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First Read's Morning Clips: The 2018 ad flurry has begun

A roundup of the most important political news stories of the day
Image: Kyrsten Sinema
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., talks to campaign volunteers at a Democratic campaign office on primary election day, in Phoenix on Aug. 28, 2018.Ross D. Franklin / AP

MIDTERM MADNESS: The 2018 ad flurry has begun

Democratic groups will spend $21 million on digital ads for the midterms, with a focus on health care, writes NBC's Ben Kamisar.

And the NRCC has dropped a flurry of new TV ads too.

John McCain's family is not happy with how the late senator's image has been invoked in recent campaign ads.

Female candidates used to push motherhood into the background. Now, it's increasingly an asset, the New York Times notes.

Ethics watchdogs say that Trump's pitches for GOP candidates are Hatch Act violations.

Republicans have a new favorite boogeyman: The state of California.

2020: Mike Memoli notes that Democratic presidential hopefuls are waging a war to court black voters.

GA-GOV: Brian Kemp is talking a lot about the gang "crisis" in Georgia.

IN-SEN: A new FOX poll puts Donnelly two points behind Braun, well within the margin of error.

MO-SEN: Claire McCaskill has a slight advantage, within the margin of error, over Josh Hawley, too.

NY-GOV: It's New York primary day! Here's what you need to know.

Here's the latest on that flier claiming that Cynthia Nixon is anti-Semitic.

OH-GOV: Barack Obama dives into the gubernatorial race today with a rally for Richard Cordray.

OH-SEN: Are Republicans giving up on Ohio?

RI-GOV: Despite some hand-wringing yesterday, Gina Raimondo cruised to victory in her primary last night.

TN-SEN: It's a margin of error race in Tennessee, per a new FOX News poll.

TRUMP AGENDA: You’re simply the best… Better than all the rest

Trump's rhetoric about the hurricane in Puerto Rico is the latest example of him refusing to call a perceived failure anything but a success.

Cory Booker has released 28 new confidential documents having to do with Brett Kavanaugh's involvement in Bush-era judicial picks.

Brett Kavanaugh is explaining why he bought Nationals baseball tickets that put him into debt,

Trump's FEMA administrator is under investigation for his use of official cars, POLITICO reports.

The Senate has passed a bipartisan spending package as a shutdown deadline looms.