MASSACHUSETTS: “A political action committee that issued automated campaign calls to boost Democratic US Senate candidate Stephen F. Lynch said Thursday that it would halt the advertising, after Lynch disavowed the message that seized on the tragedy at the Boston Marathon,” the Boston Globe reports.

Who is the group? “The treasurer of the group that paid for the calls is also treasurer of the ironworkers union that endorsed Lynch, the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, AFL-CIO. Treasurer Edward McHugh said his 99 Percent PAC was just formed last month. Documents filed with the Federal Elections Commission include contributions from two local ironworkers unions.”

The script: “All of us share the shock and sorrow of the recent events in Boston. But as Americans, we’re not going to let the perpetrators of this tragedy or anyone else stop our democracy from moving forward. … “Wouldn’t it be great to have a real working person representing you in the US Senate? Not just another millionaire. Someone who truly understands the day-to day problems facing regular working families. Someone like Steve Lynch, the highly skilled and well educated ironworker who put himself through law school at night. In Congress, Steve Lynch has fought for Massachusetts working families not just when it was convenient or easy, but every day. That’s what you’d expect from an ironworker.” 

Lynch’s campaign distanced itself from the ads and said it didn’t know it was running, the Boston Globe reports. Lynch spokesman Conor Yunits in an email: “We did not know about it. We do not agree with it. We ask this group to stop immediately.”

Our colleague Jessica Taylor has more on the Markey-vs.-Lynch contest. 

MISSOURI: Local affiliate KSDK interviewed Todd Akin. He says he regrets his rape comments and would take them back if he could: "Oh, of course I would! I've relived them too many times. But that is not reality.” Asked if he regrets them, “Of course. You think what would it have been like if I hadn't done that."

But he also reflects the divide going on within the GOP – leadership told him to step aside, his base didn’t want him to: "Really what it goes back to is whether the Republican Party is going to be run by the insiders, or run by the grassroots organization. That's a question still to be determined,” he said, adding, “"I believe the party will either stand on principled positions or its going to be replaced by some other party.” He also takes a shot at Karl Rove: “Karl Rove has made himself an expert. I think I lost one race. He managed to lose about 12 of them in one night." 

Akin hinted he’s interested in a comeback: "It's one of those things that depends on the circumstances really. I don't rule anything out. I consider it a bright new future and I'm interested to see what the possibilities are." 

PENNSYLVANIA: “Though the background-check amendment co-sponsored by Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., failed last week to earn enough votes to be adopted, Toomey's standing among Pennsylvania voters is now at the highest point of his three-plus-year term, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released on Friday,” National Journal’s Steven Shepard writes. 

Toomey’s approval is 48%/30%, up from 43%/32% before the background-check push in March; Sen. Bob Casey (D) gets a similar 48%/34% approval, the same as March; President Obama’s is split at 48%/48%, an improvement over his underwater 44%/51% approval last month.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Pro-Democratic House Majority PAC is up with its second ad in SC-1, hitting Sanford with a veteran accusing him of “abandoning his post.”

VIRGINIA: Ken Cuccinelli (R) is with his first TV ad, and it features his wife talking directly into camera, selling him as someone who “has spent his life standing up for the vulnerable and those in need,” “worked the night shift at a homeless shelter, spent his college days leading efforts to prevent sexual assaults, and represented those suffering from mental illness.” 

More: “As Attorney General, Ken fought to find and prosecute child predators and human traffickers. Virginia deserves a Governor who is experienced, principled, and honest. I think you’ll find that’s what Ken Cuccinelli is all about.”

The New York Times dips into the Virginia governor’s race and looks at Terry McAuliffe’s (D) involvement in GreenTech Automotive. He’s been criticized for establishing the plant in Mississippi and not Virginia, where “Officials also questioned GreenTech’s plan to attract Chinese investors using a visa program that awards green cards to foreigners who put up $500,000 or more for a start-up business. One development official wrote that she could not ‘get my head around this being anything other than a visa-for-sale scheme.’”

ALASKA: The Democratic-backed Council for American Job Growth is up with a TV ad touting Sen. Mark Begich (D).

HAWAII: “The lingering fallout from the 2008 presidential primaries could rear its head in another congressional contest — this time in Hawaii,” Roll Call writes. “The two Democrats who will face off in next year’s Senate primary took leading roles on opposite sides of the primary that pitted Barack Obama versus Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

MONTANA: Our colleague Jessica Taylor looks at Republicans who want Marc Racicot (R) to run for the state’s open Senate seat.

