Peter Shumlin and former Lt. Gov. Doug Racine are separated by just 121 votes in the five-way Democratic primary for governor. Shumlin currently leads with just over a quarter of the vote.

TODAY - GOING AFTER WEST: Florida Rep. Ron Klein is quickly opening fire on Republican challenger Allen West in a TV spot that scrutinizes the conservative YouTube star's personal financial history. The spot opens with a clip of the GOP nominee calling “individual responsibility … the number-one cultural problem we have in America” - before the narrator jumps in: “If so, Allen West is part of the problem. The IRS filed an $11,000 lien against West for back taxes. Three liens were placed on his home for unpaid bills and a judge ordered West to pay over $5,000 on past-due credit card bills.” The ad, produced by Atlanta-based Klein consultant Allan Crow, will air in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach Markets. Watch it here. http://bit.ly/bNVoEa

NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE: Blue Dog Dem Allen Boyd barely survived a primary challenge from Florida state Sen. Alan Lawson. He advances in rough shape to face GOP funeral home owner Steve Southerland.

CAMPAIGN CLICK: Remember Alan Grayson's greatest hits? The NRCC hopes so. (Overheard: “die quickly,” “K Street whore,” “shoot old men in the face.”) http://bit.ly/a1XC5Z

MCCOLLUM HOLDS OUT: The defeated Florida gubernatorial hopeful released a statement after 12:30 a.m. acknowledging defeat - and reiterating his reservations about Rick Scott, whom McCollum declined to endorse. “No one could have anticipated the entrance of a multi-millionaire with a questionable past who shattered campaign spending records,” McCollum said. “While I was disappointed with the negative tone of the race, I couldn't be more proud of our campaign and our supporters for fighting back against false and misleading advertising when we were down by double-digits.”

MCCAIN TRIUMPHANT - From the Phoenix victory speech: “We won an important victory tonight, for which I am truly thankful. … I'm convinced that Republicans will win in November and we will regain the majorities in both the Senate and the House. And we will win House seats here in Arizona. … We must help bear your burdens; fight your fights; defend your rights; and support your dreams.”

CREDIT WHERE DUE - Little-known fact: former President Bill Clinton wasn't the only establishment force that helped rescue Kendrick Meek in Florida. The SEIU made 432,537 volunteer and independent expenditure phone calls for Meek and sent a total of four waves of 50,000 mail pieces to union households to shore up the Democrat's campaign.

BEYOND THE PRIMARIES - BATTLEFIELD MINNESOTA: Rep. Michele Bachmann is up with her first ad of the cycle, going on offense against Democratic state Sen. Tarryl Clark and dubbing the challenger “Taxin' Tarryl.” The spot features a casually dressed man introducing himself as “Jim the Election Guy,” and gesturing toward a photo of Clark: “Know her? That's Tarryl Clark, candidate for Congress. She's got a huge record for us to check out … One thing's obvious: Tarryl Clark loves taxes.” http://bit.ly/bIcW1e

OBAMA FOR BROWN: President Barack Obama sent his first campaign message for California Attorney General Jerry Brown's gubernatorial bid - and crashed Brown's website in the process, the Los Angeles Times reports. Wrote Obama: “For decades, Jerry Brown has been a champion for the people of California. … Now, he wants to return to Sacramento to bring that passion to the governor's office, and he needs our help to ensure that he wins this race.” http://bit.ly/cisZ43

POLL OF THE DAY: Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has an edge over former GOP Gov. Bob Ehrlich in their rematch this fall, but the Democrat is under 50 percent and it's a competitive race. A Center Maryland/OpinionWorks poll released Tuesday showed O'Malley taking 47 percent of the vote to Ehrlich's 41 percent - with a four-percent margin of error. Pollster Steve Raabe's read: “If the soft Democrats stay home, Ehrlich has a solid chance.” http://bit.ly/amrZ7k

PLUS - AIONA'S CLIMB: Either Democrat running for governor of Hawaii would enter the general election against Republican Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona with a double-digit lead, according to the Hawaii Poll. Former Rep. Neil Abercrombie would start out ahead, 53 percent to 41 percent, while former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann would have an even wider, 54 percent to 37 percent edge. The Star-Advertiser notes one big plus for Aiona: “The Republican Governors Association has financed television advertisements to keep Aiona's name in the mix, while Aiona is waiting to launch his own aggressive ads. The winner of the Democratic primary will likely deplete much of his campaign money in September and will have to reload to take on Aiona.” http://bit.ly/baaSni

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: “VT GOV. Only D contest, but GOP nominee is Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie. His brother is also in politics. Yes, the Dubie Brothers. I swear it's true” - Larry Sabato, live-tweeting last night's primaries.

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

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