Subject: POLITICO’s Morning Score: Dem attacks on Kochs continue—Condoleezza endorses Sullivan in Crossroads TV ad—Citizens United backs Buck in CO-04—Shaheen hits Brown on ‘People’s Pledge’ in first radio ad—Score Q&A: Mark Warner on Va. Senate race—Ending Spending hits Jones in NC-03 TV ad
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 03:58:55 -0600

By Emily Schultheis ([email-masked]; Twitter: @emilyrs) and Jose DelReal (
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] ; Twitter: @jdelreal)

SCORE PREVIEW-DEM ATTACKS ON KOCHS CONTINUE: Hitting the Koch brothers has gone viral in the Democratic Party-and this week is no exception. The pro-Democratic research group American Bridge is out with a paid web ad hitting the Kochs in five states: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana and Michigan. The video points to various fact checks of Americans for Prosperity ads around the country, concluding that the "Koch agenda" is "good for them, bad for the middle class." (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6448493fabebc1fb8389657cd151e4a04e65e5a7b1cb71e1ae2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6448493fabebc1fb8389657cd151e4a04e65e5a7b1cb71e1ae2 ). In North Carolina, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan-AFP's top target thus far-is launching a new digital campaign tying GOP candidate Thom Tillis to the Kochs. "Now, as [the Kochs] run millions in TV ads in North Carolina, it's clear they are trying to buy a Senator whose strings they can pull in Washington to get their special interest policies passed at the expense of the middle class," says Hagan spokeswoman Sadie Weiner. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644d3f9648ea4b5d348ee53e648e6987d71d546c8ff9d5aa906 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644d3f9648ea4b5d348ee53e648e6987d71d546c8ff9d5aa906 

SNEAK PEEK-CONDOLEEZZA PITCHES FOR SULLIVAN IN CROSSROADS AD: In a new ad this morning in the Alaska Senate race from GOP group American Crossroads, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice endorses GOP candidate Dan Sullivan in Alaska's Senate primary-Rice's first Senate endorsement of the cycle and Crossroads' first ad taking sides in a GOP primary. "Dan Sullivan is tireless in his defense of this country," she says. "...Now Dan faces political attacks because he wanted his family by his side. Remember that serving our country required some time in our capitol. Dan will be a great senator because he loves and cares for the state of Alaska and he's a great family man." The ad, a $180,000
 buy, will run statewide on broadcast TV for eight days. Sullivan faces Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller in the GOP primary, though national Republicans have been gravitating toward Sullivan in recent weeks. Watch: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64488691371410b486d43bc6fddeeec4703f166ae42d74b26a6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64488691371410b486d43bc6fddeeec4703f166ae42d74b26a6 

FIRST IN SCORE-CITIZENS UNITED BACKS BUCK: Ken Buck, the Weld County, Colo., Republican who's running for GOP Rep. Cory Gardner's seat, will get another endorsement boost today from the Citizens United Political Victory Fund. In a statement, Citizens United President David Bossie calls Buck "a true conservative" who's "guided by his core conservative principles." Buck, who got Gardner's endorsement in the race, is facing at least two other GOP pols in the primary (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64495318df2c54446f9d885f0a37bc3235591320118363f15ad 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64495318df2c54446f9d885f0a37bc3235591320118363f15ad ); he's seen as the frontrunner, but every endorsement helps.

NEW THIS MORNING-SHAHEEN RADIO AD HITS ON 'PEOPLE'S PLEDGE': Since former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown's entrance into the New Hampshire Senate races, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and national Democrats have relentlessly him over the "People's Pledge," which would limit outside money in the race-and Shaheen is continuing that message in her first radio ad of the cycle today. "Scott Brown's changed more than his address," the ad says. "Just a few weeks ago in New York, he was still boasting about his People's Pledge, but now Scott Brown's in New Hampshire and refusing to sign the exact same People's Pledge." Listen: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64462479b2cc9d04c500b9a842e5a87ed6a79c2ddd73459011b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64462479b2cc9d04c500b9a842e5a87ed6a79c2ddd73459011b 

As the DSCC pushes back at Nate Silver, an inquiry's results could be good news for Chris Christie and Philly bids for 2016, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the 2014 midterms.

DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION: 225.

Good Monday morning and welcome to Morning Score. As always, send your tips, thoughts, and suggestions to 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  or tweet them to @emilyrs.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD-

1) Who's the next Democrat to run a TV or radio ad against the Koch brothers?

2) Which potential 2016er gets the best reception at the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting in Vegas?

3) Will Democrat Allyson Schwartz go on the air in Pennsylvania this week, now that most of her main opponents have?

4) How does Cory Gardner's move to the center on personhood play in the Colorado Senate race? 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64462bfea84e301a83701760e140bb457a8b9fcc8e05713a9f4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64462bfea84e301a83701760e140bb457a8b9fcc8e05713a9f4 

5) Will GOP candidates have anything to say about President Obama's Europe trip?

SCORE Q&A WITH MARK WARNER: Your Score correspondent caught up with Virginia Sen. Mark Warner Sunday at the opening of his campaign headquarters in Alexandria. He mostly avoided talking about his likely GOP opponent, Ed Gillespie, but did chat a bit about his now-competitive reelection race:

-On the key takeaways from the 2013 governor's election and his past Virginia races: "One of the things I'm really proud of is the fact that every time I run for elected office I've got broad support in communities like in Southside, southwest, rural Virginia. I'm going to continue that. You saw here today: two Republican members of the [state] House. That doesn't happen that often in today&#39;s day and age-when your predecessor, who was a U.S Senator for 30 years [John Warner], actually endorses a Democrat. ... The way to stay successful is always run like you're behind."

-On his likely GOP opponent, Ed Gillespie: "I'd be happy to share [my thoughts on Gillespie] once Republicans decide who they're going to nominate." (Speaking to supporters at the office opening, he said Gillespie "doesn't have many ties to Virginia, but he does have ties to lots of the kinds of super PAC money that could be dropped in on our race.")

-On Republicans' plan to make an issue of Obamacare: "I think the defining issue is who's actually got a record of getting things done, working with folks in both political parties. I think you'll see this week some very specific ideas on how Affordable Care Act can be improved. ... people are more interested in folks who are about trying to fix things. It&#39;s easy in politics to say what&#39;s wrong -- and both sides do it. ... [voters] are tired of elected officials who will do nothing but blame the other guys."

FIRST IN SCORE-ENDING SPENDING HITS JONES IN NC-03 AD: The GOP group Ending Spending Action Fund is out with a new high five-figure ad buy against incumbent GOP Rep. Walter Jones in North Carolina, who's facing a primary challenge from former Bush aide Taylor Griffin. The ad alleges that Jones is too liberal and no longer represents the state's "values." "When he first went to Congress he shared our North Carolina values, but now after almost 20 years in Washington he's forgotten us," the ad says, pointing to his votes on tax, spending and national debt issues. "Walter Jones: he may have forgotten North Carolina values, but we won't forget how he's voted. Maybe it's time he came home." The
 ad will run district-wide in the Greenville, Wilmington and Norfolk media markets. Watch: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644688e12c7a86215d7dafec328249e3d38f6a70b292e588fde 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644688e12c7a86215d7dafec328249e3d38f6a70b292e588fde 

PREVIEW-DSCC PUSHES BACK ON NATE SILVER FORECAST: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is pushing back this morning on a weekend election forecast from FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver, which said Republicans are the "slight favorites" to win control of the Senate. The memo, from DSCC Executive Director Guy Cecil, needles Silver about the way his predictions differed from the actual 2012 Senate results. From the memo: "Nate Silver predicted that Heidi Heitkamp had only an 8% chance of victory and Jon Tester had just a 34% chance. In 2010, he predicted that Majority Leader Reid had just a 16% chance and Michael Bennet had only a 34% chance in Colorado. All four are senators today
 because they were superior candidates running superior campaign organizations who made their elections a choice between the two candidates on the ballot." Full memo: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6449b6e074ee3c389cdaaef64dc77f7d960df39237f11cc9b5a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6449b6e074ee3c389cdaaef64dc77f7d960df39237f11cc9b5a  (Earlier this month, the Atlantic looked at the way Democrats have used Silver's predictions in fundraising emails: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644544c4cb0028ee3bcc670bf642c0883c2c9abbfca20571189 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644544c4cb0028ee3bcc670bf642c0883c2c9abbfca20571189 )

