Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score, presented by Washington's NewsChannel 8: GOP pulls back from Delaware - Rove unloads on O'Donnell - DGA wires $2 mil for Sink - Ayotte, Ovide in suspense - Rangel survives - Murkowski: TPX an 'extremist group'
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:11:37 -0400 (EDT)

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

SHOCKWAVE - CALL HIM 'SENATOR COONS' - Republicans are reeling this morning after Christine O'Donnell's six-point victory over Rep. Mike Castle in the Delaware Senate primary - and all but abandoning hope of taking the Democratic-held seat. One Republican reader e-mailed: “Is this what S.C. Dems felt like when they got Alvin Greene?” Appearing on Fox, Karl Rove unloaded on his party's nominee: “It does conservatives little good to support candidates who, at the end of the day, while they may be conservative in their public statements, do not evince the characteristics of rectitude and truthfulness and sincerity and character the voters are looking for. … We were looking at eight to nine seats in the Senate. We're now looking at seven to eight. This is not a race we're going to be able to win.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE - Without Delaware on the table, Republicans will need an astoundingly good night on Nov. 2 to take control of the Senate - involving victories virtually everywhere, including places like West Virginia and Connecticut. A GOP strategist e-mailed Score with this take on the landscape: “Republicans are still ahead, tied or within the margin of error in 12 Democrat-held states. With Castle no longer the candidate, Delaware is not currently one of those seats. That's no different, though, than the situation facing the Democrats in a range of key states such as Arkansas, Indiana and Ohio, among others. If O'Donnell proves to be a viable candidate, as Senator DeMint and the Tea Party Express claim she is, and moves up in the polls where she currently trails by double digits, then national Republicans would take a serious look at investing what are limited resources for a large number of races - but at the moment, the polls speak for themselves.” Extensive analysis from POLITICO's Jonathan Martin here: http://politi.co/9hkODA Read on for more on the Sept. 14 massacre …

GOV RACE SIREN - WAY OUTSIDE WILMINGTON: The Florida Democratic Party is $2 million richer this morning thanks to a hefty wire transfer from the Democratic Governors Association aimed at supporting Alex Sink's campaign. The DGA money goes straight into the state party's television budget, meaning Florida Democrats will be able to keep funding ads that have helped Sink take an early general election lead. Recent polls have shown the Democratic state CFO with a single-digit edge over Republican health care executive Rick Scott, whose personal wealth ensures this will be a competitive race all the way to November. Why this is a big deal: The Florida governor's race is quickly becoming the marquee pickup opportunity for Democrats this fall and the DGA's investment shows the national party is in, and it's in to win.

As Chuck Schumer leads by example, 60+ picks five new targets and Arlen Specter makes a comeback (sort of), here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily cheat sheet for the 2010 midterm elections.

THE MORNING AFTER - UP IN THE AIR: There's still no call in New Hampshire's Republican Senate primary, and as of this writing former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte had just a 979-vote lead over attorney Ovide Lamontagne, with 85 percent of precincts reporting. AP: “Lamontagne spokesman Jim Merrill said at about 2 a.m. that Lamontagne was calling it a night, but Ayotte campaign manager Brooks Kochvar said she was still watching results and was encouraged.” New Hampshire's two House races are set, with Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta the GOP nominee against Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and former Republican Rep. Charlie Bass facing off against attorney Ann McLane Kuster in the open 2nd House District. http://bit.ly/9aRI8P

PRIMARY TICKER - BEST-OF: Believe it or not, there were elections last night that took place outside the major Senate primary states. Here's Morning Score's speed-read of the seven top results you need to know:

(1) New York Rep. Charlie Rangel defeated a packed field of primary challengers, overcoming his ethics woes to take a majority of the Democratic vote … (2) Buffalo real estate developer Carl Paladino won the Republican nomination for governor of New York, besting Rick Lazio and delivering Democrats one of the year's deepest oppo files for the general election … (3) Banker Matt Doheny beat accountant Doug Hoffman for the GOP nod in New York's 23rd District, leaving Hoffman to decide whether he's gonna pull a Doug Hoffman again … (4) Developer Glen Urquhart ended up ahead of philanthropist Michele Rollins in the GOP primary for Delaware's at-large House district, giving Democrat John Carney an even clearer shot at Mike Castle's old seat … (5) Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker beat former Rep. Mark Neumann in the Wisconsin GOP's gubernatorial primary, delivering Republicans their favored candidate against Democrat Tom Barrett … (6) Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch held off liberal opponent Mac D'Alessandro, ending the year's last health care-themed primary challenge … (7) Former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich easily won the Republican primary for his old office, vanquishing Palin-backed challenger Brian Murphy …

