Ohio: CEO Talks FBI Investigation Into Josh Mandel, Jim Renacci Donors

A Republican donor implicated in a federal investigation over campaign contributions to Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) and the Senate campaign of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) is talking to the media about the probe.

“This is punishment because we’re Republican donors,” Benjamin Suarez said in an interview with the Canton Repository published today. Suarez is president of the North Canton, Ohio-based Suarez Corporation Industries.

The investigation has proved to be a major distraction this week for Renacci and Mandel, who are running competitive races in the Buckeye State, although neither candidate has been accused of improper actions.

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Florida: Tom Coburn Backs Former Colleague George LeMieux

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Wednesday endorsed former Sen. George LeMieux’s uphill battle to win his old job back.

“I served with George and have seen firsthand his commitment to reducing our national debt and stopping Washington’s out-of-control spending,” Coburn said in a statement.

In the Republican primary, LeMieux faces frontrunner Rep. Connie Mack IV, who has the backing of everyone from tea-party-affiliated Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to presumptive GOP White House nominee Mitt Romney.

The winner of the primary will face two-term Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who is in a strong position to win re-election even if President Barack Obama loses Florida.

In the general election, Roll Call rates this race as Leans Democratic.

Massachusetts: Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren in Dead Heat

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

If there were ever any doubt that the Massachusetts Senate race is close (and there wasn’t), let it be vanquished.

A new poll of likely Massachusetts voters from Suffolk University and 7News found the race to be a statistical dead heat. In a horse-race matchup, Republican Sen. Scott Brown got 48 percent while presumptive Democratic nominee Elizabeth Warren got 47 percent. Five percent were undecided.

While 72 percent of voters knew about the controversy surrounding Warren and her claim that she is of Native American heritage, it did not appear to have a demonstrable effect on the race. Earlier polls, taken before the controversy, found the race to be neck and neck.

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NRSC Welcomes Deb Fischer, Richard Mourdock With Fundraisers and Cash

Senate Republicans are helping to refill the coffers of their newly minted nominees in Indiana and Nebraska following bruising primaries.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee contributed the maximum allowed — $43,000  — to state Sen. Deb Fischer, the GOP’s nominee in Nebraska, and state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, the GOP’s nominee in Indiana.

The donations mark the first of their kind from the NRSC to nonincumbent candidates this cycle. Republicans have the edge in both Senate races, but Democrats contend the states will be highly competitive this November. Roll Call rates both races as Leans Republican.

Nonetheless, Republicans want to give Fischer and Mourdock a financial boost after long and expensive primaries wiped out the their campaign bank accounts.

To further help with that task, Senate GOP leadership will host two separate fundraisers for Mourdock and Fischer on June 5 and 6, respectively. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and NRSC Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) are headlining both events, according to a copy of the emailed invitation.

Additionally, Cornyn’s Alamo PAC gave the $5,000 maximum to both candidates.

Utah: Sarah Palin Backs Orrin Hatch Ahead of Primary

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed Sen. Orrin Hatch for re-election to a seventh term.

Palin’s backing offers Hatch another conservative endorsement as he holds off a Republican primary challenge from former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist. Hatch, who has faced criticism from some conservatives for past votes, narrowly missed securing the nomination at the state party convention last month, forcing the two into a June 26 primary. Full story

Missouri: Claire McCaskill Starts Push on Veterans Issues

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Vulnerable Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) launched an effort today to underline her commitment to veterans issues with a video and website.

The push on these issues emphasizes one of McCaskill’s key lines of messaging to voters so far this cycle as the former Missouri auditor works to remind them of her brand as a watchdog.

Without a clear opponent — the three Republicans looking to take her on in November are locked in a nasty primary — McCaskill has focused on attacking the third-party groups that attack her and burnishing her credentials on veterans issues.

