Subject: POLITICO's Morning Score: NRCC launches robocalls against Barber in AZ-02 - Hanabusa releases first radio ad - Santorum backs Conger in Ore. Senate
From: "Morning Score" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 May 2014 08:03:09 -0600

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

With help from Elizabeth Titus and Tarini Parti

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro&#39;s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races - and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day&#39;s most important campaign news - sign up for Campaign Pro today. (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1ddfb216e7ff45bdf1afd26c8d137362aa20759f449beb773e 
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FIRST IN SCORE - NRCC LAUNCHES ROBOCALLS AGAINST BARBER: AZ-02 may be the House GOP's top takeover target this year, if not it's in the top few. Today, the NRCC is going after Democratic incumbent Ron Barber with robocalls to seniors charging that he wants to cut Medicare benefits. Most robocalls don't elicit more than a shrug, but this one's notable because more often you see Democrats playing the entitlement card against Republicans, not the other way around. "In 2012, Barber criticized Medicare Advantage as a program that spends too much, and Barber even praised Obamacare's cuts to the program - saying that additional taxpayer dollars should not go to Medicare Advantage," the call
 narrator says. "Call Ron Barber today and tell him seniors can't afford these cuts." An NRCC aide said the calls will go out to "several thousand" seniors in the district. Barber faces one of national Republicans' most prized recruits in Martha McSally, a recent appointee to their "Young Guns" list. Listen to the call: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d1f7b368e3947d69bee57c38699b4a6cd5925f8d68cdb68f2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d1f7b368e3947d69bee57c38699b4a6cd5925f8d68cdb68f2 

FIRST LOOK - CITIZENS UNITED BACKS SHANNON IN OKLA.: In another competitive GOP primary, the Citizens United Political Victory Fund is throwing its weight behind state House Speaker T.W. Shannon over in Oklahoma. Shannon is facing Rep. James Lankford in the state's June 24 primary. Citizens United President David Bossie describes Shannon as "a man of faith who will fight for our core conservative principles and ideals" and someone who can "fill the big shoes of Sen. Tom Coburn." Shannon already has the backing of conservative trio Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and Sarah Palin, all of whom campaigned for him at a rally in late April.

CLINTONS HITTING THE MIDTERM TRAIL?: Tucked in a WaPo story today about the Clintons hitting back at Karl Rove over his controversial brain trauma remarks are these key lines: "The efforts to shore up Clinton's reputation and address GOP criticism suggest that Clinton is moving into a new phase in preparing for a possible 2016 presidential campaign. Next month, she will embark on a cross-country book tour that aides say is a precursor to hitting the midterm campaign trail this fall and that some Democratic insiders consider a trial run for a White House bid." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1db7be07b4c4bb2aea7fc894513a8ee1938963bcdce02c16ee 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1db7be07b4c4bb2aea7fc894513a8ee1938963bcdce02c16ee 

EXCLUSIVE - HANABUSA STRESSES HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN FIRST RADIO AD: Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who's challenging incumbent Sen. Brian Schatz in the Hawaii Democratic primary, has been silent on the TV and radio airwaves thus far - but she's launching her first radio ad, talking about her own roots and how that's affected what she hopes to accomplish in the Senate. "Growing up behind her family's gas station on the leeward side of Oahu, Colleen learned firsthand the value of hard work and service from her parents - and the spirit of Hawaii from her neighbors and community," a male narrator says. Hanabusa chimes in: "It was a good way to grow up. It was the best way to grow up - around people and
 traditions and cultures. ... A good living, a good education, a good job, a good home. Those aren't things that should belong only to the privileged and the fortunate. That's what I'm fighting for in Washington." The ad will first run on the Neighbor Islands (the less-populated islands outside Oahu) and then will launch its Oahu version next week. The initial ad buy is small, $13,000 for two weeks.

As 2014ers break out their 2016 wish lists, the RGA keeps boosting John Kasich and Bill Clinton stars in a TV ad, here&#39;s POLITICO&#39;s Morning Score: your daily guide to the 2014 midterms.

DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION: 173.

Good Thursday morning and welcome to the abridged version of POLITICO Campaign Pro's Morning Score. As always, send your tips, thoughts, and suggestions to 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  or tweet them to @emilyrs. You can also get your Campaign Pro news at @politicopro and @promorningscore.

TODAY ON CAMPAIGN PRO-

Rand Paul tops 2014 campaigns' wish list: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d3f67e1f36926f0f05b4fed67a7b6e809a2a5c10f2b8fab8a 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d3f67e1f36926f0f05b4fed67a7b6e809a2a5c10f2b8fab8a 

Bill Clinton plugs Margolies in closing ad: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d6207c46096378a2d512648c14c53f2a31c12b9837a82ea4f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d6207c46096378a2d512648c14c53f2a31c12b9837a82ea4f 

Gridiron politics in Colorado: Broncos games, TV amendment: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d81136b4afa862202b0dbca4f6c34a13a35d271bf5afd7bd2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d81136b4afa862202b0dbca4f6c34a13a35d271bf5afd7bd2 

RATINGS CHANGES THIS WEEK: Sabato moves AR-Sen from "Leans Republican" to "Toss-up" and FL-13 from "Leans Republican" to "Safe Republican" (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d0402cde0cc962ed42a0f32a2265c5a175f87c2114b841914 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d0402cde0cc962ed42a0f32a2265c5a175f87c2114b841914 ). Rothenberg moves HI-Gov from "Currently Safe Democrat" to "Democrat Favored," MI-Gov from "Pure Toss-up" to "Toss-up/Tilt Republican" and GA-Gov from "Currently Safe Republican" to "Republican Favored" (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d59faab5ceb73dd3d083d969dcd6efe71f01b62dd94be540f 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d59faab5ceb73dd3d083d969dcd6efe71f01b62dd94be540f ). Cook moved GA-Gov from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican" (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1da87066e64ee2e6b4ce3954a9367720597f15f549e87c3c29 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1da87066e64ee2e6b4ce3954a9367720597f15f549e87c3c29 ).

NEW TODAY - SANTORUM BACKS CONGER OVER WEHBY: Less than a week before the Oregon Senate primary, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and his Patriot Voices PAC are backing Republican Jason Conger in the race - over Dr. Monica Wehby, who's the establishment favorite in the race. In a statement, Santorum will say that Conger "represents all that is great about this country," and calls Conger a "passionate leader" and "remarkable." Santorum also a 30-second radio ad for Conger that will run this week in the state (
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1deff41a7430789d242c14579d384428cb78436c4d47532e97 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1deff41a7430789d242c14579d384428cb78436c4d47532e97 ). Wehby leads in the few polls that have been done of the state's GOP race.

RGA LAUNCHES NEW AD IN OHIO: The RGA is out with its second pro-John Kasich ad in the Ohio governor's race, this one another positive spot. It features news clips of Kasich being interviewed about the state's economic comeback. "You have engineered quite a turnaround in Ohio," Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace says in one clip. "Now Ohio is on the comeback," Kasich says. "By putting our shoulder to the wheel and working together, we're turning things around." The RGA is working to shore up its GOP incumbents in a year when it has a lot of ground to defend - though a new Quinnipiac poll Wednesday gave Kasich a 15-point lead over Democrat Ed FitzGerald. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d3c440ac61d3b1821d6938ca61047153febb8ff401adb5ec1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d3c440ac61d3b1821d6938ca61047153febb8ff401adb5ec1 

PERDUE TAKES FIRE FOR "REVENUE" COMMENT, WALKS IT BACK: GOP businessman David Perdue, the polling frontrunner in the crowded Georgia Senate race, came under fire Wednesday for a comment he'd made to a local editorial board about the necessity of "raising revenue" to get a business going. "I was never able to turn around a company just by cutting spending," he said. "You had to figure out a way to get revenue growing." Perdue clarified that he wasn't referring to raising taxes, he was speaking more generally about getting the country out of debt and energizing the economy.But fellow GOP candidates, including Karen Handel and Jack Kingston, pounced. It's unlikely to hurt Perdue enough to keep
 him out of the top two spots in next week's primary. But not the kind of headlines he wants the final week of the primary. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d77b9998a9b7b91d85c2862a70c1694b26369e94efceb2f30 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d77b9998a9b7b91d85c2862a70c1694b26369e94efceb2f30 