BONUS: Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty was denied the Democratic nomination for another term, losing to City Council Chairman Vincent Gray by 7 points with 90 percent of precincts in … For full returns from all the races and detailed results maps, visit politico.com/2010

** A message from Washington's NewsChannel 8: Comcast has hired a vast army of lobbyists to rush through the largest media merger in American history. The Comcast/NBC monopoly would present serious problems for local news in communities across our country. Washington's decision makers must resist the pressure from Comcast and take the necessary time to carefully review this controversial merger to protect the public interest. **

HOUSE RACE PREVIEW - BROADENING THE MAP: The conservative 60+ Association is going up this week with about $1.8 million in new House ads, some of them aimed at Democrats on the outside edge of vulnerability. The group is targeting Wisconsin Reps. Ron Kind (with $560,000) and Steve Kagen (with $130,000), New York Reps. Tim Bishop (with $128,000) and Scott Murphy (with $520,000) and Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Carney (with $450,000). The ads follow a now-familiar script for the group, showing voters in each district criticizing the incumbent for going to Washington. “[Ron] Kind voted for Pelosi's health care bill, which cuts $500 billion from Medicare,” a woman says in one ad, and a man adds: “Ron Kind voted against Wisconsin seniors, now it's time for us to vote against him.” Watch it here. http://bit.ly/9Kf9h6

SENATE SNEAK PEEK - LIGHTING UP BLUNT: The public employees union AFSCME is pouring half a dozen different mail pieces into Missouri, attacking Republican Senate candidate Roy Blunt on legislative pay raises and his track record ON outsourcing. “Roy Blunt dealt himself a pretty sweet hand,” one mailer reads, “but he stacked the deck against Missouri families.” Another one features a former Chrysler worker's quote: “Everytime I see a shut down factory I get angry at Washington politicians like Roy Blunt.” See the mailers here http://politi.co/9jd5bk , here http://politi.co/a899XJ , here http://politi.co/deQQsI , here http://politi.co/9Iaikk , here http://politi.co/cYmJeq and here http://politi.co/c04Q6b

IS IT OR ISN'T IT? The Connecticut Senate race is either a tight, single-digit contest or a comfortable win in the making for Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, depending on which poll you believe. Blumenthal had just a six-point lead over Republican wrestling executive Linda McMahon in a fresh Quinnipiac poll - but he was 15 points ahead of her in a Democratic poll taken by Hamilton Campaigns. Blumenthal is airing a new ad focused on the economy, showing employees at a family-owned auto business praising the AG for helping protect their company. “We were able to save our jobs and keep our business going,” one woman says. “He's a fighter, he's not afraid to stand up to big business. Or to anybody.” Watch the ad. http://bit.ly/cj1fJh And get the polling data here. http://bit.ly/a7xsSw

ALASKA WATCH - FINGER ON THE TRIGGER: Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski confirmed that she will announce her plans for the fall by the end of the week, and her campaign released a statement declaring that “she has not sought the Libertarian party's nomination” and “Alaskans continue to contact the campaign and Senator Murkowski personally urging her to mount a write-in campaign.” “Everyday Alaskans from all walks of life have approached me urging that I stay in the race,” Murkowski said in a statement. “As disappointed as I am in the outcome of the Primary and my belief that the Alaska Republican Party was hijacked by the Tea Party Express, an outside extremist group, I am not going to quit my party … I will continue to seek advice from my fellow Alaskans about what is best for the state's future and announce a decision by Friday.”

TODAY - GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES: RNC Chairman Michael Steele embarks on his 48-state “Fire Pelosi” bus tour, kicking things off at a joint press conference with NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions. They'll speak to reporters at RNC headquarters at 10:30 this morning, “discussing the importance of electing Republicans up and down the ballot, before Chairman Steele departs,” according to RNC guidance.

