DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: SOCIAL SECURITY ANNIVERSARY, A CLOUT CHASING COWBOY & THE CROWD GOES BOOOOOO!

“WE KNOW WHO TO BLAME” ON BORDER → Republican Senate candidates are on record “buck[ing]” the bipartisan proposal to secure the border before the text of the bill has even been released.

• The Washington Post: “[If] opposition to a deal leads Republicans to walk away…I think we know who to blame,’ said Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who represents a crucial swing state. ‘The person that orchestrates it and then the individuals that follow him.’”

• HuffPost: Now many on the right are urging their party to reject the very same things they said were needed to fix the problem… 

• HuffPost: Republican Senate candidates in Ohio, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas have all come out against Lankford’s would-be agreement.
  

🤠📸 CLOUT CHASING COWBOY → A bombshell Vanity Fair report exposed Tim Sheehy for exaggerating his “cowboy” credentials. The report details that Sheehy has been cosplaying as a “cowboy,” with a ranch that has been marketed as a “lifestyle brand experience” complete with “its own social media influencer on staff, a micro-celebrity who goes by the username ‘HashtagRanchLife’ promises followers ‘major Yellowstone vibes.’” 

• “We call it a wannabe cowboy,” Matt Rains, a fifth-generation Montanan rancher…“He bought his way in—and we’ve lost a lot of great ranchers to rich out-of-staters buying up land to add to their little collections, just like Sheehy has.”
  

WITH MISLEADING PROCEEDS → A new report from HuffPost reveals that “Sheehy says all proceeds from his book help firefighters and their families […] but some go to his own industry lobbying group”

💸 SHOW ME THE (Q4) MONEY → Democratic Senate candidates are “racking up funds,” “outraising their Republican challengers” and have “dominated the money race once again.” 

• BIG BUCKS → Both Sens. Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester posted massive fundraising hauls in Q4 with Brown reporting $6.6 million raised and $14.6 million on hand and Tester reporting $5.5 million and $11.2 million on hand.

• DEM CHALLENGERS SWAMP REPUBLICAN INCUMBENTS → In Florida, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell raised $2 million plus, “more than Rick Scott collected from outside sources”. In Texas, Colin Allred outraised Ted Cruz by $1.4 million and finished the year with over $10 million in cash on hand compared to Cruz’s $6.2 million. 

• Q4 REPUBLICAN LOSERS → In Arizona, Kari Lake ended the fundraising quarter with six figures of debt and “relatively little money in the bank.” In Michigan, NRSC-backed Mike Rogers spent nearly as much as what little he brought in and ended the quarter with only six figures in the bank. In Nevada, Sam Brown’s campaign is already nearly $600,000 in debt.

OUT OF STATE & OUT OF TOUCH → A super PAC supporting Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick’s bid for the Senate is predominantly backed by “some of the wealthiest people in the country,” according to new reporting. “Wall Street Billionaires [are] shower[ing] McCormick with cash.” 

KARI TAKES QANON CASH → ”When QAnon fundraises for Kari Lake … she shows up.” Conspiracy theorist Kari Lake is set to headline a fundraising event with QAnon supporters.

🔇& THE CROWD GOES MILD → At an Arizona GOP meeting, AZ Republicans didn’t hold back their disdain for Kari Lake as they “hurled boos and jeers her way” following a scandal between her and the former head of the state’s party, who allegedly sought to bribe Lake to stay out of the race, because “no one believes [Lake] can get across the finish line, particularly with independents.” WATCH IT: 

LIAR, LIAR, CAMPAIGN ON FIRE → The Copper Courier: “Kari Lake reported $75,000 in speaking fees last year, directly contradicting claims by her campaign that she isn’t paid for public speaking.”

🏠 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART SENATE SEAT IS? → Michigan Advance reported that Mike Rogers’ “official residence until his decision to run for U.S. Senate” was his “4,751-square-foot home in Cape Coral valued at $1.7 million.” Rogers received a $50,000 homestead tax exemption on the Florida mansion in 2022, indicating it’s his primary residence, and a “renovation permit that same year worth $327,000 more than the cost of the entire Michigan house.” Rogers was living in Florida and registered to vote there before he decided to run for office in Michigan. 

TRUMP STOKING THE MICHIGAN MELEE → Republican candidates in Michigan have been bashing each other for their former anti-Trump stances. Although they’re embracing Trump now, the  major candidates have been bashing each other for their “anti-Trump baggage”. 

😳 SAME STORY IN NEVADA → While at a campaign rally in Nevada, Trump name-checked three Republican Senate candidates — Jeff Gunter, Sam Brown and Jim Marchant — but notably, handed out no endorsements. 

📸📸 CUT THE CAMERAS → Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate David McCormick was confronted on WTAE Pittsburgh about how much time he spends in Pennsylvania and abruptly ended the interview. When asked again if he spends most of his home time in Pennsylvania, a campaign aide interjected, “He answered the question.” McCormick added, “Thank you,” and concluded the interview. WATCH HERE:

GOP SENATE CANDIDATES SLAM SOCIAL SECURITY → As this week marks the 84th anniversary of the first Social Security check being issued, Republican Senate candidates continue to call to gut Social Security and Medicare. Read more: American Journal News: Top Republican U.S. Senate candidates call for gutting Social Security.

ADS TO ADD TO THE WATCHLIST →

“Protect Our Community” from Montanans for Tester. Watch Here. 

“Steel” from Friends of Sherrod Brown. Watch Here.

IN THE STATES

• MT – ABCFoxMontana: Tester touts expanded toxic-exposed veteran benefits in Bozeman
  
  
• OH – Cleveland.com: Foreign entities own 500,000 acres of farmland in Ohio. Sherrod Brown seeks crackdown on outside ownership 

• PA – MyChesCo: Casey Secures $78M for PA Safe Drinking Water and Improved Water Infrastructure
  
  
• WI – WAOW: Sen. Baldwin calls on inhaler companies to stop price gouging 

TWEET OF THE WEEK: 

David Bergstein 
@DavidABergstein

Amanda Sherman Baity
@asherman89 

Maeve Coyle 
@maevemcoyle 

Tommy Garcia 
@Tommy_D_Garcia

Katarina Flicker 
@KatarinaFlicker

Jissel Aceves 
@JisselMAceves

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