NRSC Weekly Rundown: WV ❤ Trump, Tester Reclaims Lobbyist Throne, Nelson’s “single worst campaign” and more!
And here’s this week’s edition of the NRSC Weekly Rundown:
#OnTheAirwaves: The NRSC debuted ads across the country this week, including itsthird ad in West Virginia informing voters how Joe Manchin has made over $5 million from a company under the jurisdiction of a subcommittee he sits on – a clear conflict of interest. The NRSC also released a new radio ad in Montana this week putting Jon Tester in the spotlight for siding with the unhinged left, which has called for violence against President Trump and are working to impeach him. Also in Montana, the NRSC released a new TV ad slamming Tester for his liberal record on national security. The NRSC released their latest ad in North Dakota, attacking Heidi Heitkamp for her pro-abortion record, including celebrating her vote against a bill that restricted abortions after 5 months of pregnancy. And in Nevada, the NRSC released a new television adblasting Jacky Rosen for attending a fundraiser hosted by “Hanoi Jane” Fonda and being more concerned with photo ops than getting things done for Nevada’s veterans.
#WVSen: President Trump was in Charleston this week, where he reminded West Virginians why it’s so important for them to send Attorney General Patrick Morriseyto Washington in place of Joe Manchin. The President told voters that “a vote for Patrick Morrisey is truly a vote to make America great again.” West Virginians then woke up to headlines touting the President’s support of Morrisey. Making matters worse, Manchin’s shady hotel scandal is back in the news. Metro Newsreports that the West Virginia state Tax Department has withdrawn from the federal lawsuits against Manchin’s hotel companies to pursue the $1.2 million owed in unpaid taxes by other means, including a local lawsuit. Manchin continued his Jekyll and Hyde act yesterday when it comes to taxpayer funding for abortion providers, once again voting to send tax dollars to abortion industry leader Planned Parenthood. Manchin has come under intense fire from pro-life advocates for his record of supporting taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, despite his insistence to West Virginians that he opposes abortion.
#MTSen: Jon Tester is back on top of new rankings from the Center for Responsive Politics, showing that he has received more campaign cash from lobbyists ahead of the 2018 elections than any other U.S. Senator. Tester earned the distinction after taking nearly $400,000 from lobbyists this election cycle alone.
#MOSen: In an interview with Politically Speaking, Claire McCaskill complained about TV ads informing Missouri voters that their Senator has made millions off of taxpayer subsidized housing, calling them “incredibly false.” Yet, she offered no evidence to dispute the claims, which are supported by press investigations of her husband’s businesses. McCaskill met with Judge Brett Kavanaugh this week but continues to wait for Democratic Party boss Chuck Schumer’s permission before she announces whether she will vote to confirm him. McCaskill appears to be putting Judge Kavanaugh through the same dog and pony show she held with Justice Neil Gorsuch, parading him through her office and then putting out an anodyne statement that tells Missourians nothing.
#FLSen: Bill Nelson is trying desperately to refute claims that he exposed classified information when he alleged that Russia already penetrated some voter registration systems in Florida. While appearing on a local Florida news program, Tampa Bay Times’ Political Editor Adam Smith said he believes Nelson revealed classified information when making the alarming claim. Later, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI refuted Nelson’s claim, saying they have “not seen new or ongoing compromises of state or local election infrastructure in Florida.” While Nelson still hasn’t explained his puzzling behavior, bad headlines have been piling up for him in Florida and nationally. This week alone, New York Magazine brutally detailed Nelson’s nosedive and a Democratic strategist summed up the Senator’s terrible position by tweeting, “Nelson is running the single worst campaign of a Senate Dem incumbent anywhere in the country…” And to top it off, Nelson was slammed with an ethics complaint for his Russia allegation by a nonpartisan watchdog group.