NEW YORK: Anthony Weiner says there might be other pictures out there… “If reporters want to go try to find more, I can’t say that they’re not going to be able to find another picture, or find another … person who may want to come out on their own, but I’m not going to contribute to that. The basics of the story are not gonna change,” he said on RNN-TV, per Politico.

Weiner made the media rounds and says he’ll decide on a mayoral run “soon,” per Political Wire.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Referring to South Carolina and Mark Sanford, Stu Rothenberg writes: “Republicans are on quite a streak when it comes to throwing away elections.” More: “This tossup contest tilts toward the Democrat. If Colbert Busch wins the seat next month, it won’t be because most voters wanted her to represent them in Congress. It will be because many voters — Republican voters — concluded that Sanford was unacceptable.”

“An outside group tied to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is poised to go on the air early in the 2014 cycle,” Politico writes. “The Movement Fund, a registered 527 organization helmed by Republicans close to Haley, has booked about $130,000 in airtime in three major markets starting next week, according to a source tracking media buys.” More: “Haley is expected to face a serious reelection fight: a Winthrop Poll taken earlier this month found her approval rating just under 45 percent among registered South Carolina voters, with 39 percent disapproving of her job performance.”

This post first appeared on the website for The Daily Rundown with Chuck Todd.

Democratic Sen. Max Baucus’ retirement announcement on Tuesday brought the Senate battleground picture into clearer focus, leaving eight senators eyeing the exits—six Democrats and two Republicans.

The Montana Democrat’s decision essentially ends the bubble watch for which senators may be retiring. Baucus was one of the final unknowns, though some mostly optimistic Democrats think Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, could grow frustrated with the upper chamber’s polarization and retire like her now-former GOP colleague Olympia Snowe. For now, that doesn't seem likely.

But the newly open Montana seat also means if Republicans want to take back control of the Senate, their road is going to have to run through the Midwest and Plains states. While states like Iowa, Montana, and South Dakota may be more competitive without the incumbent, that doesn't mean the GOP path there is as easy as it may seem. Republicans need to win at least two of those three states, and South Dakota is their best opportunity, while the others aren't as easy without strong candidates. Republicans need to net six seats for the majority, and while they have more opportunities and less defensive targets than Democrats (just 14 GOP seats are up compared to 21 for Democrats), that doesn't mean that path forward is a given.

Other than Baucus, here are the senators who won’t be returning after 2014, and the latest competitive state of play in each along with current ratings from the non-partisan Cook Political Report and Rothenberg Political Report.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.): Chambliss’s greatest problem would have likely been in the form of a primary challenge, and plenty of candidates now in the contest were already licking their chops to take on the second-term senator. They’re upset the Republican appears too apt to compromise, notably as part of the Senate’s Gang of Eight.

For now, GOP Reps. Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey are in, with Rep. Jack Kingston likely to make his run official soon. Question marks still remain as to whether Rep. Tom Price, who’s delayed a decision, will run, but if he doesn't, expect former secretary of state and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Karen Handel to jump in. It will be a dogfight for the GOP nomination, causing many to privately fear a flawed candidate—like Broun, who’s had a history of controversial statements—could emerge, tipping a seat that shouldn't be in play.

Democrats look poised to avoid a primary fight, with Rep. John Barrow and Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn, reportedly meeting soon to decide who will run. Democrats have an uphill fight in the Peach State, but still a fighting chance, especially if Republicans nominate a polarizing candidate. A similar scenario played out last year in Indiana, and Democrats had moderate now-Sen. Joe Donnelly waiting in the wings. They want a chance to play here too, and under the right circumstances this becomes a higher priority to watch. This seat shouldn't flip parties — for now.

Cook Rating: Likely Republican
Rothenberg Rating: Currently Safe Republican

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa): Harkin’s exit immediately gives both parties a competitive seat in a swing state, but it’s Democrats who seem to have already sorted out their primary mess in an orderly fashion, while Republicans are still grasping.

Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley has always been Harkin’s heir apparent, but Republicans are still searching for a candidate—and one that can appeal to swing voters in this purple state. NBC News reported Tuesday that Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds can be crossed off that list. With Rep. Steve King now seeming like he’s leaning against running, and their top prospect Rep. David Loebsack, passing earlier, Republicans still need a candidate—and fast. Names now mentioned include Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, Secretary of State Matt Schultz, and former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker, but recruiting has become a headache that shouldn't be one for the GOP. Meanwhile, Braley raised more than $1 million in the last fundraising quarter.

