DSCC Friday Takeaways – Double-Digit Rate Hikes & Fewer Doctors Visits – ‘GOP Tax Message Hits a Snag’

WASHINGTON, March 30 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee issued the following news release:

DOUBLE-DIGIT RATE HIKES, FEWER AMERICANS SAW A DOCTOR. New reports this week reveal how the GOP agenda is hurting the middle class. Politico reports that the "biggest driver of premium increases for next year" are repeal of the individual mandate and continued GOP sabotage of the health care system, including allowing shoddy, short-term plans that eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions and impose an age tax. Meanwhile, Forbes has data indicating that more than 40% of Americans skipped going to the doctor when they were sick or injured because of the high cost of care.

"GOP TAX MESSAGE HITS A SNAG." A new survey from CNBC "suggest[s] that many people don't think they are getting bigger paychecks, which could cut into support for Republicans in this fall's midterms." We've been saying this all along. Voters know what the Republican tax scam is all about: benefitting corporate executives and wealthy, special interests at the expense of the middle class. From The Hill:

* More than three months after the passage of the GOP's tax-cut law, new surveys suggest that many people don't think they are getting bigger paychecks, which could cut into support for Republicans in this fall's midterms.

* The GOP has made the tax-cut law the centerpiece of its campaign message... Yet the CNBC poll suggested that many people aren't noticing much of a change from the law.

* The CNBC poll wasn't the first one to show few employed people reporting seeing paycheck boosts due to the tax law. A Politico/Morning Consult poll conducted in mid-February found that 37 percent of employed voters noticed more take-home pay, while 53 percent hadn't.

* "The tax bill just doesn't provide much benefit to most people," said Vanessa Williamson, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. The CNBC survey seemed to confirm that result. It showed that people with higher incomes were more likely to notice an increase in take-home pay than low-income individuals.

GOP'S "CONTENTIOUS" PRIMARY SEASON. The GOP has a problem. While "swing-state incumbents are socking away cash for the general election... Republicans in states like West Virginia and Indiana continue to beat up one another and squander money in increasingly brutal primary contests." NBC has latest roundup on the slew of nasty primaries plaguing the GOP.

WEST VIRGINIA - "Republicans are increasingly worried" that former coal CEO and ex-felon Don Blankenship "could come out on top in the primary," easing Senator Manchin's path to reelection in the fall.

INDIANA - "A brutal and deeply personal brawl" is underway as Congressmen Messer and Rokita vie for the nomination. Enter Mike Braun, who is spending heavily to win, and has no qualms about using childish tactics to get there, including his latest TV ad which mocks the similarities between Messer and Rokita.

WISCONSIN - State Senator Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson are "battling" for outside money and backers. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the latest on Nicholson's "family issues:" after it came to light that his parents donated the maximum amount to Senator Baldwin, his sister-in-law has taken to Twitter to bash Vukmir as a "crooked politician" and "cry baby."

ARIZONA - Conservative Kelli Ward "has been bashing" Congresswoman McSally "from the right." No matter who wins this contentious primary, they "will face a strong candidate in" Rep. Sinema.

Flashback - Washington Post, July 2017: "Republicans have struggled to recruit top candidates...A lack of a clear leader is leading to a bunch of lower-tier candidates jumping into the race, which means Republicans could spend the next year in potentially expensive (and, in some cases, divisive) primaries."

CONGRESSMAN JIM RENACCI (R-LOBBYIST). A bombshell report from the Associated Press details how Congressman Renacci failed to disclose nearly $50,000 in political contributions he made as a registered lobbyist, and how he actually remained a registered lobbyist while serving in Congress. Renacci is facing "some tough questions" as Ohioans across the state read about his failure to disclose his lobbying ties. Here's how it's playing:

NBC News: A potentially damaging headline for the GOP in OH-SEN

WTVG, Toledo: Renacci "Under Fire" for Lobbying Ties

WLWT, Cincinnati: Renacci "Failed to Disclose" Lobbying

WSYX, Columbus: "Some Tough Questions" for Renacci

WCPO, Cincinnati: "Ohio Congressman Didn't Report Donations"

WYFX, Youngstown: "Renacci Did Not Disclose $50,000 In Political Contributions While Registered as a Washington Lobbyist"

Fox News' Halftime Report: Renacci didn't report contributions while lobbyist

MCSALLY SOLD OUT ARIZONANS' INTERNET PRIVACY FOR $42K. As first reported by Time, the DSCC launched Google search ads highlighting Congresswoman McSally's vote to sell out Arizonans' internet privacy. A year ago, McSally voted to allow internet companies to sell personal data, including Social Security numbers, browser history, financial, and health information without their consent. After the vote McSally took $42,000 in contributions from the same companies that stand to profit from the sale of such data. The ads will reach Arizona voters searching for related terms as part of an ongoing six-figure buy.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: "SCOTT BLAMES OTHERS, AVOIDS RESPONSIBILITY AFTER CRISES." That's the headline from a scathing Tampa Bay Times editorial about Self-Serving Scott and his record of putting himself first at Floridians' expense. Take a look at the rest of the piece:

* As voters evaluate the governor's record in the coming months, they should be mindful of his repeated efforts to deflect criticism and hold him accountable for his administration's shortcomings.

* The latest example of Scott's aversion to accepting responsibility and his tendency to point fingers elsewhere is this month's collapse of the pedestrian bridge under construction at Florida International University in Miami-Dade County, which killed six people on the road below it.

* After last month's massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Scott quickly demanded that FBI Director Christopher Wray resign [...] As it turns out, Scott's Department of Children and Families was involved with Cruz's family in 2016.

