Subject: POLITICO’s Morning Score: NRSC announces key staff—EMILY’s List Targets Five GOP Reps-- Mass. Special election will be June 25-- McConnell gets low support in Kentucky poll-- Chambliss says he won’t be involved in picking his GOP successor
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:23:59 -0600

By Emily Schultheis (
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] ; Twitter: @emilyrs) and James Hohmann (
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] ; Twitter: @jameshohmann)

OUT TODAY--NRSC UNVEILS SENIOR STAFF FOR CYCLE: Ward Baker is political director. Shelly Carson is finance director. Brad Dayspring is communications director. Kevin McLaughlin is senior advisor. Mark McLaughlin is research director. Megan Sowards is general counsel. Bios of all six: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1633167ab822b35903f72e7f2046aa7128f2f6134b9045b39 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1633167ab822b35903f72e7f2046aa7128f2f6134b9045b39 .

EXCLUSIVE - EMILY'S LIST TARGETS FIVE GOP REPS: EMILY's List, the pro-choice Democratic women's group, is naming five members of Congress as top targets in 2014: Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (W.V.-02) - who's running for Senate -- Rodney Davis (IL-13), Gary Miller (CA-31), Dan Webster (FL-10) and Bill Young (FL-13). The group is placing them "On Notice" for what EMILY's List calls their "appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records." "[M]embers of Congress like Capito, Davis, Miller, Webster, and Young, are doubling down on insane policies that would roll back the clock on women's rights and opportunities," EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock said in a release. "Collectively they have
 failed to cosponsor the Violence Against Women Act which would give necessary protections to victims of domestic violence, have routinely opposed or ignored paycheck fairness legislation, and support extreme anti-choice legislation that would severely limit reproductive healthcare access."

SNEAK PEEK - NRCC CALLS OBAMA OUT ON JOBS COUNCIL: The National Republican Congressional Committee is launching a petition today criticizing Obama for inactivity on his jobs council and on creating more jobs. "Obama's 'Jobs Council' hasn't met in over a year," the petition says. "Tell President Obama: #GetToWork."Read the petition here: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f131611158ac2f5518c69316a3b4801381acb144d1248f414a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f131611158ac2f5518c69316a3b4801381acb144d1248f414a 

As Ed Markey disses outside spending, Bill Halter files in Arkansas and Joe Biden raises cash for Mary Landrieu, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your guide to the permanent campaign.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD--

(1) Will the NRSC get involved with brewing primaries in places like Iowa, Georgia or West Virginia?

(2) How aggressively will the pro-immigration-reform Republicans attack Obama's Vegas speech today?

(3) Does a serious tea party challenger emerge against Mitch McConnell?

(4) Will Scott Brown and Stephen Lynch announce their decisions in Massachusetts after Kerry's confirmation vote?

(5) Will the proposals to change the way electoral votes are allocated make any headway in key swing states this week?

IMMIGRATION--OBAMA WILL OFFER SPECIFICS, NOT A BILL: POTUS delivers his remarks at 11:55 a.m. PT (2:55 ET) at Del Sol High School in Las Vegas. Carrie Budoff Brown and Kate Nocera on the upcoming immigration interplay between Obama, John McCain and Marco Rubio: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1c3c8a70685735d3829a9616153c7dc99355f675d165b3f9d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1c3c8a70685735d3829a9616153c7dc99355f675d165b3f9d 

SCORE PREVIEW - HOUSE MAJORITY PAC TOUTS '12 RECORD: House Majority PAC, the Democratic group that raised over $50 million for House candidates, is out with a video looking back at a handful of races in which their funding helped tip the scales toward the Democratic candidate. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the tremendous help of the House Majority PAC," says Connecticut Rep. Elizabeth Esty, one of about a half-dozen new members of congress featured in the video. Watch: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1381cedea3ec99158f7e5e305bb33dd2ff2bb6817682cd336 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1381cedea3ec99158f7e5e305bb33dd2ff2bb6817682cd336 

MASSACHUSETTS SENATE SPECIAL - MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The dates are set for the Massachusetts special election to replace Sen. John Kerry: primaries will be April 30, and the general election will be June 25.