Cook Rating: Toss Up
Rothenberg Rating: Lean Democrat

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.): The Republican’s decision to make it one term and done was the most shocking on the list, but it’s also the easiest seat the GOP has to defend. When Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, retired in 2012, his party tried unsuccessfully to defend the seat with former Sen. Bob Kerrey, but Republican Deb Fischer won easily. Democratic prospects don’t look good again in 2014, either.

No candidate has officially announced on either side here, but if Republican Gov. Dave Heineman jumps in, he’d be the immediate front runner, though he’s shown some hesitation. State Auditor Mike Foley, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and former state Treasurer Shane Osborn are also mentioned for the GOP.

Cook Rating: Solid Republican
Rothenberg Rating: Currently Safe Republican

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.): Johnson’s exit was the least surprising among Democrats, but it’s still unclear who will be his heir apparent from his own party. One potential is Johnson’s actual heir, with his son, U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson, being floated, but former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is eyeing the race too.

Republicans were in a good position whether Johnson ran or not, with former Gov. Mike Rounds announcing early. But a Rounds bid has been met with opposition from conservative groups, including the Senate Conservatives Fund. Sophomore Tea Party favorite Rep. Kristi Noem hasn't ruled out a bid, and some other state lawmakers may jump in, too. This is still one of the best pick-up opportunities for Republicans, but they could have a primary fight to get there.

Cook Rating: Toss Up
Rothenberg Rating: Pure Toss Up

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.): Lautenberg’s retirement seemed almost reluctant, especially for a senator who’s approaching 90. Ambitious Newark Mayor Corey Booker had already made his intentions to run known, clearly irking Lautenberg, but even with the senator out, Booker may not have the field to himself. Reps. Frank Pallone and Rush “My Congressman IS a rocket scientist!” Holt are also interested in. For Republicans, Gov. Chris Christie may be well-positioned for reelection this year, but the Senate seat will be much harder, and no serious names have come forward.

Cook Rating: Likely Democrat
Rothenberg Rating: Currently Safe Democrat

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.): Levin’s decision not to seek another term certainly makes things interesting in the Wolverine State, but Democrats should still feel fairly comfortable about their ability to hold onto this seat. With Debbie Dingell passing on a bid this week, it looks like the field has mostly cleared for Rep. Gary Peters.

Republicans see an opportunity here, but it may well depend on who they nominate. The GOP have had some recent successes in the Wolverine State, but Gov. Rick Snyder’s right-to-work push in the state last year may have damaged not just his moderate brand but Republicans', with troubling numbers for the governor in this month’s EPIC/MRA poll.

Reps. Mike Rogers and Justin Amash are eyeing the race, but many Republicans privately worry about the Libertarian-leaning Amash’s ability to compete statewide. Former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and former GOP state party chairman Saul Anuzis are also mentioned as possibilities.

Cook Rating: Lean Democrat
Rothenberg Rating: Currently Safe Democrat

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.): Rockefeller kicked off the Senate retirement scurry in January, but Rep. Shelley Moore Capito had already announced her bid last November whether Rockefeller ran or not. The GOP congresswoman remains in in a strong position, both in the primary and general elections.

Capito has never been a favorite of influential conservative groups like the Club for Growth and Senate Conservatives Fund, but if they can’t come up with a candidate to oppose her, it may not matter. Former state Delegate Pat McGeehan has jumped in, but he still has an uphill challenge against the well-known Capito.

For Democrats, West Virginia is undoubtedly their biggest recruitment headache. More than three months after Rockefeller’s announcement, they still don’t have a declared candidate, while Capito continues to stockpile cash. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and state Supreme Court Justice Robin Davis are mentioned as possibilities, among others. Democrats can still do well in the Mountaineer State—Sen. Joe Manchin and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin won easily in 2012—but none of those floated yet seem to have the crossover appeal of the moderate Democrats who’ve won here statewide before.

Cook Rating: Toss Up
Rothenberg Rating: Toss Up/Tilt Republican

“Hillary Clinton’s next chapter — the paid speaking circuit — begins today,” Maggie Haberman writes. “The former first lady, senator and secretary of state has overnight become one of the most in-demand speakers in the world — as a a reported $200,000-a-pop fee attests — even before she takes the stage at the National Multi-Housing Council in Dallas. A few hours earlier, also in Dallas, former Florida governor and fellow potential 2016 contender Jeb Bush will give his own address to the World Affairs Council. Both speeches — Bush’s is open to the press, Clinton’s is not — are on the eve of Thursday’s opening of the George W. Bush presidential library.”

“Jeb Bush can check the boxes needed to win the White House — money, résumé and connections.

