Debate night special

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With Kevin Robillard, Scott Bland and Elena Schneider

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (https://subscriber.politicopro.com/proinfo)

ANOTHER DEBATE — “Clinton and Sanders brawl in Brooklyn,” by POLITICO’s Gabriel Debenedetti in New York: “Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders engaged in their most vicious debate yet, delivering a two-hour shouting match on the Democratic debate stage Thursday night as they brawled over Wall Street, guns, racism, the minimum wage and each other’s fitness for the White House. The debate came just days before the New York primary that is expected to be a pivotal point in the Democratic race. Clinton is eager to shut the door on Sanders’ presidential bid that has inspired a populist political movement, while Sanders is trying to prove he still has a path to the nomination.” http://politi.co/1SONtaX

PRIMARY ATTACKS — “Van Hollen’s House leadership role becomes Senate liability,” by Campaign Pro’s Kevin Robillard: Chris Van Hollen spent years as one of the top House Democrats, entrusted by the caucus to take charge of growing its membership, craft deals on fiscal matters and campaign finance, and battle with top Republicans. In an unusual twist, that resume has become a major liability for Van Hollen as he seeks a seat in the Senate. Rep. Donna Edwards, Van Hollen’s primary opponent, is now using Van Hollen’s time in leadership — especially the times when he tried to cut deals — to push primary voters away from one of Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi’s longtime, hand-picked lieutenants. It makes Maryland’s Senate race a big stage for a burgeoning Democratic argument over the proper balance of compromise and principle — a fight congressional Republicans will recognize.” Read more: http://politico.pro/1VphQus.

TV TIMEOUT — How the campaigns “recycle” their ads: The presidential candidates and their super PACs have released a steady stream of TV ads since the campaign kicked into high gear last year. But even as they publicize new spots, many keep returning to old standbys as the campaign moves from state to state, a new analysis shows.

— Deep Root Analytics, a Republican data-analytics firm focused on TV advertising, studied over 430,000 airings of presidential TV ads to find out how candidates are “recycling” spots throughout the campaign. Hillary Clinton’s team has used 105 different ads thus far, more than any other candidate. But the most-used ads by Clinton and other campaigners have aired far, far more than the rest. Bernie Sanders’ campaign, for example, has aired its “ Works for Us All” ad in 88 different media markets since it came out in November, the analysis found. Sanders has released dozens of other spots since then, but “Works” remains a tried and true favorite. It’s the single most-aired ad of the presidential election.

— Deep Root’s analysis showed Ted Cruz’s long-lasting GOP campaign has leaned on this “recycling” trend. One of Cruz’s most memorable ads, “ Cruz Commander” featuring Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson, ran in Iowa at the beginning of the campaign and disappeared for several weeks before reappearing in the Deep South ahead of the March 1 primaries. While “Commander” reappeared in Louisiana, Misssissippi, and Tennessee, another of Cruz’s Iowa ads, “ First Principles,” later reappeared in Kansas, according to Deep Root. Another Cruz ad, “ Rebuild Our Military,” ran at even higher frequencies when it reappeared in Wisconsin and the South than it did originally in Iowa. See Deep Root’s “recycling” charts here: http://bit.ly/1p3Ytcr

Days until the New York primary: 4. Days until the 2016 election: 207.

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SUPER PAC DONORS REVEALED — EMILY’s List donated to super PAC that slammed Van Hollen: “The super PAC that attacked Rep. Chris Van Hollen on guns this week was jointly funded by EMILY’s List and one of EMILY’s List’s big donors. Working for Us PAC received a $500,000 donation in mid-March from EMILY’s List’s super PAC, Women Vote, and another $600,000 from EMILY’s List donor Donald Sussman 12 days ago, according to the group’s latest FEC report. Sussman’s donation arrived the same day the PAC began an April media campaign.” The PAC started its spending in the race on a field program, after Women Vote’s donation. More here: http://politico.pro/1NqSBAe.

— SEIU, Saban, Angelos fund super PAC hitting Edwards: “Two Service Employees International Union locals funded more than half of the $606,000 raised by a super PAC [Committee for Maryland’s Progress] that has run ads attacking Rep. Donna Edwards ... A number of major Democratic donors contributed as well: Media mogul Haim Saban, a staunch supporter of Israel, donated $100,000. Baltimore Orioles owner and trial lawyer Peter Angelos contributed $50,000.” See more of the donors here: http://politico.pro/1qtkcM1.

— Pro-Sestak super PAC discloses donors for first time: Donors to the super PAC backing former Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak for Senate have been revealed for the first time in the group’s FEC report. The super PAC, Accountable Leadership, raised nearly $830,000 to support Sestak between Feb. 2 and April 6 and started an expensive TV ad campaign promoting Sestak in early March. Its largest donor was the Connell Company, an industrial equipment firm run by Grover Connell, which gave $100,000. Another two donors gave $50,000 apiece: philanthropist Patricia Bauman and Erie, Pa. retiree Thomas Hagen. More notable donors, including one whose movies you know: http://politico.pro/1SdGBX2.

— Pro-Portman super PAC raises $776,000 with nonprofit help: The Fighting for Ohio Fund, a super PAC set up to back GOP Sen. Rob Portman’s reelection bid, raised $776,000 in the first quarter of 2016. FEC filings indicate the group now has $2.9 million on hand. A significant chunk of the money — $300,000 — came from a nonprofit, FreedomVote, Inc., which doesn’t have to reveal its donors. IRS records indicate the group aims to “further the common good and general welfare of the people of Ohio” through “education” on economic policy issues. More super PAC funding here: http://politico.pro/1QbXahy.