#NDSen: In fundraising news, Heidi Heitkamp finally claimed her reward for being one of Chuck Schumer’s most loyal lieutenants by attending a fundraiser hosted by the New York liberal. National Review released a rough profile of Heidi Heitkamp, highlighting her out-of-touch record in Washington. The intro to the piece says it all, “If North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp hopes to keep her seat this November, her best shot lies in convincing North Dakota voters that she’s spent the last six years in Washington doing close to the opposite of what she’s actually been doing.” Heitkamp’s week only got worse from there, as she called Republican attacks over her support for dangerous sanctuary cities a “scare tactic,” despite illegal immigration being one of the most important issues for North Dakota voters. And yesterday, Heitkamp voted against an amendment that would block funding for Planned Parenthood, reconfirming her fiercely pro-abortion record. Heitkamp made news earlier this year when she celebrated her vote against restricting abortions after 5 months of pregnancy by high-fiving Chuck Schumer.
#AZSen: Reporters and voters alike have become frustrated with Kyrsten Sinema’sdisappearance from the campaign trail. Sinema has even refused to answer basic questions from the press. But this weekend, Sinema was stopped during her ritzy fundraiser at the luxe 5-star Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco and asked why she has refused to hold public events in Arizona, despite finding time to fundraise in California. True to form, Sinema refused to answer any questions about her radical record in Arizona.
#INSen: Sleepin’ Joe Donnelly showed his true colors this week as he voted to continue sending taxpayer dollars to the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. Sleepin’ Joe insists that he is pro-life when he’s trying to hoodwink Hoosiers, but has once again caved to his Democratic Party bosses and liberal special interests with his vote to fund the abortion industry.
#NVSen: Nevadans are continuing to learn that Jacky Rosen is absolutely full of it. According to a new report, Rosen introduced legislation demanding politicians not use taxpayer money to aid their reelection campaigns. Only she did exactly that, skipping a vote to go to the border for a photo op, which she promptly used in a campaign ad. And all of this happened on the taxpayers’ dime.
#TNSen: Phil Bredesen held a concert to benefit his campaign this week and the headliners were none other than Ben Folds, who proudly supported socialist Bernie Sanders for President, and Jason Isbell, who made headlines when he slammed Christian Trump voters saying, “God is gone from those people.” That won’t sit well with the Tennessee voters who elected President Trump by 26 points in 2016.
#WYSen: On Tuesday night, Senator John Barrasso overwhelmingly secured the Republican nomination to return to Washington and represent Wyoming in the Senate. In a statement, NRSC Executive Director Chris Hansen said, “With a record of delivering for Wyoming on everything from the economy to the environment to protecting public lands, we’re looking forward to Senator Barrasso serving in the Republican Senate Majority for years to come.”
#NJSen: A new poll from Quinnipiac shows an increasingly tight contest in the New Jersey Senate race, with disgraced Senator Bob Menendez holding just a 43-37 lead over Republican challenger Bob Hugin. Menendez’s image and job approval are both deep under water, at 29% favorable – 47% unfavorable and 40% approve – 47% disapprove. It’s clear the more New Jerseyans hear about disgraced Senator Bob Menendez’s corruption, the less they believe he should remain in the United States Senate.
#OHSen: Sherrod Brown is trying to have it both ways on the Supreme Court. After coming under fire from his opponent, Republican Jim Renacci, as well as Vice President Mike Pence for playing politics with Judge Brett Kavanaugh’snomination, Brown finally relented and met with the judge. Brown took advantage of the photo op but announced today he’s voting no on the indisputably qualified jurist. It’s clear Brown had no intention of ever giving Judge Kavanaugh a fair shake and was always going to take his cues from his liberal donors in Washington.
#WISen: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ripped Tammy Baldwin for herhypocritical attacks on Leah Vukmir. Baldwin’s first television ad attacked Vukmir for taking contributions from ALEC-allied businesses that Tammy Baldwin also took money from. The Journal-Sentinel reports, “Baldwin has received $20,050 in campaign donations from companies who have or had ties to ALEC, plus a little over $4,000 from individuals who worked with ALEC-allied firms.” Polling numbers are already showing the race in a dead heat, so it’s no wonder Tammy Baldwin’s turned to such desperate dishonesty.