But he’s also got a problem: his last name,” Politico notes. “Many leading Republicans say the former Florida governor would be a stronger candidate ahead of 2016, if they weren’t worried about Bush baggage. On Wednesday, he’ll be in the spotlight in Dallas, giving a speech ahead of the dedication of his brother’s museum.”

Over the weekend, David Catanese profiled Jon Huntsman and Huntsman 2.0 for the Daily Beast. "He’s begun dipping his toe back into the political pond—traversing the country at a brisk pace and delivering meaty op-eds and speeches that pointedly address the woes of his party. 'They want to see a vibrant two-party system,' he says of the universities and business groups that have extended speaking invitations to him. 'And I think they're curious at how we might regain that diverse debate that the two-party system allows in this country.'"

"But when asked if the reception he’s receiving indicates there’s an appetite for another White House run, it’s clear he’s not even sure of the answer. 'I don’t know.  It’s way premature,' he said."

ARKANSAS: “Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns, the well-funded group co-founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is seriously considering a months-long television, radio and direct-mail campaign against Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor, one of four Democrats who opposed expanding a background check for guns,” National Journal reports. “The goal: Make an example of him. Senior members of Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns met at length Sunday to debate potential responses to the failure of President Obama’s gun regulation package, including a watered-down background check provision that fell five votes short.”

MASSACHUSETTS: “The final debate of the Senate Democratic primary devolved into an exchange of insults and character allegations Tuesday night, as Representatives Edward J. Markey and Stephen F. Lynch abandoned collegiality for a heated confrontation with one week remaining in their contest,” the Boston Globe writes, adding, “The sharpest exchange, though, came when Markey said Lynch’s opposition to federal financial assistance for manufacturers prompted an endorsement for Markey from an automobile workers union. Lynch retorted that he had voted for that bailout, frequently praised by the Obama administration as a successful countermeasure to the recession.” 

LYNCH: “I don’t want to call you a liar, but you are.”
MARKEY (to the moderator): “Steve was inappropriately, personally insulting.”
LYNCH: “I take it back, you’re not a liar, you’re just misinformed.”
MARKEY: “He is incorrigible here.”

The Senate candidates are back on air after the Boston bombings.

MONTANA: “The surprise retirement of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) immediately swung attention to the state’s former Democratic governor, Brian Schweitzer, who declined to say Tuesday if he would seek the job,” the Mark Z. Barabak writes in the L.A. Times.

Schweitzer told Barabak: “I’ll look around once I climb that mountain. There should be a pretty good view from there. I’ll look around and see what I do next.” But he indicated he’s not in a rush to leave Montana: “There’s not a sound to be heard, unless it’s the howl of a wolf or the yip of a coyote. Life is good. You can print that in the L.A. Times." (Irony: Schweitzer lives on Georgetown Lake in Montana.)

NEW JERSEY: Chris Christie leads Barbara Buono (D) 58%-26% for the governor’s race and he has a 67% approval rating in the latest Quinnipiac poll.

VIRGINIA: Writing for the New Republic, David Catanese notes that Ken Cuccinelli could be the GOP’s next big star if he wins Virginia’s gubernatorial contest. “If indeed he’s able to dispatch former Democratic National Committee chairman and uber-fundraiser Terry McAuliffe just as Republicans are enduring a wrenching period of soul-searching about their identity, his timing could be impeccable. He has the social conservative street cred of Rick Santorum, speaks the libertarian language of Rand Paul, and brandishes the constitutional acumen of Ted Cruz. And if he captures the governorship, odds are he’ll have a longer list of tangible achievements in two years than Marco Rubio racks up in five. He'll also, surely, have a longer list of controversies.”

After nearly three months of speculation, Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds has decided not to run for Iowa's vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2014, Republican sources familiar with her decision told NBC News.
 
Reynolds, who is in her first term as lieutenant governor, was viewed as one of a handful of GOP front-runners in the upcoming race to challenge Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley, especially with Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, now appearing to lean against a run.
 
Longtime 73-year-old Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, announced his retirement in late January and paved the way for the first open senate seat election in Iowa in three decades. No female has ever served in Congress from Iowa -- nor assumed the role of governor. Sources close to Reynolds suggest she is more interested in being groomed to replace Republican Gov. Terry Branstad in the future rather than head to Washington.
 
It is still unclear when Reynolds will announce her decision.
 
The question now turns to just who on the Republican side will jump into the race.
 
Earlier this year, it had been widely speculated that King would take on the challenge, although some are now doubting the likelihood he will run.
 
Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey may also potentially launch a bid.
 
Other names that have surfaced as potential candidates include Secretary of State Matt Schultz, former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker, former gubernatorial candidate Rod Roberts, and social conservative leader and former gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.