The new video features McCaskill’s mother, Betty Anne McCaskill, talking about the Senator’s response to the scandal at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Massachusetts: Dem Poll Has Senate Race Tied

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

A poll from earlier this month of likely Massachusetts voters found the competitive Senate race between Sen. Scott Brown (R) and Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren tied.

In a horserace matchup between Brown and Warren, the presumptive Democratic nominee, both took 46 percent of the vote. Full story

Texas: Tom Leppert Puts Up New Television Ad

Updated: 2:23 p.m. | Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert added another television advertisement to his rotation today. It continues his campaign theme that his fellow GOP candidates in the primary to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) are “empty suits.”

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Utah: Dan Liljenquist Slams Orrin Hatch on Lack of Debates

Former Utah state Sen. Dan Liljenquist launched the first TV ad of his Republican primary challenge to longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch.

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Minnesota: Kurt Bills Picks Up State GOP Senate Endorsement

State Rep. Kurt Bills has won the Minnesota GOP endorsement to challenge Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D).

“Congratulations to Kurt Bills on receiving the Republican endorsement to run for US Senate,” state GOP Chairman Pat Shortridge and Deputy Chairwoman Kelly Fenton wrote in a joint statement. Full story

Connecticut: Richard Blumenthal Backs Christopher Murphy in Primary

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) endorsed Rep. Christopher Murphy (D) for Senate on Monday.

“From standing up for American jobs and manufacturers to protecting Medicare and Social Security, Chris has been a strong partner for me during his service in the House,” Blumenthal said.

Murphy is the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, which also features former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz. Full story

Ohio: Majority PAC Extends Senate Race Buy to $600K

A Democratic super PAC spent an additional $300,000 in airtime to promote Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) this week — yet another sign that his race has become increasingly competitive.

The Majority PAC’s latest buy allows the group’s advertisement to stay on the airwaves a second week. The group has now spent $600,000 to air this spot on Brown’s GOP opponent, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel:

Outside groups have been pouring money into the race for months, but Democrats have been outspent by almost a 6-to-1 margin. The latest Majority PAC buy marks the largest investment to boost Brown’s re-election yet by an outside group.

Roll Call rates this race as Leans Democratic.

Ohio: Donations to Jim Renacci, Josh Mandel Part of Federal Probe

The campaigns of Rep. Jim Renacci and state Treasurer Josh Mandel, the GOP nominee for Senate, confirmed today that they are aware the government is investigating contributions they accepted from employees at a direct marketing firm.

Spokesmen for the two Ohio Republicans told the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Monday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was looking at money received from employees at a company called Suarez Corporation Industries.

“To our knowledge no donations made to our campaign were contributed improperly. If we find out otherwise, those donations will be returned. Our campaign is not now nor has ever been the subject of this investigation,” Renacci spokesman James Slepian wrote in an email response. He added that the campaign has not heard anything about the matter in several months and is not aware of whether the inquiry is still active.

“The campaign is aware of the investigation and is fully cooperating. Neither the campaign or anyone associated with it is a target of the investigation,” Mandel spokesman Travis Considine told Roll Call. He also pointed out that the campaign had set aside $100,000 in donations from Suarez employees pending the outcome of the investigation. Full story

Texas: Rick Perry and Sarah Palin Make the Case for Their Candidates

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have found themselves on opposing sides in the Texas Senate GOP primary.

Each has previously made an endorsement: Perry for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst; Palin for former state Solicitor General Ted Cruz.

And now they are going to bat for their candidates. Perry is featured in a new TV ad released Monday by Dewhurst. Perry vouches for him on fiscal policy and adds, “Our country needs him, and so does Texas.”

The Cruz camp also made news Sunday by releasing a robocall from Palin.

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Montana: Jon Tester Launches Seventh TV Ad

Montana Sen. Jon Tester (D) today launched the seventh television ad of his re-election campaign.

It’s yet another positive spot and highlights Tester’s relationship with a seriously injured veteran. A source tracking ad buys said the campaign is spending about $60,000 to run the ad statewide on cable and broadcast TV. Full story