AHEAD OF THE APRIL 26 PRIMARIES — Brown outraises, outspends rivals in home stretch of MD-04 primary: Former Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown raised and spent more than his two Democratic primary rivals in Maryland’s 4th District over the last three months. Brown raised $560,000 and spent $605,000, with $224,000 left in the bank on April 6, the final day of the last reporting period before the April 26 primary. (The FEC reports were due on Thursday.) State Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk raised $291,000 and spent $408,000, with $262,000 left. Glenn Ivey, a former state attorney for Prince George’s County, raised $289,000 and spent $484,000, with $332,000 left.

— Matthews loans her campaign $500,000 in an effort to keep up with Trone in MD-08: Kathleen Matthews loaned her campaign $250,000 in March and kicked in another $250,000 last week, according to her campaign’s pre-primary FEC report. She raised more than $1 million, including her own contribution, and spent more than $1.7 million between Jan. 1 and April 6. But David Trone, a wealthy wine magnate, spent more than five times as much, shelling out more than $9 million in the period after writing his campaign checks for nearly $10 million. Matthews had $424,000 left in the bank, while Trone had $947,000. State Sen. Jamie Raskin raised $562,000 in the period and spent $807,000, with $562,000 left on April 6.

— Evans raises $517,000 for PA-02 primary challenge: State Rep. Dwight Evans raised $517,000 ahead of the primary for his campaign against Democratic Rep. Chaka Fattah, who’s running for reelection despite being under indictment on corruption charges. Evans spent $497,000, with $324,000 left in the bank on April 6, the last day of the reporting period. Fattah’s FEC report was not available early Friday morning, even though Thursday was the filing deadline.

— Naughton outspends Santarsiero ahead of PA-08 primary: Shaughnessy Naughton outspent her primary opponent, state Rep. Steve Santarsiero, ahead of the open seat Democratic primary. Naughton raised $384,000 and spent $630,000, with $384,000 left on April 6, the final day of the reporting period. Santarsiero raised more, bringing in $428,000, and spent $549,000.

— Shuster shells out $724,000 ahead of PA-09 primary: GOP Rep. Bill Shuster, whose primary opponent has attacked him for dating an airline lobbyist while serving as the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, raised $722,000 and spent $724,000 ahead of the primary, according to his FEC report. He still had $1.4 million left in the bank on April 6, the final day of the pre-primary reporting period. Opponent Art Halvorson didn’t file his FEC report before the deadline.

MORE Q1 FUNDRAISING NUMBERS — MN-08: Republican Stewart Mills raised about $215,000, giving him about $232,000 in cash on hand, per the FEC.

— NE-02: Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford raised about $312,000 in the first quarter, his campaign said, giving him about $897,000 on hand.

— NY-19: Republican John Faso raised about $220,000 in the first quarter, according to his FEC report, giving him about $619,000 in cash on hand. His primary opponent, Andrew Heaney, had not yet filed his first-quarter report.

— VA-10: Democrat LuAnn Bennett raised about $419,000 in the first quarter, according to her FEC report, giving her about $554,000 in cash on hand. GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock had not yet filed her first-quarter report. More Q1 fundraising here: http://politico.pro/1QbXahy.

PRESIDENTIAL SPEED READ — “Republican leaders consider rewriting convention rules,” by POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt and Shane Goldmacher: “The Republican National Committee is expected to debate a proposal next week that would dramatically shift the balance of power at this summer’s convention — and impose a new rulebook for selecting the party’s nominee. The proposal, which will top the agenda during a meeting of the Rules panel at the RNC’s annual spring meeting in Hollywood Beach, Fla., would fundamentally alter how the convention is conducted, further empowering the delegates to determine the course of the proceedings. It amounts to not just a changing of the rules but of the rulebook itself, with far-reaching implications, potentially impacting whether party insiders will be able to draft a so-called ‘white knight’ — someone currently not running who would play the role of savior at a deadlocked convention.” http://politi.co/22yRk0W

— “Trump poised for New York landslide,” by POLITICO’s Shane Goldmacher and Scott Bland: “Donald Trump is poised to win New York in a landslide on Tuesday but he could leave as many as two-dozen critical delegates on the table by failing to win an outright majority in every corner of the state, according to new congressional district-level polling provided to POLITICO. The survey from Republican firm Optimus Consulting shows Trump doubling his next closest competitor, John Kasich, 49 percent to 24 percent, with Ted Cruz far behind with 14 percent. But even as the survey has him leading in all 27 congressional districts, Trump’s margins will prove crucial in the hunt for New York’s 95 delegates, from Buffalo to Ithaca to Bethpage. Under the state’s complex rules, all three delegates in each of the state’s 27 congressional districts are awarded to the winner if he or she gets to 50 percent there — meaning that even a dominant Trump performance short of that mark could leak some delegates to his rivals.” http://politi.co/23K91gF

CODA — QUOTE OF THE DAY: “A picture with the pope would be worth a thousand words, but I’m not sure it’s worth a thousand votes.” — Stu Loeser, a former spokesman for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, on whether Bernie Sanders mid-election trip to the Vatican today would help his politically. http://nyti.ms/1qL4ooq