This story was originally published on Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:24 PM EDT

First Read confirms that Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., will not run for re-election in 2014. The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

Baucus, 71, who was first elected in 1978, currently chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee. He recently angered liberals when he voted against the background-check measure on gun control.

Baucus' decision gives Republicans a key pick-up opportunity in Montana -- where President Obama won just 42 percent of the vote in 2012.

However, a Democrat familiar with former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer's thinking says the former governor is leaning toward running for Baucus' seat, which would give Democrats a solid chance at holding onto the seat. 

So far this cycle, six Senate Democrats have announced they won't seek re-election -- Baucus, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Carl Levin of Michigan, and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. And two Republicans have announced their upcoming retirements -- Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Mike Johanns of Nebraska.

This story was originally published on Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:06 AM EDT

HAWAII: Political Wire: “Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) has decided to challenge Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) in the Democratic primary next year, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reports.”

MASSACHUSETTS: ‘The two Democratic hopefuls for Massachusetts’ open Senate seat went toe-to-toe Monday night in a debate filled with fireworks. Representative Stephen F. Lynch, Democrat of South Boston, went on the attack repeatedly against the voting record of Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Malden, who is widely seen as the frontrunner in the two-man race,” the Boston Globe writes.

AP: “Democratic U.S. Senate hopefuls Edward Markey and Stephen Lynch clashed Monday night on homeland security in their first debate since the Boston Marathon attacks.”

On the GOP side, Gabriel Gomez got the endorsement of ex-Gov. Bill Weld. 

MICHIGAN: “Even though a big majority of recently polled Michigan voters don’t know who Democrats Mark Schauer and Bart Stupak are, the two politicians are in a dead heat with Gov. Rick Snyder in head-to-head matchups for the 2014 gubernatorial election,” the Detroit Free Press writes. An EPIC/MRA poll finds: “Schauer holds a slim 39-38% lead over Snyder, while Stupak is a point behind Snyder at 38-39%.”

Snyder’s fav/unfav dropped from 55% in December before the right-to-work legislation controversy to just 42% now with 46% having a negative view. And his job approval was 38%/58%. 

NEW YORK: “Amid a growing perception that corruption is a serious problem in New York, six politicians are up for arraignment in a case that alleges an audacious plot to buy a line on New York City’s mayoral ballot,” AP writes.

So… maybe Weiner’s not so bad? “Former Congressman Anthony Weiner is back on the social network that helped end his career in public service,” the New York Daily News writes. “Weiner, who infamously sent lewd pictures of himself over Twitter in 2011, officially rejoined the social network Monday, the Daily News has confirmed. It’s possibly another indication that he will jump into the 2013 mayoral race.” 

Mike Bloomberg thinks telecommuting is “one of the dumbest ideas.”

SOUTH DAKOTA: Political Wire: “Former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader she is seriously considering a run for the U.S. Senate and plans to make her decision soon.” 

VIRGINIA: Bill Hamlet Bolling… He tells the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he wished he’d waited longer: "If I have one regret about the decision it's that I wish I had waited longer. Because if I had waited longer I think we may have (seen) the direction these campaigns were going and that may have made it easier to raise more money." (H/T: Political Wire.)

Ken Vogel and Maggie Haberman: “The GOP didn’t have an answer for Big Democratic Data in 2012, costing them in close races from Congress to the White House. Now, they’ve got lots of answers — possibly too many — and a feisty rivalry is brewing between tea party upstarts, nonpartisan data geeks, operatives linked to the Koch brothers and insiders like Karl Rove.” (The Kochs are also trying to buy newspapers, the New York Times says.)

“As if President Barack Obama’s political machine hasn’t left them battered and bruised enough, Republicans are fretting that it could help Democrats win the House next year,” Politico writes. “The president’s deep-pocketed political arm, Organizing for Action, can’t by law spend most of its money on elections, and officials insist it won’t play directly in the 2014 midterm. But Republicans aren’t buying it: They’re convinced OFA will find other, indirect ways to help Democrats capture the House and allow Obama to finish his presidency unchecked by Congress.”

The Hill: “The Republican National Committee raised $18.02 million in the first three months of this year and has $8.67 million cash on hand, Chairman Reince Priebus announced Friday. About a third of that sum, or $6.3 million, was raised in March alone, and the committee had no debt at the end of the quarter.”

CALIFORNIA: Eric Garcetti leads Wendy Greuel 50%-40% in the L.A. mayor’s race in a USC Price/L.A. Times poll. The runoff is May 21.