#MISen: Debbie Stabenow won’t commit to debates despite it being 12 years since she stood on a debate stage before Michigan voters to explain why she sides with Washington liberals over them. And on top of that, she has taken almost $4M in taxpayer dollars during her time as a career politician but has delivered nothing. It’s time for Stabenow to debate combat veteran John James.
NEWS AND NOTES:
CNBC: S&P 500 touches all-time high, ties record for longest bull market
The S&P 500 hit an all-time high on Tuesday and tied the record for the longest bull market ever as investors bet that the strengthening economy and booming corporate profits seen under President Donald Trump’s first two years would continue, despite recent trade battles. READ
The Hill: American consumers feel better than ever thanks to the tax cuts
In addition to the top line boost small businesses are getting from consumer spending thanks to the individual tax cuts, small businesses received tax cuts of their own to bolster their bottom lines. These include a new 20 percent small business tax deduction and immediate expensing on their capital spending. The tax cuts mean that more money stays in communities and on Main Street, with less dollars shipped off to Washington. The latest indicators are just more proof of their resulting economic success. The American consumers who are benefiting should vote accordingly on Election Day. READ
National Review: Heidi Heitkamp Is Her Own Worst Enemy
If North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp hopes to keep her seat this November, her best shot lies in convincing North Dakota voters that she’s spent the last six years in Washington doing close to the opposite of what she’s actually been doing. READ
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Jacky Rosen has a problem with veterans
As a Vietnam veteran, I refuse to vote for anyone who associates with a person who travels to the enemy’s country during a war and declares that all American prisoners of war are hypocrites and liars and should be executed. That candidate is neither a friend of the veteran nor anyone for whom any veteran should vote. I know that I don’t want her representing my interests in this state. READ
WFB: Jacky Rosen Violates Own Call to Stop Using Taxpayer Funds for Reelection
Just a few months after Democratic congresswoman Jacky Rosen (Nev.) introduced legislation taking aim at her colleagues for using taxpayer money to aid reelection campaigns, Rosen used video from what she now admits was a taxpayer funded trip to the border in a campaign ad courting Hispanic voters. READ
Washington Examiner: New ad slams Jon Tester for Pearl Jam fundraiser, promoted with ‘dead Trump’ posters
The National Republican Senate Committee, of course, whacked Tester for his involvement with this new ad. “Sen. Tester showed his true colors by refusing to personally condemn even the most unhinged, far-left fringes of his party who’ve gone so low as to call for outright violence against the President of the United States,” said NRSC Spokesman Calvin Moore. “If Sen. Tester won’t do the right thing, Montana voters should do it for him and vote him out of office.” READ
The Hill: Senate GOP targets musicians Ben Folds, Jason Isbell as ‘unhinged left’ ahead of rally for Dem candidate
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) pointed to Folds’s support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the 2016 presidential race and an anti-Trump comment by Isbell as evidence of “how far to the left Phil Bredesen is.” “Despite Bredesen’s moderate act, he continues to embrace people who have made it a habit of insulting the Tennessee voters who proudly supported President Trump,” NRSC spokesman Michael McAdams said in the statement. “Today’s fundraiser is the latest example that Phil Bredesen is completely out-of-touch with a majority of Tennesseans.” READ
CNBC: Senate race in blue New Jersey tightens as ethics issues dog Democrat Bob Menendez, poll says
Democrats might have more work to do than usual in New Jersey. Sen. Bob Menendez’s lead in his re-election bid over Republican challenger Bob Hugin has dwindled with his favorability rating underwater, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Forty-three percent of voters back the incumbent Democrat, while 37 percent support the GOP former pharmaceutical executive, the survey said. READ
Washington Examiner: Joe Manchin may be the unfortunate poster child of Elizabeth Warren’s anti-corruption effort
Manchin came to Washington, and Manchin made some money. As the NRSC points out, the senator has quietly made over $5 million in profits since first swearing to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. Most of that haul, they argue, came as Manchin was “overseeing the Manchin family business.” READ