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First Read's Morning Clips

A roundup of the most important political news stories of the day.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT : Perdue wins in Georgia

GA-SEN: Perdue - 50.9% Kingston - 49.1%

From one of us(!) : "Businessman David Perdue has won the bitter nine-week run-off contest to become Georgia’s Republican Senate nominee, besting Rep. Jack Kingston, according to the Associated Press. During the bruising campaign, Perdue painted Kingston, an 11-term congressman, as a Washington insider beholden to D.C. special interests, while Kingston bashed Perdue as an out-of-touch political novice living in a gated community."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Perdue's win "stunned Georgia's Republican political establishment." MORE: "In addition to his famous last name and lingering political network from his cousin, Perdue deployed $3 million of his own money to back his bid. Still, he was outspent by Kingston and allied Super PACs – including the deep pocketed U.S. Chamber of Commerce."

Also winning House Republican primaries in Georgia last night: Former state Sen. Barry Loudermilk (over former Rep. Bob Barr) and former Baptist minister Jody Hice (over trucking company exec Mike Collins.)

OBAMA AGENDA: Kerry arrives in Jerusalem

In its analysis of the interlocking foreign policy crises facing the White House, the New York Times notes that Obama saw a connection between his Syria policy and the downed Malaysian Airlines jet in Ukraine. "In a conversation with aides, the president said this was why he refused to send antiaircraft weapons to Syrian rebels. Once they are out of a government’s control, he said, the risk only grows."

The Wall Street Journal notes how Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel "have been careful to keep open lines of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin."

Secretary of State John Kerry has begun intensive meetings in Jerusalem as he seeks to forge a cease-fire, including with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Fallout from the dueling Obamacare rulings: From NBCNews.com: "In a potentially lethal blow, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. ruled that the federal government may not subsidize health insurance plans for people in 34 states that decided not to set up their own marketplaces under the law. But the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond took the opposite point of view, saying the subsidies are legal."

More, from the New York Times: "The contradictory rulings will apparently have no immediate impact on consumers. But they could inject uncertainty, confusion and turmoil into health insurance markets as the administration firms up plans for another open enrollment season starting in November."

The Obama administration also announced Tuesday that it will revise its compromise for religious universities and charities on contraception coverage, writes the Wall Street Journal. "Justice Department lawyers said in a brief filed Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit that the federal government would issue new regulations in the next month that will apply to all nonprofit institutions that say the faith with which they are affiliated is opposed to the use of most forms of contraception."

The president's mostly sticking to his schedule - including a fundraising swing earning criticism from opponents - but an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was judged a step too far by the administration.

CONGRESS: Senate Dems to unveil their border bill

From NBC's Kasie Hunt: "Senate Democrats are set to unveil a $2.7 billion border funding bill, far short of the president's $3.7 billion request for emergency money to alleviate the crisis of unaccompanied minors traveling across the southern border. Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., presented the bill details to her colleagues at the weekly policy lunch Tuesday afternoon. Senators emerged from the meeting citing the $2.7 billion figure, a number confirmed by leadership aides."

And/but: The New York Times notes that both Democrats and Republicans are acknowledging they may not be able to get a deal on the legislation before August recess.

The Washington Post: "House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) this week will shift from his years-long focus on cutting spending to a new anti-poverty proposal that consolidates existing programs and gives more flexibility to the states — part of an effort to reorient the Republican Party away from the battles of previous years and toward addressing economic anxieties of the most disadvantaged Americans."

Activity on the Hill today:

  • The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday morning on ISIS and “the terrorist advance in Iraq.”
  • Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) chairs a Senate Finance subcommittee pushing for bipartisan legislation to help those with disabilities save for long-term care. Appearing at the hearing will be Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
  • At 10:00 am ET, the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee will hear testimony from IRS Commissioner John Koskinen in the committee’s ongoing investigation into the IRS targeting political groups.

Issa’s committee issued this release yesterday: “House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) … urged Deputy Attorney General James Cole to appoint an independent special prosecutor to investigate why IRS Commissioner John Koskinen delayed informing Congress and the Justice Department about the destruction of critical evidence to congressional and criminal investigations.”