MASSACHUSETTS: Rep. Ed Markey leads the field for the Massachusetts Senate special election. He’s ahead of Stephen Lynch (D) 44%-34% in the Democratic primary for the Senate special election and bests Gabriel Gomez (R) 51%-36% for the general election in a Western New England University poll. Gomez leads the GOP field 33%-27% over Michael Sullivan. The primary is May 28. June 25 is the general.

NEW YORK: Another poll – Quinnipiac - has Anthony Weiner in second place behind Christine Quinn, 28%-15%. Quinn is short of the 40% needed to avoid a runoff, but Weiner has a net-negative favorability, 33%-41%. The primary is Sept. 10.

VIRGINIA: Ken Cucinelli is going after Terry McAuliffe on tax returns calling for him to “release the documents” in a new video. It’s the Mitt Romney campaign in reverse. First, Republicans went after McAuliffe for his business record. Now, they’re making calls for him to release his tax returns, using clips of President Obama, David Axelrod, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bill Clinton, and even McAuliffe himself (!) criticizing Romney for not releasing his tax returns.

KENTUCKY: “Mitch McConnell continues to seize on the bungled taping of his Louisville campaign headquarters,” Politico writes. “The Senate Minority Leader will go on the air Thursday with a new commercial that links last week’s brouhaha to the Democratic president’s desire to oust him.”

His ad tries to link Obama with those who recorded his strategy session. “Mitch McConnell’s is Obama’s No. 1 target, because Mitch protects Kentucky from Obama’s bad ideas. Liberals will do anything to beat McConnell,” a narrator says in the ad. Then a TV news clip: “Two active Louisville Democrats are accused tonight of spying on Mitch McConnell’s Louisville campaign headquarters.”

Narrator: “They also launched racial attacks against Mitch’s wife. And now, liberals compare Mitch to al Qaeda terrorists and North Korea’s dictator. How dirty will Obama’s allies get.”

McConnell still doesn’t even have a Democratic opponent.

And there’s this: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s reelection campaign didn’t waste time pointing out that he won the gun control fight,” Politico writes. “Immediately after Wednesday’s vote, his campaign posted an image on his Facebook page showing Majority Leader Harry Reid with his hands open [just a pinch] with the caption, ‘Can we have this much gun control?’ The next box showed McConnell with the caption, ‘No.’”

SOUTH CAROLINA: “Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford’s (R) ex-wife, who we learned Tuesday filed a trespassing complaint against her husband earlier this year, has also accused her husband of shirking their divorce agreement on at least three other occasions,” the Washington Post reports. “According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, Jenny Sanford filed a complaint against Mark Sanford in March 2012 for violating the terms of having their sons on the Sanford family’s Coosaw plantation. The terms state that ‘no airplanes will be flown at the children.’ She has also accused him of failing to properly insure the property and of missing a child support payment. Jenny Sanford told AP the latter situation has been resolved.”

And when Jenny Sanford says it’s about the kids, well, maybe this is why: “For Sanford’s teenage son Bolton, that very public moment marked the first time he had ever been in the presence of Maria Belen Chapur,” the Washington Post reports. “Sanford’s former wife Jenny confirmed in a text message: ‘That was indeed Bolton’s first intro and both boys were quite upset and visibly so.’ Their son’s discomfort is evident in photos of the event.”

The State: “A source at the committee [the NRCC] said it was caught off guard by the trespassing complaint, filed in February, which is why the committee decided to get out of the race.”

But that doesn’t mean Sanford’s going to lose: “If the district holds true to its demographics, you’ve still got to think that it should lean in his favor,” GOP strategist Richard Quinn of Columbia said.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council is urging social conservatives to stop giving to the Republican National Committee. "Until the RNC and the other national Republican organizations grow a backbone and start defending core principles, don’t send them a dime of your hard-earned money,” CNN reports. “If you want to invest in the political process, and I encourage you to do so, give directly to candidates who reflect your values and organizations you trust-like FRC Action."

NBC’s Michael O’Brien reported Wednesday: “Thirteen social conservatives, representing various influential groups, wrote Priebus ahead of the RNC's quarterly meeting this week in Los Angeles to sternly rebuke the conclusions of a post-election report that advised Republican elected officials to adopt a softer tone toward social issues. ‘We respectfully warn GOP Leadership that an abandonment of its principles will necessarily result in the abandonment of our constituents to their support,’ concludes the letter.”