MORE FROM THE BAY STATE - MARKEY CALLS FOR OUTSIDE GROUPS TRUCE: Democratic candidate Ed Markey - thus far, the only candidate who's announced his intention to run in the Massachusetts special - called for a truce among outside groups in the election going forward. "This election should be a forum for the voices of everyday voters, not attacks from Karl Rove and other outside special interests," he said in a statement. It's the same kind of pledge Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown made in last year's Bay State Senate race - still, the candidates spent a combined $80 million in that race and not all outside groups agreed to the truce. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1d80e486dd743c23478ebc7c01bec0c6570fccf7eb53e06b9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1d80e486dd743c23478ebc7c01bec0c6570fccf7eb53e06b9 

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR- AMERICAN BRIDGE HITS CUCCINELLI: The Democratic group American Bridge is out with a new video hitting GOP gubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli on his decision not to resign his post to run for governor. "Apparently Ken Cuccinelli thinks it's wise for taxpayers to pay him full time for a job he's doing part time," the video says. "...For nearly three decades, attorneys general who ran for governor from both parties have all resigned to campaign - but Ken Cuccinelli wants to keep cashing his taxpayer paycheck while he runs for his next job." Watch the video here: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f115fe0ef9eef289b15ff83f6f072b149b7b6a4d6c3e247025 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f115fe0ef9eef289b15ff83f6f072b149b7b6a4d6c3e247025 

NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR - DEMS CLEAR THE FIELD: With state Senate President Stephen Sweeney opting out of a bid for governor, Democrats in New Jersey are looking at state Sen. Barbara Buono as their only candidate to face Chris Christie in November. The Philly Inquirer: "The only remaining Democrat who was playing coy about a possible run, U.S. Rep. Bill Patterson, endorsed Buono, of Middlesex County, on Monday. Another congressman whom Democrats tried to pull into the race, U.S. Rep Frank Pallone (D., N.J.), endorsed Buono at a special campaign event Monday at the Marriott in Trenton." All polling that's been done in the race shows Christie with a huge lead over Buono or any other potential
 Democrat; Christie, in a recent interview, said he's aiming to hit the 50-percent threshold for reelection. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f15a8e5faf0487c1c92a4f01e186c892f73a9a6a4feb02017a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f15a8e5faf0487c1c92a4f01e186c892f73a9a6a4feb02017a 

THE ELECTORAL MAP - PROPORTIONAL EFFORTS PICK UP: A handful of states with Republican-led legislatures but that went for Obama in 2012 are considering measures to allocate their electoral votes proportionally in the future - a move that could give GOP candidates a distinct edge going forward."Under such a system in Virginia, for instance, President Obama would have claimed four of the state's 13 electoral votes in the 2012 election, rather than all of them," the Washington Post reports. "Other states considering similar changes include Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, which share a common dynamic with Virginia: They went for Obama in the past two elections but are controlled by Republicans
 at the state level." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1409dc992aadc17f3bf3f09db10fafd729b4e26143ee5f348 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1409dc992aadc17f3bf3f09db10fafd729b4e26143ee5f348 

WALKER CALLS IT 'INTERESTING': Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said this weekend that the proposal to change allocation of electoral votes is "interesting." "It&#39;s an interesting idea. I haven&#39;t committed one way or another," he said in D.C. "I think you have to be very careful with changes like that but I think it&#39;s worth looking at,' he added. Walker joins RNC Chairman Reince Priebus - a fellow Wisconsin native - in saying the idea of proportional allocation is one to consider. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1ec1ec8eaedb110638d70b52d926d6ef8d7adee715fc79284 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1ec1ec8eaedb110638d70b52d926d6ef8d7adee715fc79284 

2014 NEWS--

IOWA SENATE--STEVE KING LOOKING SERIOUSLY AT OPEN SEAT: The conservative congressman tells Jake Sherman that he's seriously considering a run for the Iowa Senate seat being vacated by Tom Harkin, and even Republicans who worry that he would struggle in a general election acknowledge that the tea party favorite would enter the race as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Sources close to King said they would be surprised if he passed on the chance to run statewide, especially after winning reelection in convincing fashion in November. But Rep. Tom Latham, who moved to a new district to avoid facing King in a primary after the last round of redistricting, is also looking at a run. The
 sense among most top Republicans is that Latham and King will probably not wind up running against each other -- but that another strong GOP candidate will emerge should Latham sit it out. But there's also a feeling that the establishment would eventually rally around King, especially after he ran such a disciplined campaign last year. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f17a348b905f1599129b45b6c08b48c2bb245b2bd8bc94fb31 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f17a348b905f1599129b45b6c08b48c2bb245b2bd8bc94fb31 

WATCH TOM VILSACK: On the Democratic side, Rep. Bruce Braley has said he will "carefully weigh" a run for the Senate. But last night we reached out to the USDA to ask if the Agriculture secretary and former governor, whose wife Christie lost to King last November, might run. His flak sent us his statement from Saturday and said it still stands: "Now is not the time to reflect on anyone else but on the still evolving career and contribution of the Senator." That keeps the door open.

