CAMPAIGN OVERNIGHT: Political tomfoolery

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who drew national acclaim and esteem from the fashion world for his bowtie-polo sartorial sensation a few weeks ago, has been named the newest spokesman for men’s fashion magazine GQ.

April Fools’!

However much he might wish it, Polis’s oddball style has not been labeled groundbreaking or avant-garde enough to land him a job at GQ. But a congressman can dream, and dream he did in a press release that went out to reporters announcing his “hire.” 

{mosads}”While we were, admittedly, slow to appreciate the ‘fashion genius’ that Congressman Polis’ daring style represents, we can admit when we were wrong, and think that this move more than makes up for that,” said GQ Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson in the release. “I am confident that a wave of polo’s with bowties will sweep across the nation, and we are proud to be [at] the forefront of this ‘potie’ revolution.”

Other lawmakers got in on the April Fools’ festivities on Tuesday, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announcing on “Fox & Friends” that he got a tattoo of a cigar-smoking, fedora-wearing Winston Churchill on his bicep.

The Republican National Committee announced the party would be swapping colors with Democrats, taking over blue because after polling women and millennials, they realized it would “improve our standing in 2014, 2016 and beyond.”

It seems the ultimate joke, however, was on reporters, who spent a nervous Tuesday on high alert, second-guessing every quirky story or too-good-to-be-true nugget of news for fear of taking an April Fools’ prank too seriously.

SENATE SHOWDOWN

DEMS RESPONDING TO KOCHS: Thirty million dollars from Koch brothers-backed groups later, Democrats are finally investing money in offensive efforts to take down the Kochs and motivate their base to turn out.

NE-SEN (OPEN): Nebraska Republican Senate front-runners Shane Osborn, the former state treasurer, and Ben Sasse, the Midland University president, are battling over who can lay claim to the “outsider” mantle in the race, but both have some insider ties. Sasse worked on 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s transition team and has produced an ObamaCare alternative that aligns closely with Romney’s healthcare plan, while Osborn is recieving support from allies of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

NH-SEN (SHAHEEN): Scott Brown made a brief stop at his old stomping grounds Tuesday — at the weekly Senate Republican Conference lunch. He was dropping in, an aide said, to say hello during a previously planned trip to the D.C. area for business unrelated to his New Hampshire Senate exploratory committee.

MS-SEN (COCHRAN): Facing a tough primary fight, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) launched a new ad that touts his positions on three bread-and-butter conservative issues: guns, abortion and ObamaCare.

KY-SEN (MCCONNELL): A new ad from a pro-Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) group touts his opposition to the “death tax,” characterizing it as a defense of family farms.

AR-SEN (PRYOR): Americans for Prosperity is up with another ad attacking Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) on ObamaCare, featuring a truck driver saying the law has led to uncertainty about whether he’ll be able to keep his insurance.

AK-SEN (BEGICH): The American Energy Alliance is up with ads that say Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) “likes to have it both ways” on climate change legislation.

GA-SEN (OPEN): Senate candidate Michelle Nunn (D) is facing her first attack ad. The Ending Spending Action Fund, a GOP-affiliated super-PAC, is hitting her for her support of ObamaCare and accusing her of supporting higher taxes, calling her “the last thing Georgia taxpayers need.”

NC-SEN (HAGAN): American Crossroads is up with ads backing North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) ahead of his competitive GOP primary to face Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.). The 60-Plus Association is also on the air attacking Hagan. And Tea Party candidate Greg Brannon (R), Tillis’s main opponent in the race, is out with a mailer touting his endorsement from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and his opposition to abortion.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE

DCCC ED NAMES THREE TOP RACES: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Executive Director Kelly Ward touted races in Colorado’s 6th District, California’s 21st District and New Jersey’s 3rd District as three of the nation’s top races this cycle.

AZ-7 (OPEN): Retiring Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) endorsed Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox in the competitive Democratic primary for his seat. Meanwhile, Arizona House Assistant Minority Leader Ruben Gallego announced raising $160,000 in the first 28 days of his campaign from more than 800 donors, and has $150,000 cash on hand.

AL-6 (OPEN): Alabama businessman Will Brooke, one of five Republicans vying for retiring Rep. Spencer Bauchus’s (R-Ala.) seat, launched two introductory ads in the race. In one, he speaks direct-to-camera about his sucess creating jobs, and in another, a narrator touts him as helping out following a tornado, “working, praying beside those in need.”

MI-4 (OPEN): Michigan state Sen. John Moolenaar (R) is the first candidate to announce a bid for retiring Rep. Dave Camp’s (R-Mich.) GOP-leaning House seat.

WV-3 (RAHALL): The American Energy Alliance launched a new ad tying vulnerable Democratic Rep. Nick Rahall (W.Va.) to President Obama on coal. The ad charges that Rahall “wants us to think he’s fighting for West Virginia coal, but in Washington, he stands with anti-coal extremists.”

2016 WATCH

‘I CAN’T SAY MYSELF?’ New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) named former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) as “really good” candidates for president in a Fox News interview. Of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), another likely presidential contender, Christie would only say he would be a “credible” candidate.

RICK SANTORUM, FILMMAKER, GOP NOMINEE? Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is contemplating another run for president, and historically he’d be handed the nomination — the GOP typically nominates the second-place finisher from the cycle before. But no one quite appears to believe Santorum will be the pick this time around, The Washington Post sketches out in a new profile. While he contemplates his prospects, he makes movies.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“Bottom line – There is nothing wrong with being a gamer.”

—Jacob Rush, Rep. Ted Yoho’s (R-Fla.) primary challenger, who spends his free time role-playing as a vampire and other characters