RYAN: “Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2012 and an abortion opponent, said Thursday that anti-abortion activists should try to build a broad coalition and find common ground with supporters of abortion rights as a way to advance their agenda,” AP writes. “Ryan, R-Wis., said in a speech to the Susan B. Anthony List that those who oppose abortion ‘need to work with people who consider themselves pro-choice — because our task isn’t to purge our ranks. It’s to grow them. We don’t want a country where abortion is simply outlawed. We want a country where it isn’t even considered,’ he said.”

Flashback to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R)’s Wall Street Journal op-ed in December: “As a conservative Republican, I believe that we have been stupid to let the Democrats demagogue the contraceptives issue and pretend, during debates about health-care insurance, that Republicans are somehow against birth control. It's a disingenuous political argument they make. As an unapologetic pro-life Republican, I also believe that every adult (18 years old and over) who wants contraception should be able to purchase it. But anyone who has a religious objection to contraception should not be forced by government health-care edicts to purchase it for others. And parents who believe, as I do, that their teenage children shouldn't be involved with sex at all do not deserve ridicule.”

But Ryan also said, per The Hill and Political Wire: "Our critics say we should abandon our pro-life beliefs. But that would only demoralize our voters. It's an odd strategy, I think: the cynical ploy followed by the thumping defeat."

NEW YORK: Anthony Weiner’s comeback may be coming up short. The New York Daily News: “Anthony Weiner’s trial balloon is falling flat. The former congressman’s revelation that he’s considering a run for mayor after a cringeworthy sexting scandal has failed to send past supporters stampeding to his side. The Daily News interviewed nearly a dozen people who played key roles in the Democrat’s 2005 mayoral campaign as advisers, supporters or contributions. The reactions, for the most part, ranged from ambivalence to opposition, with only a few urging him to try again.”

VIRGINIA: Beth Reinhard: “It’s not easy to be the new Ken Cuccinelli. The new Cuccinelli, the Republican frontrunner in the Virginia governor’s race, is more likely these days to be calling for job growth and education reform than he is to be railing against abortion and gay marriage. But the old Cuccinelli, the state attorney general who crusaded for conservative values, keeps cropping up, offering a steady stream of fodder for opponents determined to frame him as a right-wing ideologue.”

A local liberal group has become the target of scrutiny in a probe into the surreptitious recording published earlier this week capturing a campaign strategy session with Sen. Mitch McConnell’s re-election team.

A local Democratic Party official told NBC News Thursday that two members of the activist group Progress Kentucky claimed that they were responsible for a recording published this week on the website of the progressive magazine Mother Jones. In the audio, McConnell is heard discussing with his staff opposition research into potential Democratic challengers, including the actress Ashley Judd.

"They told it to me right when it happened," said Jacob Conway, a member of the executive committee of Louisville and Jefferson County Democratic Party, in reference to two Progress Kentucky officials.

Conway said Shawn Reilly and Curtis Morrison -- founders of Progress Kentucky, a liberal, anti-McConnell group unaffiliated with the Democratic Party of Kentucky -- told him that day, Feb. 2, "that they got this McConnell recording. They told me because of the tackiness and the horrible things that McConnell was discussing. ... That is why I think they recorded it."

But a lawyer for Reilly said he is denying that he was involved. 

"Other than acknowledging we were in the building, we completely disavow his characterization of those events," attorney Annie O'Connell said.

O'Connell described Reilly as a "witness" and was cooperating with the FBI. 

"On the day that Mother Jones released the recording, our client met with the U.S. Attorney here in the Western District of Kentucky with the lead FBI investigator," O'Connell said. "Mr. Reilly has provided information in the FBI's efforts to locate Curtis Morrison. Our position is that Mr. Reilly is innocent of any wrongdoing. He is simply a witness, not a suspect. What we're saying is Shawn was in the office building that day, but was simply a witness to what happened."

Local NBC affiliate WAVE in Louisville spotted Conway Thursday afternoon entering and leaving the local FBI office to be interviewed for their investigation.

It is illegal for someone to wiretap or bug a room and record a conversation to which they are not a party. Kentucky, like most states, is a one-party state. In other words, if one of the people involved in the conversation recorded it, that is allowed. Illegal wiretapping is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for organizations.

But it is a murkier legal area if someone is in a hallway, for example, and overhears a conversation. Provided an individual is not trespassing, recording something that can be heard by the naked ear, is legal. But using a device to amplify sound that would not otherwise have been heard by the naked ear is not.

Separately Thursday, the treasurer of Progress Kentucky confirmed to NBC News that he had resigned from the group following the publication of the audio.

Douglas L. Davis, the group’s now-former treasurer, would not comment as to his precise motivations for quitting.

