TRUMP CARD — Trump has taken an interest in Ohio Republican Matt Dolan, a wealthy Major League Baseball scion running in the packed Senate primary, POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt reported. "While Dolan is widely regarded as a longshot in the Trump-dominated primary, those in the former president's orbit say there's good reason to be focused on him: The candidate is spending $10 million-plus out of his pocket, is slowly rising in polling and is poised to benefit from a raft of Trump-aligned primary rivals splintering the vote among themselves." THE MAP LINES — Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening to veto a new congressional map that leaves Rep. Al Lawson's (D-Fla.) district intact, POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon reported (for Pros). After GOP state lawmakers proposed a draft map that some Republicans do not believe is aggressive enough, DeSantis released his own proposal that would dismantle Lawson's district and be even more favorable to the GOP. The state Supreme Court declined to give DeSantis an advisory ruling on whether breaking up Lawson's district would be illegal. — The redistricting battle in the Missouri state Senate is on pause after a marathon filibuster, The Missouri Times' Kaitlyn Schallhorn wrote. Republican state lawmakers are locked in an intra-party battle over how aggressively to gerrymander a new congressional map, and plan to reconvene on Tuesday. Behind the scenes, state senators have been working to come up with a compromise map. MASK OFF — While other Democrats embrace ditching masks, members of the party who are running for Senate haven't caught up, POLITICO's Natalie Allison reported. "Senate Democrats' reluctance to embrace a return-to-normal message — one that 70 percent of people support — comes as Republicans continue to seize on the issue. Republican senators and candidates are portraying their Democratic rivals as in lockstep with President Joe Biden, whose administration continues to recommend indoor mask mandates in schools and other public settings," Natalie noted. I'LL BE BACK — Months after he resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is looking for a way to vindicate himself, POLITICO's Joseph Spector and Anna Gronewold reported. It's not yet clear what Cuomo, who believes he was forced to step down, might do as he steps back into the spotlight. Cuomo recently dined with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Some New York Democrats say Cuomo could use his massive campaign war chest to attack his enemies, or even run against state Attorney General Tish James, who investigated him. EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) boosted progressives in Texas ahead of the March 1 primary, the San Antonio Express-News' Cayla Harris reported. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Greg Casar in TX-35 and Jessica Cisneros against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), and said during the event that it is "inevitable" that Texas will become a blue state. MONEY MOVES — Three people were indicted last week over allegations that they made illegal campaign contributions to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and a pro-Collins PAC, Axios' Rebecca Falconer wrote. Three former defense contractor executives, Martin Kao, Clifford Chen and Lawrence 'Kahele' Lum Kee were "charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make conduit and government contractor contributions, making conduit contributions, and making government contractor contributions, according to the Department of Justice." — Rep. David Schweikert's (R-Ariz.) campaign paid a $125,000 fine for misusing campaign donations and violating FEC reporting rules, the Daily Beast's Roger Sollenberger reported. JUST PEACHY — Georgia Republican Herschel Walker's primary rivals are raising concerns that he would lose to Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in the general election, The Associated Press' Jeff Amy. State Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and former banker Latham Saddler both pointed to news about Walker's past, including a new report about police confiscating a gun during a domestic dispute two decades ago, as damaging in the general election. "I'm deeply concerned that we're about to forfeit control of the United States Senate again, under our watch, when it could be easily avoided," Black said on Friday. MIDTERM MESSAGING — Top Republicans are working to take back the Senate and expose the limits of Trump's political power, The New York Times' Jonathan Martin reported. As Trump endorses a slate of friendly allies, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are "quietly, desperately maneuvering to try to thwart him. The loose alliance, which was once thought of as the G.O.P. establishment, for months has been engaged in a high-stakes candidate recruitment campaign, full of phone calls, meetings, polling memos and promises of millions of dollars. McConnell and former President George W. Bush are urging Arizona GOP Gov. Doug Ducey to run for Senate, for example. — Democrats are questioning the direction top party leaders are taking ahead of the high-stakes 2022 midterms, the Los Angeles Times' Eli Stokols and Jennifer Haberkorn reported. Members of Congress say Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain made a mistake in trying to appeal to progressives to pass Biden's sweeping social spending plan, and alienating moderates as a result. "The progressive-first strategy ultimately soured many Democrats on Capitol Hill on the ability of the White House and Schumer to rescue the social spending plan and has left them feeling rudderless as they seek a path to resurrect portions of the plan in a new bill," according to the Times. — The Democratic Party is not headed toward defunding the police, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during an interview on ABC's "This Week," POLITICO's David Cohen wrote. "Make no mistake, community safety is our responsibility," Pelosi said, pushing back on Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who said she will continue to support defunding the police. "That's not the position of the Democratic Party, with all due respect to Cori Bush," Pelosi said. BALLOT BATTLE — A federal judge ruled that new voting restrictions in Texas that bar local election officials from encouraging voters to request mail-in ballots is likely unconstitutional, the Texas Tribune's Alexa Ura reported. The judge ruled the new law likely violates the First Amendment, and temporarily blocked the state from enforcing the law against an election administrator in Harris County. ENDORSEMENT ALERT — Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) endorsed Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) for Senate, The Missouri Times' Kaitlyn Schallhorn reported. Hartzler is running in a crowded field to replace retiring Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Trump has not endorsed in the packed primary. Speaking of Hartzler, the Republican is airing a new ad slamming transgender athletes, POLITICO's Natalie Allison wrote. "Women's sports are for women, not men pretending to be women," Hartzler says in the 30-second spot, taking aim at Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer on the University of Pennsylvania's women's team. — Maggie's List, a conservative group, endorsed Alabama Republican Katie Britt for Senate. Britt is running in a crowded primary to replace retiring Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). STAFF SHAKEUP — Florida state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat running for governor, is "restructuring" her campaign, POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon reported (for Pros). Fried's campaign manager, Farah Melendez, is leaving the campaign after joining in September. Fried has been outpaced in fundraising by primary rival Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.).
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