MIDTERM MADNESS: Blankenship vs. McConnell gets even nastier
FiveThirtyEight’s take: “Democrats’ Horrible 2018 Senate Map Couldn’t Have Come At A Better Time.”
The Washington Post notes the leftward pull in Democratic governors’ races across the country.
Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy will raise money for House Republicans together.
AL-SEN: Roy Moore is complaining of a “political conspiracy” against him in a new lawsuit.
AZ-SEN: John McCain writes in his new memoir that this is his last term, saying “I'm freer than colleagues who will face the voters again.”
FL-SEN: Rick Scott is not happy with the Florida GOP for inviting Dinesh D’Souza to a June summit.
FL-9: Alan Grayson is back, saying he’ll primary his successor, Darren Michael Soto.
IN-SEN: POLITICO offers an in-depth look at how Mike Braun swooped into the void when Luke Messer and Todd Rokita started attacking each other.
MO-GOV: The special House panel is hitting back at Gov. Eric Greitens, reaffirming that it believes his accuser is a credible witness.
MN-SEN: Amy Klobuchar doesn’t have a competitive race this fall. So why?
MT-SEN: Will Trump’s anger over the Ronny Jackson dustup hurt Tester’s standing with Montana voters?
OH-SEN: Ohio Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against Jim Renacci.
WI-GOV: Scott Walker says he would “welcome” Trump to campaign in Wisconsin.
WV-SEN: Don Blankenship is calling Mitch McConnell “Cocaine Mitch” (he may be referring to reports that drugs were once found on a shipping vessel owned by Elaine Chao’s family.)
Fox News is hosting a debate between the three major GOP candidates tonight.
TRUMP AGENDA: Move over “Moron”-gate. Here’s “Idiot”-gate
From NBC’s Carol Lee, Courtney Kube, Kristen Welker and Stephanie Ruhle: “White House chief of staff John Kelly has eroded morale in the West Wing in recent months with comments to aides that include insulting the president's intelligence and casting himself as the savior of the country, according to eight current and former White House officials. The officials said Kelly portrays himself to Trump administration aides as the lone bulwark against catastrophe, curbing the erratic urges of a president who has a questionable grasp on policy issues and the functions of government. He has referred to Trump as "an idiot" multiple times to underscore his point, according to four officials who say they've witnessed the comments.”
Kelly is denying the comments, calling the story “B.S.”
From the New York Times: “Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Russia’s election interference, has at least four dozen questions on an exhaustive array of subjects he wants to ask President Trump to learn more about his ties to Russia and determine whether he obstructed the inquiry itself, according to a list of the questions obtained by The New York Times.”
Trump allies in the House are drafting articles of impeachment against Rod Rosenstein as a “last resort,” writes the Washington Post.
So far, Trump’s tax cuts aren’t yielding a big investment boom, writes the New York Times.
Here’s NBC’s look at Netanyahu’s big address on Iran’s nuclear program yesterday.
Trump is delaying steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada, Mexico and the EU.
The Pentagon is looking into whether Ronny Jackson will face an investigation.
The first eight migrants in the caravan at the border have entered the United States for processing.