Leading Off:
• SD-Sen: There has been very little significant outside spending in this contest, but that may be starting to change. Every Voice Action is now attacking Republican Mike Rounds for allegedly being part of a corrupt scene to award EB-5 immigration cards to help his cronies. David Montgomery of the Argus Leader has the background to the EB-5 matter here.
A few weeks ago Democratic rival Rick Weiland hit Rounds on EB-5, and Rounds' defensive response suggests that the Republican thinks this is a real vulnerability. Polls have shown Rounds consistently ahead of Weiland but looking weaker than expected. It'll be worth seeing if other Democratic groups smell blood and start to get involved, and if Republicans feel they need to spend here to help Rounds across the finish line.
Senate:
• AK-Sen: On behalf of Republican Dan Sullivan, X-Games champion Cory Davis accuses Democratic Sen. Mark Begich of being a phony. Davis argues that Begich was only pretending to ride a snow machine in an ad, officially outing himself as a snow machine truther.
• AR-Sen: Republican Tom Cotton defends his vote against the Farm Bill, accusing Obama of hijacking it and turning it "into a food stamp bill." As Laura Clawson points out, the Farm Bill has had nutrition assistance included since the 1930s.
• IA-Sen: The Sierra Club spends another $209,000 against Republican Joni Ernst and there's more where that came from: They've reserved $1 million in airtime here.
• KS-Sen: Earlier this week, Republican Sen. Pat Roberts launched the first of what will be many attacks tying independent Greg Orman to Obama and national Democrats.
Orman pushes back, arguing that Roberts' attacks are what's wrong with Washington. Orman goes on to say he tried both parties and didn't fit into either, and pledges he'll stand up for Kansas rather than for party. It's a decent response, but it of course won't deter Republicans from portraying him as an Obama proxy.
• KY-Sen: Democrat Alison Grimes features her grandmother describing how the candidate's grandfather suffered a terrible stroke and the family could barley afford to take care of him. Grimes uses the story to call for strengthening Medicare, accusing Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of voting to raise senior's Medicare costs. On the GOP side, the Credit Union National Association spends $300,000.
• MI-Sen: The DSCC once again ties Republican Terri Lynn Land to the Koch brothers. On the other side, a group called B-Pac spends $316,000 for the GOP here.
• Freedom Partners: The pro-GOP group has new expenditures in AR-Sen, IA-Sen, OR-Sen, and NH-02. We also have new spots in AK-Sen and OR-Sen.
• Senate: Various expenditures from the DSCC and NRSC.
Gubernatorial:
• FL-Gov: Democrat Charlie Crist has another Spanish spot starring his running mate Annette Taddeo.
• GA-Gov: Democrat Jason Carter pledges to stand up for the middle class against the corporations. Carter manages to say the phrase "middle class" an impressive five times in only 30 seconds.
• NH-Gov: Well, this is interesting. The RGA has aired its first spot against Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, who has usually been viewed as the clear favorite against Republican Walt Havenstein. It's not a particularity compelling ad ("Hassan is a politician! Havenstein isn't!") but we'll see if Republicans think they can pull off an unexpected win here.
• OR-Gov: Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber and Republican Dennis Richardson.
• PA-Gov: Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.
• WI-Gov: Two spots from Republican Gov. Scott Walker (here and here). The first ad has him arguing he's saved money for constituents. The second links Democrat Mary Burke to Obamacare.
House:
• AR-02: Democrat Patrick Henry Hays.
• AR-04: Democrat James Lee Witt.
• AZ-02: Americans for Responsible Solutions spends another $370,000 against Republican Martha McSally.
• CA-07: Republican Doug Ose hits Democratic Rep. Ami Bera over the water crisis.
• CA-21: Democrat Amanda Renteria.
• CA-36: Republican Brian Nestande goes after Democratic Rep. Raul Ruiz on the national debt.
• CA-52: Republican Carl DeMaio portrays himself as an independent reformer who will stand up to extremists in his own party. Especially in recent weeks, Democratic incumbent Scott Peters has been working hard to tie DeMaio to those very extremists.
• CO-06: CounterPAC recently aired this spot against Republican Rep. Mike Coffman, and they've spent $122,000 so far on it.
• FL-02: Republican Rep. Steve Southerland.
• IA-03: The NRCC portrays Democrat Staci Appel as weak on terrorism, while praising Republican David Young.
• IL-13: Democrat Ann Callis.
• NY-18: Republican Nan Hayworth.
• NY-21: Republican Elise Stefanik hits Democrat Aaron Woolf on Social Security.
• House Majority PAC: Various expenditures from the pro-Democratic group.