GEORGIA SENATE - CHAMBLISS WON'T PICK FAVORITES IN GOP PRIMARY: Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who announced last week that he'll retire in 2014, said Monday in his first public appearance since the announcement that he won't involve himself in choosing the GOP's candidate to replace him. "That list is going to be so long," he said. Had he stayed in the race, Chambliss could have faced a potential Tea Party challenge from the right. Potential GOP candidates include Reps. Tom Price, Jack Kingston, Tom Graves, Phil Gingrey and Lynn Westmoreland, as well as former Gov. Sonny Perdue and former gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1429ae9d4701a86b45a3e7dfc094549886de2177ae4de1af4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1429ae9d4701a86b45a3e7dfc094549886de2177ae4de1af4 

SOUTH CAROLINA--TEDDY TURNER GIVES OBAMA AN ECONOMICS LESSON: "I'm a high school economics teacher. If President Obama was in my class, he'd fail," the son of Ted Turner, running as a Republican in the special election to replace Tim Scott, says directly into the camera. "I'm a teacher, not a politician. And I know we can solve a lot of problems by sticking to simple economic principles: we can't spend our way out of debt. We grow the economy by getting government out of the way. Less red tape means more jobs." He's presenting himself as a non-career politician in a field that includes Mark Sanford. The 1,000 GRP buy means they have their airwaves to themselves a bit longer: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f12fceb292573a24d9516ad82a926fc127b82de07ae8e72803 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f12fceb292573a24d9516ad82a926fc127b82de07ae8e72803 .

FRED DAVIS' NEW AD--THE FOX GUARDING THE HEN HOSE: Fred, doing the ads for the Super PAC supporting Republican Kevin James for mayor of Los Angeles, produces a sort of sequel to Demon Sheep. It&#39;s a web video called 'Henhouse." 4.5-minutes: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f18a9526f1d1cc3f26457b418694aa373a5b3c5efc00670ce0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f18a9526f1d1cc3f26457b418694aa373a5b3c5efc00670ce0 .

POLL SHOWS MCCONNELL VULNERABLE IN KENTUCKY: Fewer than one in five voters are firmly committed to vote for Mitch McConnell next year, according to a poll released yesterday afternoon by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Only 17 percent polled said they plan to support the Senate minority leader's bid for a sixth term. One in three respondents said they plan to vote against, and 44 percent said they will wait to see who is running against him. The poll found just 34 percent of Republicans plan to support him against any potential opponent, and 51 percent of Democrats said they will definitely vote against him. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1b0fcf360a25acae90026e40053ac96290bc70eaaf540b8f0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1b0fcf360a25acae90026e40053ac96290bc70eaaf540b8f0 

ARKANSAS GOVERNOR - MCDANIEL OUT, HALTER IN: Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, the candidate considered a top Democratic prospect in the gubernatorial race, officially dropped out this weekend after news broke of his affair with a female attorney in the state. In a statement, McDaniel said he is "now convinced that if I run for Governor, the campaign would be about me personally, rather than Arkansas's future." Former Lt. Gov Bill Halter, who unsuccessfully challenged then-Sen. Blanche Lincoln for the Democratic Senate nomination in 2010, is planning to file paperwork to run in the race this week. He'll likely face former GOP Rep. Asa Hutchinson. Arkansas is considered a tough
 state for Democrats to hold since current Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe is term-limited. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f12cc0a189ce0901f0e5646f37e20f6ed309a2656c6fa36c8b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f12cc0a189ce0901f0e5646f37e20f6ed309a2656c6fa36c8b  and 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f105ba0b17ad4c0b2c1898f5228e53ffe6a716f47e75da6f50 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f105ba0b17ad4c0b2c1898f5228e53ffe6a716f47e75da6f50 

OHIO HOUSE - BOCCIERI TRIES FOR A COMEBACK: Former Rep. John Boccieri, who lost his Canton, Ohio-area seat to Republican Jim Renacci in 2010, is filing to run against GOP Rep. Bob Gibbs in 2014. Redistricting plans in place for 2012 split Boccieri's old district into three districts: one held by Renacci, one by Gibbs and one by Democrat Tim Ryan. If Ryan runs for governor against John Kasich, Boccieri would consider seeking Ryan's seat instead. He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he's going to "take a long hard look" at the political landscape before he makes his final decision. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1974a189479bdea688d67bcef43063c040ebb9e47654db2d6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1974a189479bdea688d67bcef43063c040ebb9e47654db2d6 