SCORE EXCLUSIVE-EMILY's LIST MESSAGES ON EQUAL PAY: The pro-Democratic women's group EMILY's List will release a memo today outlining Democrats' progress on equal pay issues. From the memo, by president Stephanie Schriock: "Last week was a turning point for Democrats' economic opportunity agenda as the issue of equal pay is making headlines across the country. ... Republicans are unapologetic about their stance and as we anticipate seeing this issue come up in Washington and in the states. Equal pay will be a defining issue of 2014. And it will be one that builds momentum for Democrats candidates, especially Democratic women candidates, in races from coast to coast, up and down the ballot."
 Read the full memo: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64420537bf72ca2ba441dd346a11217e8c4503028a897da6de9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64420537bf72ca2ba441dd346a11217e8c4503028a897da6de9 

SNEAK PEEK-PRO-MCCONNELL RADIO AD HITS OBAMA COAL 'ASSAULT': A new radio ad from the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition, a pro-Mitch McConnell group that's spending $1.83 million on radio ads touting the Senate Minority Leader's record in the state, says McConnell is a key player in thwarting President Obama's "assault" on coal. "More than 7,000 Kentucky coal jobs gone under Obama ... McConnell knows coal keeps the lights on and keeps Kentucky working," the ad says. "It's why he helped stop cap and trade in the Senate. Now McConnell's pushing the Saving Coal Jobs Act." Listen: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64446123c7d8b449c2a90a35f135c754aa0b26e6cc881a41c2a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64446123c7d8b449c2a90a35f135c754aa0b26e6cc881a41c2a 

PENNSYLVANIA POLS TO LAUNCH PHILLY CONVENTION BID: As cities across the country prep their 2016 Democratic convention bids, Philadelphia politicians and business leaders huddled Friday morning to talk about putting together a formal bid and raising the money necessary to be a contender for the 2016 Democratic confab. A Democratic source present at the meeting told Score that a nonprofit group to head Philly's convention bid will likely be established in the next week or so, and that attendees were "excited and engaged" by the prospect. Among the approximately 60 people in attendance, per the source, were former Gov. Ed Rendell, Rep. Bob Brady, and Rep. Allyson Schwartz, the gubernatorial
 candidate who represents a Philly-area House seat. Not there: Philly Mayor Michael Nutter, who's been characterized as not particularly excited about the prospect of a convention bid.

INQUIRY SAID TO CLEAR CHRISTIE BUT IS MET WITH SKEPTICISM: The New York Times reports: "Now, after 70 interviews and at least $1 million in legal fees to be paid by state taxpayers, that review is set to be released, and according to people with firsthand knowledge of the inquiry, it has uncovered no evidence that the governor was involved in the plotting or directing of the lane closings. The review is the first of multiple inquiries into a scandal that has jeopardized Mr. Christie's political future. It will be viewed with intense skepticism, not only because it was commissioned by the governor but also because the firm conducting it, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, has close ties to the Christie
 administration and the firm's lawyers were unable to interview three principal players in the shutdowns, including Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor's former deputy chief of staff." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64409d1ed5c7e81d7dc6aae413b0cd57312d8cbe3bf858eeb43 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64409d1ed5c7e81d7dc6aae413b0cd57312d8cbe3bf858eeb43 

ACROSS THE MAP-Quick takes from races around the country:

SENATE-

-CO-Sen: Senate Majority PAC launched a $500,000 TV ad buy hitting GOP Senate candidate Cory Gardner, part of a five-state, $3 million response to attacks against Democratic candidates by AFP. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64431a9686e5b4e98eb4a014edd6753919774ffdfa4ceb8cdb5 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64431a9686e5b4e98eb4a014edd6753919774ffdfa4ceb8cdb5 

-KY-Sen: The Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund endorsed Matt Bevin, Mitch McConnell&#39;s GOP primary challenger, hitting McConnell for voting to raise the debt ceiling. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644fd3065d6ee173e15eda95217338c0f69199607ac702b302a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644fd3065d6ee173e15eda95217338c0f69199607ac702b302a 