OFF TO THE RACES: Warren: “There is no wiggle room -- I am not running for president”

Rick Perry to the Washington Post's Phil Rucker: "I try not to be perceived as being coy. I am preparing for the possibility of a presidential run. Yes, I think about it, and I know how to be prepared for it.”

The Boston Globe looks at Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren and Mitt Romney's firm nos on running for president. “Until Ann Romney looks me in the eye and says, ‘Jason, it’s not going to happen. Let’s stop doing that,’ I think there’s a remote possibility it might happen,” said Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican and longtime Romney supporter." MORE, from Warren: "“I’m going to give you the same answer I have given you many times,” she told the Globe in an interview. “There is no wiggle room. I am not running for president. No means no.”

Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio are trading jabs after the Florida senator’s asserting that Clinton is a “20th century candidate.”

ALASKA: The DSCC is transferring more than $400,000 to the Alaska Democratic Party as the contested Senate race in the state heats up.

IOWA: Not a great story for Democrat Bruce Braley. From the Des Moines Register: "Over a two-year period, Democratic U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley missed 75 percent of meetings for a committee that provides oversight over the Veterans Administration, including one meeting on a day he attended three fundraisers for his 2012 campaign."

Complicating matters, the Braley campaign says he missed one of the hearings in question because he was at another one scheduled for the same time, a claim that opponents are disputing.

MAINE: From the Portland Press Herald: "Democrat Mike Michaud leads his opponents in the governor’s race in the all-important cash-on-hand category, according to the latest campaign reports filed Tuesday. Michaud has a little more than $1 million on hand, followed closely by incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage at $917,000 and independent candidate Eliot Cutler at $527,000."

MISSISSIPPI: From the Hattiesburg American: "A federal judge has scheduled a Thursday hearing for arguments in Texas-based True The Vote's lawsuit over voter records from the June 24 GOP primary runoff. Meanwhile Chris McDaniel continues to gather information for a challenge of his loss to incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran in the runoff. McDaniel has asked the state Supreme Court to reconsider its rejection of his request for access to poll books without voters' birthdates blacked out, in part to avoid the expense of paying to have the records redacted."

NORTH CAROLINA: Patriot Majority is spending $1 million on a two-week ad campaign to tie Thom Tillis to the Koch brothers.

TENNESSEE: Laura Ingraham stumped with Lamar Alexander opponent Joe Carr Tuesday, with a heavy focus on immigration. Carr: "They want a constant supply of uneducated, low-wage labor so they can perpetuate their attack on the American way of life."

Reverse mortgage jokes abound. Fred Thompson cut an ad for Alexander, calling him "my friend of 44 years."

PROGRAMMING NOTES.

*** Wednesday’s “The Daily Rundown” line-up: NBC’s Chuck Todd interviews Sen. Bob Corker, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, NBC’s Martin Fletcher, NBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Arabiya DC Bureau Chief Hisham Melhem

*** Wednesday’s “News Nation with Tamron Hall” line-up: Tamron Hall interviews Quartz’s Managing Editor Bobby Ghosh on the crisis in the Mideast; Ramsey Orta, who shot cellphone video of the Staten Island man, Eric Garner, who died after being put in an apparent chokehold by police, and Reverend Al Sharpton who will speak at his funeral later today; plus Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross, who has an ambitious plan to combat his state’s domestic violence problem.

*** Wednesday’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” line-up: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell interviews Rep. James Clyburn, Fmr. Gov. Thomas Kean, New School University Professor Nina Khrushcheva, The New Yorker’s David Remnick, the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza and NBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin, Martin Fletcher, Keir Simmons and Katy Tur.

*** Wednesday’s “The Reid Report” line-up: MSNBC’s Joy Reid speaks with Mark Regev – the spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister. Plus Joy interviews Kadiatou Diallo – the mother of Amadou Diallo - who was shot 41 times by police after reaching into his pocket for his wallet, and Nicole Paultre Bell- the fiancée of Sean Bell – who was also unarmed – and shot by police on his wedding day.