DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE A CANDIDATE QUALITY PROBLEM, DSCC DETAILS ADVERTISING & SENATE DEMS DOMINATE Q1$

Add David McCormick to the list of GOP Senate candidates like Tim Sheehy and Bernie Moreno who are facing massive scandals after bombshell reports shredded key parts of their biographies, revealing they’ve been lying, exaggerating, and misleading voters about themselves on the campaign trail.

🐎🚜 MCCORMICK’S FARMLAND FANTASY → Today, the New York Times published a shocking exposé on David McCormick, revealing he lied about growing up in modest circumstances on a farm. Read more:

• “David McCormick has often spoken about his modest upbringing on a farm in Pennsylvania. A close look at his past tells a different story.” 

• “Interviews in Mr. McCormick’s hometown, as well as a review of public records, news coverage from his childhood and his own words, suggest that he has given a misleading impression about key aspects of his background.”

• “In fact, Mr. McCormick is the son of a well-regarded college president who later became chancellor of higher education systems in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. He largely grew up in the president’s sprawling hilltop residence, which students called the president’s mansion, at what is now Bloomsburg University.”

ANOTHER BAD WEEK FOR SHADY SHEEHY → After multiple reports revealed Sheehy has given “several inconsistent accounts” about his military record and injuries, Sheehy’s scandals are continuing to escalate: 

• The latest report from The Washington Post uncovered further evidence contradicting Sheehy’s claims: a detailed account of the incident showing Sheehy “apologized and asked for leniency” from the Park Ranger, and that a park visitor called to report the gunshot – all of which contradicts Sheehy’s most recent claim that he lied about shooting himself. The scandal is starting to dominate Montana news coverage of the race: 

• Helena Independent Record: More details emerge in Sheehy gunshot wound debacle.

• Montana Public Radio: Did Sheehy shoot himself in the foot?

• Nonstop Local: Mike Dennison breaks down the Sheehy campaign response to recent press coverage. 

AND THEN… THE DAILY BEAST BREAKS THAT SHEEHY ALSO LIED ABOUT GROWING UP IN “RURAL” MINNESOTA → The Daily Beast uncovered another lie in Sheehy’s story about himself: despite his claims that “he grew up in ‘rural’ Minnesota,” Sheehy’s hometown is “actually a quintessential slice of Twin Cities suburbia.” 

WHILE OHIO AUTO WORKERS FLAT-TIRE MORENO FOR LYING ABOUT REFUSING TO SELL CHINESE-MADE CARS. “Members of the UAW and AFL-CIO, along with labor advocates, gathered near Youngstown to say they cannot trust Moreno.”

• “Union workers are criticizing U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, a week after a Spectrum News report showed he sold cars that were made in China, despite telling voters multiple times that he would not.”

200 DAYS OUT, DSCC’S GARY PETERS HIGHLIGHTS THE GOP’S “FLAWED CANDIDATES” → Ahead of today’s milestone marking 200 days out from Election Day, DSCC Chair Sen. Gary Peters joined MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell to discuss Democrats’ “superior candidates,” “deeply flawed Republican candidates” like Kari Lake, and how Senate Democrats are strongly positioned to defend the majority. Watch the full interview here and read more about how Senate Democrats are well-positioned for victory.

💻📺📻 DSCC DETAILS “MASSIVE” “ADVERTISING ONSLAUGHT” → A wave of new reporting highlighted the DSCC’s plans to spend over $79 million on television, digital and radio advertising across 9 states this fall. Read more:

• POLITICO: Senate Democrats plot $79M advertising onslaught to hold on in November

• FOX News: Senate Dems reveal massive $79M ad spend to protect majority ahead of key matchups

• CNN: Senate Democrats and allies have plans for over $300 million in fall ad reservations

DEMS DOMINATE Q1$ → Senate Democratic candidates once again showed the strength of their profiles and campaigns, “racing further ahead of their GOP rivals in fundraising” in the first few months of 2024. Q1 reports showed that “just about every Democrat running in competitive Senate races this year significantly out-raised their GOP challenger.” Read more on Democratic Senate candidates’ strong quarter here.

LAKE KEEPS DROWNING IN BAD PRESS → Kari Lake keeps making headlines for all the worst reasons – including a *new* report today that “Lake calls on Arizona county sheriffs to enforce 1864 abortion ban.” That followed Lake’s statements this week telling Arizonans upset about the 1864 abortion ban they could just drive to another state: 

WATCH GALLEGO’S AD CALLING LAKE OUT: 

“DARK AGES” IN THE SUNSHINE STATE: FLORIDIANS BLAST SCOTT FOR DOUBLING DOWN ON 6-WEEK ABORTION BAN → After Republican Senator Rick Scott doubled down on his support for restricting Floridians’ reproductive freedom this week, saying again, “If I was the sitting governor and the six-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it,” local lawmakers and advocates blasted Scott for pushing Florida “back into the dark ages with a six-week abortion ban.” 

BARTLET’S BACKING → Approaching the milestone of 200 days from Election Day, the DSCC released a new video featuring renowned actor and activist Martin Sheen highlighting the importance of protecting Democrats’ Senate majority. Read more from Deadline.

ROLLING STONE ROLLS OVER HOGAN: He “spent his career wrongfully demonizing Baltimore.” 

IN THE STATES →

• PA: My ChesCo: EEOC Implements New Rule to Support Pregnant Workers, Following Senator Casey’s Advocacy

• OH: WHBC: Senator Brown Looking for Tax Relief for East Palestinians

• MT: Billings Gazette: Tester is a women’s rights champion (Letter to the Editor) 

• WI: WEAU: Senator Baldwin brings over $500,000 for Monroe County infrastructure

• FL: Florida Politics: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell continues to hammer Rick Scott on abortion restrictions

 TWEET OF THE WEEK →

David Bergstein 
@DavidABergstein

Amanda Sherman Baity
@asherman89 

Maeve Coyle 
@maevemcoyle 

Tommy Garcia 
@Tommy_D_Garcia

Annie Lentz
@AnnieElise6

Julia Ferrara 
@JuliaFerrara22