"At this time based on advice of both friends and counsel, I will be not be making a public statement available until everything has been reviewed by an attorney at this time," Davis told NBC News. "I have resigned my position as treasurer and did not and do not condone any allegations of illegal activity that might have taken place."

Asked directly if Reilly and Morrison are responsible for the taping of the strategy session, Davis paused, and said, "I can't comment."

NBC News has reached out to Morrison multiple times by email and phone, but he has not yet responded.

The revelations come as federal investigators begin an investigation into the source of the audio recordings. McConnell’s re-election team has publicly suggested it was the victim of a bugging operation, and McConnell pointed the finger at Progress Kentucky.

A source familiar with the investigation into the leaked McConnell audio told NBC News that the FBI had collected surveillance tape from the building in which the McConnell re-election campaign is headquartered.

The Republican Kentucky senator's re-election team has taken this as a sign that federal investigators are more actively probing the possibility that someone outside of the meeting captured on tape was responsible for the recording.

Conway, the local party official, said he has only now come forward to help disassociate the Democratic Party with any actions alleged of Progress Kentucky, especially given that Democrats in the state have a slim majority in the legislature.

"I don't want the party to be associated with this," he said.

Conway called Reilly and Morrison generally "well-intentioned." "I don't think they had sinister motives,” he said. “They were there, were inexperienced, and got excited."

Progress Kentucky has a contentious history with McConnell this election cycle. Earlier this year, the group leveled criticisms of McConnell based on the ethnicity of his wife, former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.

This story was originally published on Thu Apr 11, 2013 4:51 PM EDT

House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio, publicly distanced himself on Thursday from another member of his Republican leadership team who criticized a component of President Barack Obama’s budget having to do with entitlement reform.

Boehner said that he had spoken with Rep. Greg Walden, Ore., the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee who on Wednesday criticized “chained CPI,” a part of Obama’s 2014 budget which changes how Social Security benefits are calculated to grow over time.

Walden has fallen under increased scrutiny from conservatives, who have threatened a primary challenge, along with Democrast who wish to cast the House GOP leadership as mired in discord.

"I've made it clear that I disagree with what Chairman Walden said," Boehner said at his weekly press conference, calling the chained CPI proposal "the least we must do to begin to solve the problem of Social Security."

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Walden, speaking Wednesday on CNN, was sharply critical of the chained CPI proposal contained with President Barack Obama’s 2014 budget.

“Well, once again, you're trying to balance this budget on the backs of seniors and I just think it's not the right way to go,” he said. “I don't see this budget as either on time, adding up, balancing, and, further, I think it really does go right at seniors in a way they're going to be shocked, coming out of the administration.”

The problem for Walden, however, was that the chained CPI proposal was included as an enticement of Republicans, who have clamored for any sort of entitlement reform from the White House. Moreover, Obama’s decision to include such a concession – which would essentially amount to a cut in benefits, over time, for seniors – angered progressive supporters of the president.

White House press secretary Jay Carney on Thursday noted that the chained CPI proposal in Obama’s budget came “at the specific request of behest of Republican leaders and represent a “cynical attempt to disown a proposal that came from Republican leaders.”

The NRCC chairman’s comments drew the ire of many fellow conservatives, and in short order.

"Greg Walden ought to think about clarifying his remarks on chained CPI, and think about clarifying soon," said Chris Chocola, the president of the fiscally conservative Club for Growth.

But when he did offer a clarifying statement, Walden doubled down on his original sentiment.

“Chairman Walden supports the budget passed by House Republicans that preserves and protects Medicare and Social Security while also balancing the budget in 10 years,” said an NRCC spokesperson. “He disagrees with President Obama's political plan that hurts current seniors just so he can pay for more wasteful spending."

Walden’s difference with fellow Republicans, however, illustrates Republicans’ difficulty in handling the politics of entitlement issues in recent years.

Mitt Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, for instance were sharply critical of the $716 billion in Medicare savings contained within Obama’s health care reform law, and vowed to restore the cuts if elected. But Ryan’s subsequent budget this year, in his capacity as chairman of the House Budget Committee, counts those very cuts in Medicare reimbursements to hospitals and reinsurers toward balancing the budget.

Moreover, Ryan’s budgets for the past three years – which Republicans have generally supported in overwhelming fashion – have called for sweeping changes to Medicare, namely by transforming it into a private marketplace in which the government would provide a voucher (or “premium support” payment) to seniors to buy insurance for themselves.

Democrats eagerly used those Medicare proposals against Republicans in the election of 2012, further cementing entitlement programs’ reputation as a “third rail” in politics, which politicians should not touch, or risk political peril.