NRSC Weekly Rundown: Dems Spending in NJ , Trump in Indiana, Nelson to Florida: ‘Memba Me? ♀️ and more!
And here’s this week’s edition of the NRSC Weekly Rundown:
NRSC’s New Ads: #MOSen, #WVSen, #NVSen
#National: With so many incumbents up in states President Trump carried, it should shock you to know the latest reservation from the DSCC is in deep blue New Jersey. This news comes on the heels of a rough Politico piece detailing the peril Bill Nelson faces in Florida. The same piece in which Jon Tester throws major shade at Nelson in a clear attempt to signal to Chuck Schumer that he needs the money more. Expensive races in Florida and New Jersey are already taking up precious resources, so if you are a red state Dem, you should start pleading your case to Schumer now.
#MOSen: This weekend, Claire McCaskill’s RV needed some help navigating its way out of a tight parking spot, and luckily the Air Claire ground crew was on hand to help guide her to safety. McCaskill, however, seemed less than grateful, speeding off without so much as a thank you! At a campaign stop yesterday, McCaskill attacked Republicans in the Missouri legislature for doing away with the state’s film production tax credit program. But why does McCaskill have such a strong opinion on such a niche state tax credit program? Turns out, one of the companies in McCaskill’s husband’s business empire, Sugar Creek Capital, actually deals in film production tax credits. Is there any taxpayer funded pie the McCaskills don’t have a finger in?
#NDSen: Heidi Heitkamp is out with a new television ad highlighting her hometown roots, but there’s a lot the ad conveniently leaves out. In Washington, where she has spent the last six years voting in lockstep with D.C. liberals, Heitkamp lives in a luxurious home valued at more than $1.1 million. And that’s not all she forgot to mention. Heitkamp previously worked as a lobbyist for the Washington, D.C. based Indoor Tanning Association, which might explain why she’s taken the 5th most money from lobbyists among Senators. Feeling the heat after her vote against the GOP tax cuts, Heitkamp announced a new economic plan this week. But North Dakotans know that when she had the opportunity to put more money in their pockets, she followed the lead of liberals in Washington and voted no.
#WVSen: Joe Manchin is getting some fierce pushback back home after voting last week to continue sending West Virginians’ hard-earned tax dollars to the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. On Talkline, Hoppy Kerchevalquestioned Manchin’s vote, noting that he claims to be pro-life, yet continues to support the abortion giant. Manchin just can’t escape his two-faced record on abortion. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal is taking on the Manchin family drug racket, introducing legislation to combat price gouging on EpiPens by drug giant Mylan, where Manchin’s daughter serves as CEO and his campaign’s senior advisor is a lobbyist.
#AZSen: Congresswoman Martha McSally, a former fighter pilot, handily won the Arizona Republican primary on Tuesday, and will face Kyrsten Sinema in the general election. NRSC Executive Director Chris Hansen said in a statement that “Arizonans couldn’t have a clearer choice before them between Kyrsten Sinema – a lifelong liberal who voted against tax cuts for Arizona families – and Martha McSally, a true American hero who will never stop fighting to create jobs, grow our economy and put our veterans first.”
#FLSen: Governor Rick Scott decisively won Tuesday night’s Republican primary and will face Bill Nelson this November. In a statement, NRSC Executive Director Chris Hansen said, “Governor Rick Scott has a proven record of creating good paying jobs and ensuring that Florida is at the forefront of economic success for generations to come.” After running for office since the 1970s, and almost 30 years in Congress, the ineffective, nearly invisible Bill Nelson STILL has to introduce himself to Floridians, with his failing campaign finally hitting the airwaves with a bio spot. And as Florida waterways endure an algae crisis, Nelson has been having a hard time pretending to care. This week, the Senate held a hearing on toxic algae blooms, but Nelson skipped out early instead of listening to expert testimony. And just today, the Tampa Bay Times released another ruthless report detailing Nelson’s disaster of a campaign. As the article says best, “He’s just kind of going through the motions and has made some errors — this thing about the Russians hacking into our systems,” said Jim Kane, a strategist who worked on Nelson’s 1990 race.
#INSen: President Trump held a rally in Evansville last night and reminded Hoosiers that Sleepin’ Joe Donnelly isn’t getting the job done and should be replaced by Republican Mike Braun. Sleepin’ Joe tried to preemptively counter the President’s message with a new TV ad bragging about how he “works hard” for Hoosiers. But the truth is that in more than a decade in Washington, Sleepin’ Joe has done, well, nothing. In fact, just last year a nonpartisan study found that Sleepin’ Joe was the least effective Democrat in the United States Senate.