SCOOP - STILL THE ONE - “Chuck Schumer ups fundraising ante,” from POLITICO's Bresnahan and Raju: “Schumer has given $2 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and top Senate Democrats are leaning hard on their colleagues to cough up more as the embattled majority looks to save vulnerable incumbents. The New York Democrat cut a $1 million check to the DSCC on Aug. 3, according to federal campaign disclosure reports, and DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez of New Jersey said Schumer gave another $1 million on Tuesday. 'He will have given $2 million in the last couple months,' Menendez told POLITICO. 'It will put him at the top of the list. I'm thrilled at his example, and I hope others will emulate it.'” http://politi.co/cqVyUk

TEAM PLAYER - 42 EDITION: Former President Bill Clinton came to California gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown's aid Tuesday, declaring that his onetime presidential rival “would be an excellent governor at a time when California needs his creativity and fiscal prudence.” Clinton praised Brown's tenure as mayor of Oakland and California attorney general, just days after Brown made a crack about the Monica Lewinsky scandal - and less than a week after the Meg Whitman campaign aired an attack ad using file footage of Clinton criticizing Brown's policy record. http://lat.ms/cifoWp

GOOD COMEBACK - Whitman spokeswoman Andrea Jones Rivera responded by twisting the knife, pointing out that Clinton can't really take back his 1992-vintage attacks: “We've always expected this and we also expect President Clinton to endorse the entire Democratic ticket. The fact remains that President Clinton's criticism was correct.”

CAMPAIGN CLICK - ONE OF US? Louisiana Rep. Charlie Melancon is dropping a new video today keying off GOP Sen. David Vitter's ill-advised comment at a forum: “Virtually everybody in this audience is the wealthy - wealthy.” “Here's the thing: David Vitter lives a privileged life,” the video responds. “Vitter went to Harvard. Vitter went to Oxford. David Vitter has rich friends. And powerful friends. But they're not our friends.” http://bit.ly/9BuqTY

2012 TALKER - BOOTS ON THE GROUND: Tim Pawlenty has hired a full-time staffer in Iowa, the Des Moines Register reports, bringing on Ben Foster as an aide in the critical early state. Tom Beaumont: “Pawlenty, who has come to Iowa five times in the past year, also plans to meet GOP activists and campaign for Iowa Republicans in northwest Iowa on Oct. 8 and 9, aides said.” The Minnesota governor also sent six PAC staffers to New Hampshire to work on turnout ahead of this week's primaries. http://bit.ly/bEOHba and http://bit.ly/dalkNi

AND - DANIELS KEEPS DANCING - Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels issued a statement responding to POLITICO's report that he has been meeting with national GOP heavies in Indiana, insisting that he still has “no intention or plan to run for president.” “I've said that many people have asked to visit with me about a candidacy and about reconsidering my disinclination to run. That is true,” Daniels said. “I've said I've made no final decision about running for president and won't for months, and that is true. The Politico article and other recent stories confirm the truthfulness and accuracy of each of these statement[s].” http://politi.co/9OqWdK

SPOTTED: Pennsylvania Arlen Specter, delivering one of the cycle's most infamous lines - “My change in party will enable me to be reelected” - in a Chamber of Commerce ad attacking Florida Gov. Charlie Crist as a flip-flopper. Best supporting actor: John Kerry. http://bit.ly/aX7fuD

POLLS OF THE DAY - EYES ON THE PRIZE: It's a good week for Republican ophthalmologists, according to a pair of PPP surveys sponsored by Daily Kos. In newly released numbers, the Democratic-aligned pollster shows New York Rep. John Hall trailing challenger Nan Hayworth by two points, taking 42 percent of the vote to Hayworth's 44 percent. On the Senate level, PPP puts Kentucky Republican Rand Paul seven points ahead of state Attorney General Jack Conway, leading 49 percent to 42 percent. Paul and Hayworth are two of the many Republican physicians running for office this year. http://bit.ly/aWXofZ and http://bit.ly/cLNneo

PLUS - AD WATCH: The NRSC targeted Conway with its first independent expenditure ad of the cycle, tying him to the health care reform law and asking: “Whose horse is Jack Conway riding?” The black-and-white, faux-old-timey spot shows Conway's face alongside images of President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and concludes: “Jack Conway took their side. … He's not riding Kentucky's horse.” http://bit.ly/dePXIa

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We congratulate Christine O'Donnell for her nomination this evening after a hard-fought primary campaign in Delaware.” - NRSC executive director Rob Jesmer's 17-word statement on last night's primary.

** A message from Washington's NewsChannel 8: If the Comcast and NBC merger is rushed through the process, our country risks losing a powerful part of our democracy - locally-owned, independent voices in markets where Comcast/NBC will control both access to the home and multiple channels of news. Dropping the independent news voice won't serve the consumer. It will only serve the interests of Comcast which would also own the other news channels. Please make sure that any merger approval serves the public interest and protects the local news consumers you represent. Don't let Comcast ram this monopoly merger through the review process. **

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