* After 14 patients from a Hollywood Hills nursing home died in the intense heat following September's Hurricane Irma, Scott voided the home's state license and cut off its Medicaid funding. As it turns out, nursing home officials called the governor's cellphone and state agencies seeking help after the power went out and their air conditioning was cut off during the hurricane. And the Miami Herald reported the considerable shortcomings of the required emergency management plans that the state routinely rubber stamps. Of course, Scott deleted the voice mails left on his cellphone.

* The common thread running through these deadly tragedies is Scott's practice of blaming others when things go terribly wrong while avoiding responsibility for his administration's failures. As voters evaluate the governor's record, they should examine the entire picture rather than his polished version."

SELF-SERVING SCOTT "PLOTTED POLITICAL WIN" ON OFFSHORE DRILLING. Records obtained by Politico show that Self-Serving Scott's 'political win' in getting Secretary Zinke to take Florida off the list of potential offshore drilling sites "contradict[s] the supposed spontaneous event that portrayed Scott as single-handedly securing a politically popular win for Florida's environmental future" and was, in fact, meant to serve as a PR stunt to boost Scott's political ambitions in the months leading up to his Senate campaign. The whole event was "carefully choreographed to give Scott a political win." It's just the latest example of Self-Serving Scott misleading Floridians to serve his own political agenda.

RICK'S RECESSION TOUR. Self-Serving Scott is on an economic tour, but he may want to think again about shining a spotlight on his record: thanks to Scott's self-serving politics, half of Florida's counties have lost jobs. That's why local elected officials across the state have started "Rick's Recession Tour" to draw attention to the counties still struggling under Scott.

IMPOSSIBLE FOR HAWLEY TO SEPARATE FROM GREITENS. Hawley's sham investigation into the governor's use of an encrypted texting app is still making news, and it's prompted the Kansas City Star's Bryan Lowry to observe, "when you talk about Josh Hawley... it always brings you back to Greitens." Remember, Hawley promised to clean up corruption in Jefferson City but, since taking office, he's done the opposite. He's faced several ethics complaints over his campaign spending and his credibility continues to sink the more Missourians learn about his sham investigation into the governor - who donated nearly $50,000 to his campaign for Attorney General.

HELLER STILL MOST LIKELY TO LOSE. Heller's backroom deals may have spared him a primary, but he's still the most vulnerable incumbent in the country. From Politico's top 10 Senate races: "Heller had hugged Trump, even though the president narrowly lost Nevada, while Tarkanian ran against Heller from the right. It remains to be seen whether Heller will shift to the center without a primary challenger, or if he'll stick close to the president... But the political and demographic winds in a swing state remain against him. His opponent, Rep. Jacky Rosen, outraised him in the final quarter of 2017."

MORE RESIDENCY QUESTIONS FOR MESSER & FAMILY. The City of Fishers has renewed its $240,000 per-year legal services contract with Jennifer Messer, the wife of Congressman Messer. Last year's disclosure of the widely expensive contract "caused controversy" for the Messers "when it was revealed she no longer lived in Indiana and was performing her job from the D.C. area, where she resides with her husband."

AD WATCH. Democrats released new ads and campaign video this week:

AZ: Kyrsten Sinema released a new digital ad and the National Journal reports it's "the first time a Senate candidate this cycle has narrated a spot in a different language."

MT: Jon Tester is "Wired to Fight" for Montanans.

TN: More than 650 Tennesseans from all 95 counties met in Nashville to launch Phil Bredesen's campaign. Watch what happened on Day One.

WI: Tammy Baldwin's latest TV spot highlights the story of Brokaw, WI and why she's fighting to make sure Wall Street hedge funds can't destroy any other small town.

IN THE STATES.

AZ - Arizona Republic: In a 2,200-page bill, 84 words might spare Arizona schools a $344 million hit

FL - Newsmax: Rubio Praises Bill Nelson for Working for Fla.

IN - National Journal: The Democratic senator from Indiana is talking up his local brand

(MORE) IN - WIMS: Donnelly's Bipartisan Addiction Treatment Workforce Bill, Resources to Combat Opioid Abuse Signed Into Law as Part of Government Funding Legislation

(EVEN MORE) IN - IndyStar: Sen. Joe Donnelly honors Hoosier veterans in celebration of Vietnam War Veterans Day

MI - MLIVE: Stabenow announces three bills to lower prescription drug costs

MN - WCCO: Sen. Tina Smith Pushing Bill To Lower Prescription Drug Prices

MO - Kansas City Star: McCaskill and Wagner battle sex trafficking on Backpage -- and score a bipartisan win

(MORE) MO - St. Louis Public Radio: McCaskill calls for more federal attention on rising drug prices

MT - Missoulian: Tester secures $50,000 grant to improve mental health services at Two Eagle River School

OH - WKBN: Sen. Brown fighting for Ohio to be one of first to receive federal opioid money

PA - AP: Bill backed by Senator Casey to help caregiver grandparents passes

TX - The Amarillo Pioneer: AFGE Endorses O'Rourke for U.S. Senate

VA - Washington Blade: Pride Fund endorses Kaine for re-election

WI - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Worker deaths, serious injuries could result in a felony under bill from Sen. Tammy Baldwin

(MORE) WI - WEAU: Senator Baldwin highlights efforts to boost WI start-ups

WV - Herald Media: Manchin helps kick off substance abuse prevention awareness initiative

TWEET OF THE WEEK. http://www.dscc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-03-30-at-9.26.10-AM.png

Lauren Passalacqua

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