BIDEN RAISES CASH FOR LANDRIEU: The Vice President made his first [CK] 2014 campaign appearance Saturday night when he flew to New Orleans to raise money with Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu. Landrieu is one of a handful of red-state Democratic incumbents who will defend their seats in 2014. She doesn't have an opponent yet, but a handful of GOP players in the state - former Rep. Jeff Landry and current Reps. Bill Cassidy and John Fleming - are mulling bids against her. The appearance is a sign that Biden, who was all over the campaign trail for Democrats in 2010, is gearing up for another busy midterm cycle. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1b0083e4333af7b5af537fd687c8b8c6ae6278e9bccdba757 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1b0083e4333af7b5af537fd687c8b8c6ae6278e9bccdba757 

2016 WATCH--HILLARY CLINTON will sit down with all five networks before she officially leaves her post Friday. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1fadc4b08c0069d15f6ea6e22b42f8661204f876dd093b6e8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1fadc4b08c0069d15f6ea6e22b42f8661204f876dd093b6e8 

MORE: A Clinton supporter has already set up a pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC for 2016, called "Ready for Hillary." The group, which filed with the FEC last Friday and is not affiliated with Clinton herself in any way, is chaired by Allida Black, a Clinton backer who also created a PAC for Clinton during the 2008 campaign. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1d18e2205a2a8d39021fe280161828265667f235e349c90c6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1d18e2205a2a8d39021fe280161828265667f235e349c90c6 

IN THE HEARTLAND--

EARLY STATE CHAIRS--New Hampshire Republicans elected Jennifer Horn as chairman this weekend, and Iowa Democrats picked Tyler Olson. WMUR: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f13901f01491ecf517fedff6e73816e03d7fffafd19a1a0de1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f13901f01491ecf517fedff6e73816e03d7fffafd19a1a0de1 . Des Moines Register: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1faac28b014e9acbc6be49142f19c45a36443e6613b03fa2e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1faac28b014e9acbc6be49142f19c45a36443e6613b03fa2e .

COLORADO DEMOCRATS blocked a bill that would have allowed teachers to carry concealed weapons: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f14c2ae1085a8f3931086fbd39c6daa058027d5e699005bc73 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f14c2ae1085a8f3931086fbd39c6daa058027d5e699005bc73 .

RICK SNYDER, the Republican governor of Michigan, is calling on the Michigan Supreme Court to decide the constitutionality of the state's new right-to-work law. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1400470f96d90d5fbe8bd7459f8daa97b13242be9af26cf4e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1400470f96d90d5fbe8bd7459f8daa97b13242be9af26cf4e 

JAY NIXON, the Missouri governor, proposed $150 million in additional education funding while pushing for lawmakers to accept $900 million in federal money to extend health care to 300,000 during his State of the State yesterday: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1e8ff574449763df8daaf29902a86e6636499416b3ed7885d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1e8ff574449763df8daaf29902a86e6636499416b3ed7885d .

BOBBY JINDAL, Louisiana governor, asks Obama to meet with Republican governors on Medicaid in a Washington Post op-ed: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1ad3ad4041bd505654d5451a6556dfdd23de5b7b57eb5ac67 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1ad3ad4041bd505654d5451a6556dfdd23de5b7b57eb5ac67 

TOM CORBETT, the Pennsylvania governor, will play hardball on pension reform. Philly Inquirer: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1245b9ec26098dafe456c878cbe4b3f22e19dd4d252209f5a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1245b9ec26098dafe456c878cbe4b3f22e19dd4d252209f5a .

LIGHTER CLICKS--

KEN CUCCINELLI saved a truck driver from a burning truck on the highway. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1551bdfab94d9b6c66e56d837185194b27cfff1733cb71c18 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f1551bdfab94d9b6c66e56d837185194b27cfff1733cb71c18 

SCOTT BROWN had some fun on Twitter over the weekend. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f123b22b84b0275f60a94e98d491154a2bd766e113b6965a4e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f123b22b84b0275f60a94e98d491154a2bd766e113b6965a4e 

SARAH PALIN was paid $15.85 per word during her time at Fox News. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f18ab3b0b6e35a2f86805487eb3a87a94d0f17c26afb3707e8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f18ab3b0b6e35a2f86805487eb3a87a94d0f17c26afb3707e8 

LEBRON JAMES visited the White House yesterday: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f146355b3a616ea8a6e9022d603d78f2e4e611ca557bf43dc7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f146355b3a616ea8a6e9022d603d78f2e4e611ca557bf43dc7 .

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'You never know what I&#39;m going to do in campaigns." -Boston Mayor Tom Menino. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=850996f874c948f19a33a7b6215eb1a61b2a1f44d90c4f80cb29e56eee4bf446 
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