#MNSen: After repeatedly pushing for higher taxes on hardworking Minnesotans,Tina Smith is in some hot water, as a new report details Smith’s husband’s tax-dodging interest in a Bermuda hedge fund. Looks like when it comes to her own personal finances, Tina Smith is happy to play by a different set of rules.
#WISen: Tammy Baldwin is refusing to answer how she’ll pay for her “single-payer” $32 trillion government takeover of the U.S. health care system. Baldwin signed onto the extreme “Medicare For All” proposal last year and admitted that forcing Americans into government-run health care has been “a long position” of hers. Baldwin snubbed the Wisconsin State Journal when they tried to get the specifics of her plan, and just one day later, when stopped at the airport and asked once again, Baldwin put her head down and ran off as fast as she could. If single-payer health care is so great, why won’t she answer any questions about it?
#NVSen: Jacky Rosen has continuously relied on Hollywood liberals to fund her campaign, making near weekly trips to fundraise in California. But now, Rosen is ratcheting up her cozy relationship with left-wing radicals, relying on Indivisible Berkeley to phone bank for her campaign. Indivisible Berkeley takes pride in their extremism, recently advertising events focused on decriminalizing DUIs and pushing to abolish ICE. In a new ad released today, Rosen desperately tries to beat back the truth that she lied about building a business. But no matter what she says, the fact remains that the business she claims she “built” had no name, no employees and no business license.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Axios: Red-state Dems face blowback from Planned Parenthood vote
Republicans have wasted no time in trying to make vulnerable Senate Democrats pay a price for voting last week against an amendment defunding Planned Parenthood. Why it matters: No Democrats voted for it, including those in red states defending their seats. These Democrats need to win over independent or Republican voters to keep their seats, and thus need to be more conservative than the rest of their party. Tying them to liberal groups and the left wing of their party is one way the GOP is trying to deny them these votes. The National Republican Senate Committee almost immediately released a TV ad slamming Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for her vote against the amendment, saying she “doesn’t vote like North Dakota.” READ
Nevada Independent: NRSC releases new ad reiterating attacks against Rosen for missing Agent Orange vote
In the 30-second ad, Vietnam veteran Tom Spencer says that the freshman congresswoman “skipped town” and missed a vote to help veterans suffering from the side effects of Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military in the Vietnam War to reduce tree cover and expose enemies. Instead of voting, Rosen went to Texas for a “political photo op.” READ
Fox News: Menendez, in fight for political life, forcing Dems to spend more on his campaign
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who survived a corruption trial last year, is forcing his party to spend big on him as he struggles to fend off a Republican challenger. Bob Hugin, a former U.S. Marine and pharmaceutical executive, has cut Menendez’s lead to a mere 6 points, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released last week. Back in March, when the race began, Hugin trailed by 17 points and it appeared as if Menendez was on his way to an easy victory. READ
MarketWatch: Americans haven’t been this confident in the economy since1990s Internet boom
Consumer confidence in the United States soared in August to an 18-year high and hit seldom-reached peaks, reflecting surging growth in the economy and the lowest unemployment rate in almost two decades. READ
Axios: Red-state Democrats feel the heat on Kavanaugh
The big picture: A polling memo from WPA Intelligence and Definers Public Affairs, “Political Peril Facing Red State Democrats On SCOTUS Obstruction,” shows how Republicans will try to make the issue an albatross. In 10 states polled, “support for Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination is highest in four states that President Trump won by double-digits in 2016 and where incumbent Democratic senators are particularly vulnerable” — North Dakota, Montana, West Virginia and Missouri. READ
Roll Call: Republican Poll Shows Tight Race for Montana Senate
Rosendale, the Montana auditor, was ahead, 47 percent to 45 percent, in the survey conducted by WPA Intelligence for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Five percent were undecided. Rosendale won the GOP nomination in June to take on Tester, who’s running for his third term. READ
CBS News: Senate race is surprisingly tight in New Jersey
For months, Republican Senate candidate Bob Hugin has assailed Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez in TV ads, calling the two-term incumbent corrupt because of now-dismissed federal corruption charges, whittling down the incumbent’s double-digit lead in the polls to single digits. READ
Daily Caller: Manchin: The False Moderate
If the people of West Virginia want to protect the gains made under President Trump — and ensure they see more of them — Mountaineers must vote Manchin into retirement and send Republican Patrick Morrisey to Washington. Only a senator who is true to the principles of his or her own state can actually help further the President’s agenda and keep America great. READ
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