SNEAK PEEK - LAND CAMP LAUNCHES DIGITAL VOTER TOOLS: Republican Terri Lynn Land's campaign in Michigan will launch a new digital voter tool today called the Land Innovation Network, which allows voters to use their social media networks to share messages related to the campaign. See more: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d647a9df8283530bbab390f25b3f7604d84bf30f4ede7963e 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d647a9df8283530bbab390f25b3f7604d84bf30f4ede7963e 

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

-IA-Sen: Republican candidate Mark Jacobs released a TV ad hitting GOP rival Joni Ernst and poking fun at her creative ads, including her pig castration ad and the one in which she shoots a gun. In the ad, a narrator says 'people do strange things to get elected" before saying she is "firing blanks." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1de8140c0034049440cbaa9662ddbec1b02b8bc80684c7f75c 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1de8140c0034049440cbaa9662ddbec1b02b8bc80684c7f75c 

-More IA-Sen: Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum endorsed Sam Clovis in the GOP primary. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d76c12365f1623e33b183e17056d5ebfb4f4152b8abfa2b99 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d76c12365f1623e33b183e17056d5ebfb4f4152b8abfa2b99 

-MS-Sen: GOP state Sen. Chris McDaniel released a new TV ad hitting incumbent Republican Sen. Thad Cochran on his long tenure in Washington. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d7b531507973c50fc644e4b5e97118612ce4b798adbf02372 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d7b531507973c50fc644e4b5e97118612ce4b798adbf02372 

-MT-Sen: Democratic Sen. John Walsh released a new 30-second TV ad calling GOP rival Rep. Steve Daines dishonest. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d0f39eb654486a0fe0958b4a48967b355edf086a1950b74ef 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d0f39eb654486a0fe0958b4a48967b355edf086a1950b74ef 

-ID-02: GOP candidate Bryan Smith is out with a new TV ad hitting back against attacks from incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Simpson. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d83de5c6ec0a99a92c9bd97b999c1efaa18f7f7e25d95d056 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d83de5c6ec0a99a92c9bd97b999c1efaa18f7f7e25d95d056 

-NY-13: Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel went after his two main rivals during their second debate Wednesday night, with Capital New York saying it was a "new, more aggressive stance" from Rangel. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1de0eff4c536ecd4ccf3cf4e2f9c28e2e8b3d71b193bf250d6 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1de0eff4c536ecd4ccf3cf4e2f9c28e2e8b3d71b193bf250d6 

GOVERNORS- 

-MA-Gov first look: Republican Charlie Baker's campaign is out with a new video marking the 10th anniversary of gay marriage in Massachusetts, featuring him and his brother talking about when his brother came out to him. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1df13a4b5e102b280bbe67a661b96cfe4f359ed6f18adbcff1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1df13a4b5e102b280bbe67a661b96cfe4f359ed6f18adbcff1 

-PA-Gov: Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz released a positive TV ad backed by more than $500,000. The 30-second spot will run through until next week&#39;s primary. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d07777f6ab6bace409bcb307ebb7d6c8963286baf20fc3093 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1d07777f6ab6bace409bcb307ebb7d6c8963286baf20fc3093 

CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY:'That embodies that old saying that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. First they said she faked her concussion and now they say she&#39;s auditioning for a part on The Walking Dead." -Bill Clinton, responding to Karl Rove's suggestion that Hillary Clinton may have suffered from a traumatic brain injury. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1da28b1f8973e432d58d61a9a2699ee601ea5250ee172630e8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=feff9d045c799f1da28b1f8973e432d58d61a9a2699ee601ea5250ee172630e8 

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