-VA-Sen: Mitt Romney is raising money for GOP candidate Ed Gillespie this week in New York. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644bccdfcbf28b772923b50c7a3a48a0aa277ffa2d07a8e9d8f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644bccdfcbf28b772923b50c7a3a48a0aa277ffa2d07a8e9d8f 

-AZ-Sen (2016): Sen. John McCain will hold a reelection fundraiser in Phoenix next month. Although he has not yet publically announced if he will seek another term, the former GOP presidential candidate says he wants to be prepared if he decides to run. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6448ba24bb6d5e19aecb14140cdd1c3aae5bc3d061d82012940 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6448ba24bb6d5e19aecb14140cdd1c3aae5bc3d061d82012940 

HOUSE-

-CA-07: Former Texas GOP Rep. Ron Paul endorsed Igor Birman in the primary for the seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Ami Bera. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644d7d2442ce820d8f706f36f6ceb361e52d4c7e9429108b9a4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644d7d2442ce820d8f706f36f6ceb361e52d4c7e9429108b9a4 

-HI-01: State GOP Chairwoman Pat Saiki says former GOP Rep. Charles Djou will run again for his old seat. He won a 2010 special election for the seat but lost it to now-Rep. Colleen Hanabusa-who's now vacating the seat to run for Senate. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644218d05cd4b59cd5173b0220493520d9f779259ff9b378dd3 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644218d05cd4b59cd5173b0220493520d9f779259ff9b378dd3 

-NY-01: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani cut an ad for Republican George Demos in an ugly primary with state Sen. Lee Zeldin. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6445c67089d05045174bf8cfd3c133cdfaf9b6324abbdc3a542 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6445c67089d05045174bf8cfd3c133cdfaf9b6324abbdc3a542 

-VA-01: Republican Anthony Riedel will challenge incumbent GOP Rep. Robert Wittman in his primary. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6449441fcbccb9cbb713a247b42b5ff06dbc222516fb9f5cd2e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6449441fcbccb9cbb713a247b42b5ff06dbc222516fb9f5cd2e 

GOVERNORS-

-OH-Gov first look: The RGA is out with a new video touting GOP Gov. John Kasich's tenure in office, featuring the Mt. Carmel Brewing Company: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64411c8099847baf0dad5652f6cc5899c8099536a2057aba21b 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff64411c8099847baf0dad5652f6cc5899c8099536a2057aba21b 

-CA-Gov: Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown has $20 million in his war chest according to a recent financial disclosure, $3 million of which he raised in the first two and a half months of 2014. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6447ac0d71a1f578e763522537a40c26c4cd10cfc0bc8393c12 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6447ac0d71a1f578e763522537a40c26c4cd10cfc0bc8393c12 

-FL-Gov: Mike Fernandez, incumbent GOP Gov. Rick Scott&#39;s finance co-chair, resigned his post after privately expressing frustrations with the campaign. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6445eb108357e98625f9977cdd41d16080b31d39041b38d20f4 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6445eb108357e98625f9977cdd41d16080b31d39041b38d20f4 

-MA-Gov: GOP candidate Charlie Baker won 83 percent of the votes at Saturday&#39;s GOP nominating convention, becoming the sole candidate to secure a spot on September&#39;s primary ballot. Tea Party favorite Mark Fisher failed to break the 15-percent threshold to appear on the ballot by less than half a percentage point. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6443a8372c60cdb5f7424e58642a6d0aa6bf9097281db79febf 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff6443a8372c60cdb5f7424e58642a6d0aa6bf9097281db79febf 

-PA-Gov: Democratic State Treasurer Rob McCord went up with his first TV ad Friday, joining fellow Dems Tom Wolf and Katie McGinty (and GOP Gov. Tom Corbett) on the airwaves. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644b699778832f45bcc7dcf02a46c322b598e4ad4207a9d9a10 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9197320db12ff644b699778832f45bcc7dcf02a46c322b598e4ad4207a9d9a10 

CODA-QUOTE OF THE DAY: "[W]hen I want to communicate with a foreign leader privately, I type or write the letter myself, put it in the Post Office and mail it, because I believe if I send an email, it will be monitored." -Former President Jimmy Carter told Andrea Mitchell Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press.

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