KARI LAKE’S BIG FLORIDA HAUL This just in: A fundraiser happening right now for Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort has raked in $1 million, according to a person familiar with the event. That haul breaks records for a fundraiser for a non-incumbent candidate held at the palatial club in Palm Beach, Florida. Lake is making a second run at statewide office after losing a 2022 gubernatorial bid, running against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego for the open Senate seat currently held by retiring independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. The fundraiser is being attended by Trump, Roger Stone, actress and comedian Roseanne Barr, right-wing activist Laura Loomer and Ohio Senate GOP candidate Bernie Moreno. — Meridith McGraw AIPAC SPENDING ROILS DEM PRIMARY Harry Dunn and other Democrats vying to succeed Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) are pushing back against AIPAC’s boosting of state Sen. Sarah Elfreth in Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District primary race. The AIPAC-affiliated United Democracy Project super PAC is backing Elfreth with hundreds of thousands of dollars in TV airtime. The deep-pocketed group’s entry into the primary has raised eyebrows among Democrats, particularly since Dunn has not made the war in Gaza a major part of his campaign, nor has he called for a cease-fire like other progressives. Dunn's haul: He’s ready to counter the spending, though, with a sizable war chest of his own. Dunn has capitalized on a wave of small-dollar donations, raising $3.6 million over the last quarter, according to his campaign. The limited polling available so far shows a close primary race among Elfreth, Maryland Del. Mike Rogers and Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer who rose to prominence after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The district learns strongly Democratic. AIPAC has stressed that its involvement in the race was not directly related to Dunn, with UDP spokesperson Patrick Dorton telling Jewish insider that Elfreth was a “stronger candidate” on the issues and that there were “some serious anti-Israel candidates in this race, who are not Harry Dunn, and we need to make sure that they don’t make it to Congress.” — Nicholas Wu THE FIRST VP DEBATE While former President Donald Trump debates his VP choice, there’s a parallel discussion happening inside the congressional GOP: Will his VP choice even affect the 2024 election? First thing’s first: There’s broad acknowledgement that Trump’s 2016 pick shored up his standing on the right. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) recalled that moment this way: “There were a lot of folks in 2016 in my state that were skeptical — they didn’t know him at that point. When he picked [Mike] Pence, they were like: ‘Yes, I’m going to vote for him.’ It changed the enthusiasm dramatically.” But eight years later, everyone knows what Trump is about. That means the VP pick involves a unique calculus for Trump as he considers everyone from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to two very different Dakota governors and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio). “Generally vice president picks make no difference,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who chose former Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as his wingman in 2012. “An Hispanic pick might help [Trump] with Hispanics, an African American, perhaps, with African American voters. I don't think women are going to change their mind about Donald Trump based on his VP pick.” Vance said Trump is likely weighing those factors to some extent, in addition to others: “You've got to be thinking about the political upside, you’ve gotta be thinking about somebody that could serve as president, you’ve got to be thinking about fundraising considerations.” (Indeed, Trump’s campaign is struggling to keep up with Biden’s money machine so far.) Grover Cleveland redux? But there’s a unique aspect to Trump’s potential return to the presidency: Since he lost his 2020 re-election campaign and would be limited to one additional term as president, Republicans are eager for a VP pick that will help them chart the course ahead. Trump’s appeal has proven difficult to replicate down-ballot, so this is probably the best chance the former president has to signal whom he would eventually want to take the GOP’s reins in four years. “I don’t think there’s anybody that can help him get votes. He’s going to get his votes,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). “Me and a lot of other people are saying, ‘Hey, whoever we get needs to have a great opportunity to learn from you and be the next president.’” — Burgess Everett
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