That Other Special Election… #MO08

Missouri state House Speaker Pro Tem Jason Smith released his first advertisement in 8th District special election this week.

The Republican nominee’s biographical spot is intended to introduce him to voters in the final weeks before the June 4 contest.

Smith is excepted to win in the heavily Republican district located in the southeast corner of the state, which is open because Republican Rep. Jo Ann Emerson resigned earlier this year.

Full story

Democrats Launch New Program for House Recruits

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman, chaired by Rep. Steve Israel, has launched a new program to help candidates in targeted districts. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched a new program aimed at cultivating strong candidates in targeted districts for the 2014 elections.

The Jumpstart program “provides early financial, communications, operational and strategic support to help top-tier candidates get a head start in these highly-targeted races,” according to a memo that will be sent to donors and supporters today.

Eight Democrats have been tapped for the program so far based on recent polling: Full story

The Next Allen West Is … #FL18

Republicans are lining up to challenge Murphy. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Republicans are lining up to challenge freshman Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., a top GOP target in 2014.

Murphy narrowly defeated then-Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., last year. West has ruled out a comeback bid, but Abby Livingston reports on a litany of potential candidates in this week’s Farm Team column: Full story

U.S. Census: Blacks Voted at Higher Rate Than Whites for First Time

The percentage of eligible black voters that cast ballots in 2012 was higher than that of white voters for the first time, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sixty-six percent of black voters turned out, compared to 64 percent of non-Hispanic whites, in the most recent presidential election. That had never happened since the bureau began tracking this data in 1996.

Full story

Bob Dold Announces House Comeback Campaign #IL10

Dold will run again. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Robert Dold, R-Ill, announced on Wednesday that he will officially run for Illinois’ 10th District, setting up a rematch in one of the state’s most competitive seats.

In a letter to supporters, the one-term Republican touted his moderate record and said he wants to head back to Washington to reach across party lines to solve problems. The letter was sent to supporters shortly after Roll Call reported that Dold was interviewing staffers to fill his campaign team. Full story

Redistricting Expert Joins Global Strategy Group | Shop Talk

Mark Gersh, a Democratic expert on redistricting, joined Global Strategy Group as a senior adviser on Wednesday.

Gersh joins the firm in an advisory role and will continue his current role as the Washington director of NCEC Services. Full story

Bob Dold Staffing Up for Rematch #IL10

Dold is preparing for a rematch. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Former Rep. Robert Dold, the Illinois Republican ousted after one term in 2012, is in the final stages of planning for a rematch in the 10th District.

Multiple sources confirm to CQ Roll Call that Dold has started to interview campaign staff and is close to officially jumping into the race. Full story

Mark Sanford’s Winning Team #SC01 | Shop Talk

Sanford is coming back to Congress. (Mary Ann Chastain/Getty Images)

Rep.-elect Mark Sanford’s special election victory is a testament to his well-run, competent campaign organization.

The Republican’s personal baggage alone made this a competitive race — even in the GOP-heavy 1st District. It was further complicated by the low turnout and unpredictable nature of a special election.

This is the team that pulled it off: Full story

Super PACs Fuel GOP Civil War

Republicans who have long pushed for campaign finance deregulation are now paying for one of its consequences: the rise of influential conservative super PACs vying for the soul of a fractured GOP.

That Republicans crushed by the 2012 election results are feuding over what went wrong and what comes next is nothing new. Less noticed has been the big money bankrolling GOP factions and the influential new super PACs and outside groups that hold the party’s future in their hands.

More than a dozen such groups have sprung up since Election Day, CQ Weekly reports this week — some promoting centrists, minorities or liberalized immigration rules, others championing conservatives at odds with “establishment” party leaders. As the story notes: Full story

Mark Sanford Wins Special Election #SC01

(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mark Sanford is officially coming back to Congress.

The former South Carolina governor defeated the Democratic nominee, Elizabeth Colbert Busch, on Tuesday night in South Carolina’s 1st District special election.

He defeated Colbert Busch 54 percent to 46 percent with 71 percent of precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press. Full story

Remainders: Georgia on the Mind

Polls close at 7 p.m. EDT today for South Carolina’s 1st District special election between former Gov. Mark Sanford and Democratic nominee Elizabeth Colbert Busch. Keep an eye on Roll Call tonight to see if Sanford pulled off his comeback bid.

But in the mean time, here’s what you may have missed “At the Races” on Tuesday …

• #GASEN: Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., will not run for the state’s open Senate seat, and now Democrats must continue their search for a Peach State recruit. All eyes are on Democrat Michelle Nunn, daughter of former Sen. Sam Nunn and the CEO of Points of Light, a volunteer organization.
• #HISEN: EMILY’s List endorsed Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the Aloha State’s Democratic primary for Senate in 2014. Hanabusa will face Sen. Brian Schatz, who was appointed to fill the vacancy after Sen. Daniel K. Inouye died last year.
• #IASEN: Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker became the first Republican to announce that he will run for Iowa’s open Senate seat on Tuesday.
• #FL18: Republican Juno Beach Vice Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Andel announced she is challenging freshman Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy in 2014.

What we’re mulling on Tuesday … Full story

John Barrow Not Running for Senate #GASEN

Barrow will not run for Senate. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Georgia Rep. John Barrow announced Tuesday that he will not seek the state’s open Senate seat, leaving Democrats without a top candidate for now in the party’s best pickup opportunity in 2014.

“I’m grateful for the encouragement I’ve received from folks all across the State of Georgia, but I’ve decided that I will not be a candidate for the Senate in 2014,” Barrow said in a statement. “I enjoy my work on behalf of the folks in the 12th District, and I look forward to continuing to serve them in the House of Representatives.” Full story

Republican to Challenge Freshman Patrick Murphy #FL18

Murphy is a top GOP target this cycle, after winning his district narrowly in 2012. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Republican Ellen Andel, the vice mayor pro tem for Juno Beach, announced Tuesday that she will challenge freshman Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy in 2014.

“As a competitive runner, I’m not one to sit on the sidelines and watch, especially now as the debt and spending problems in our country are spiraling out of control,” Andel said in a news release. Full story

GOP Senate Candidate Announces in Iowa #IASEN

Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker on Monday became the first Republican to announce his intentions to run for Iowa’s open Senate seat.

According to a release, Whitaker told the Simon Conway show on 1040 AM in Des Moines that he is taking the necessary steps toward a run and that he would formally announce his campaign on June 3. Full story

Democrats Land Top Recruit to Challenge Davis #IL13

Former Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis formally launched her campaign Tuesday to challenge freshman GOP Rep. Rodney Davis.

Callis is a top recruit of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Her entrance provides encouragement for a party that lost what it felt was a winnable seat in 2012.

“Like many of my friends and neighbors, I’m frustrated right now that Washington is not listening, and it’s not delivering for the middle class,” Callis said in a statement. “As Chief Judge, I’ve delivered reforms when Washington didn’t, and I’m running to deliver solutions for middle class families who are looking for good-paying jobs, and someone to protect Medicare and Social Security.” Full story