DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: BRIBES, BRAWLS, and BORDER SECURITY in Question, Courtesy of Senate Republicans.

REPUBLICANS FACE ROE RECKONING —>  Around the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, voters across Senate battlegrounds were reading and watching wall-to-wall coverage calling out GOP Senate candidates’ support for a nationwide abortion ban without exceptions and highlighting to voters that “our rights and freedoms are on the ballot this November.” 

• DSCC Chair Sen. Gary Peters joined CBS News’ Nikole Killion and DSCC Vice Chair Sen. Tina Smith joined MSNBC’s PoliticsNation with Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss the role abortion will play in 2024 and highlight the DSCC’s new website, GOPonAbortion.com, where voters can see and hear GOP Senate candidates’ own words and records opposing women’s right to make their own health care decisions.  

• In Pennsylvania and Montana, local press conferences “warn[ed] of potential Republican plans to ban abortion nationwide” and called out the candidates’ anti-abortion stances. 

• In Nevada, Sen. Jacky Rosen’s op-ed on her fight to protect reproductive freedom and the importance of stopping Senate Republicans from passing a nationwide ban ran in the Las Vegas Sun. 

• In Ohio, a Columbus OBGYN warned “every Republican running in the primary for Ohio’s Senate seat would support a national abortion ban — and that ban would supersede the protections now in Ohio’s constitution thanks to State Issue 1.”
  
  
• DAINES GETS DUNKED → NRSC Chair Steve Daines was confronted by CBS host Major Garrett for Republican Senate candidates’ support for dangerous abortion bans without exceptions. WATCH HERE: 

• CBS News’ Major Garrett: But you know, Mr. Chairman at the debate in Ohio all three Republican candidates endorsed a federal ban. Kari Lake has endorsed a law in Arizona that is not what you describe. In Wisconsin, there’s a conversation about a law there that is much more aggressive than the position you just described. Those are realities. Those are going to come up in the conversation. Those are positions they’ve taken. 

• Daines: Yeah.

“AN ABSOLUTE CLOWN SHOW” → Kari Lake’s secret recording where she was allegedly offered a bribe to stay out of the US Senate race “underscores just how much Republicans don’t want Kari Lake to run” and has put the “Arizona GOP in turmoil” and “disarray,” as the situation becomes “even more turbulent.” It’s no wonder even Arizona Republicans admit she is a terrible candidate.

ON TRACK FOR ANOTHER OH REPUBLICAN FIST FIGHT?? → Bernie Moreno, Frank LaRose and Matt Dolan “sparred,” “clashed bitterly” and exchanged “personal attacks,” at the GOP primary debate this week. The candidates sunk to throwing personal attacks and accusing each other of shifting political positions. 

• All the candidates reaffirmed their commitment to pass a national abortion ban.
  
  
• Dolan attacked Moreno for shredding key evidence needed for a legal matter in which Moreno was accused of wage theft.
  
  
• Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose also doubled down in support of a devastating government shutdown. 

MICHIGAN MADNESS → The crowded Michigan Senate Republican primary field has at least one thing in common – they’re all eager to strip reproductive rights away, as reported in The Gander. 

NV GOP SENATE CANDIDATES GO FULL MAGA AHEAD OF TRUMP’S VISIT → Trump’s latest campaign visit is giving every GOP candidate the chance to further prove their allegiance to the disgraced former president and his toxic agenda. NRSC recruit Sam Brown caved to pressure from his GOP primary opponents to offer a late-in-the-game endorsement of Trump earlier this month

REPUBLICANS’ MONTANA MELTDOWN: DAINES GETS DUNKED PT 2, CONGRATULATIONS, IT’S A WORKING WOMAN! & SHEEHY GOES SILENT AS “PLANE CRASHER” DONATIONS SEND CAMPAIGN INTO TAILSPIN  →

• While teasing a U.S. Senate run Matt Rosendale accused Steve Daines and National Republicans of trying to bribe him out of running, comparing his situation to Kari Lake’s. 

• A poll commissioned by Steve Daines-aligned super PAC More Jobs, Less Government – a PAC also backing Tim Sheehy – to attack potential Republican Senate candidate Matt Rosendale is under scrutiny for categorizing women’s gender as a “homemaker” or “working woman.”

• Breaking in POLITICO Playbook: Tim Sheehy’s in hot water again for his political donations. Sheehy donated the maximum amount to Tim Scott’s presidential campaign just three days after Trump was first indicted on criminal charges. When POLITICO reached out, a “Sheehy spokesperson … told [them] two weeks ago that she’d ask [Sheehy] — but stopped responding to several calls, texts and emails since then.” 

SENATE REPUBLICANS’ BORDER BROUHAHA  →  Senate Republicans – from Mitch McConnell to Ted Cruz and Rick Scott – revealed a plan to tank any bipartisan border deal for the sake of their own petty, ridiculous politics.

💰 MONEY MOVES → Sen. Jon Tester announced raising a fourth quarter off-year record of $5.5 million.

🗣️ McCORMICK NAMED A LOSER OF THE WEEK BY CITY & STATE PA → At an event in New Hampshire, David McCormick was caught on tape admitting he spends “half [his] time with donors.” Despite trying to convince voters that he doesn’t actually live in Connecticut, McCormick also admitted to jetsetting “everywhere across the country, mostly with really wealthy people” and confessed he only spends “half [his] time in Pennsylvania.” City & State PA criticized McCormick’s actions and nominated him for Loser of the Week. 

IN THE STATES

• NV – KTNV: Concerns grow among Nevadans on front line of fentanyl crisis, Sen. Rosen seeks billions in funding.
  
  
• OH – WTRF: Brown introduces legislation to strengthen southern border security. 

• PA – The Morning Call: In Allentown, Sen. Bob Casey touts two bills that aim to curb flow of fentanyl from US-Mexico border.
  
  
• WI – KFIZ: Senator Baldwin Delivers Over $3.5M to Lower Price at the Pump.
  

TWEET OF THE WEEK: 

David Bergstein 
@DavidABergstein

Amanda Sherman Baity
@asherman89 

Maeve Coyle 
@maevemcoyle 

Nora Kate Keefe
@norakatekeefe

Tommy Garcia 
@Tommy_D_Garcia

Katarina Flicker 
@KatarinaFlicker

Jissel Aceves 
@JisselMAceves

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