GOP group previews attacks in Indiana, W.Va. and Ohio Senate races

 Republican opposition research firm America Rising is storming ahead after Tuesday’s primaries, launching a warning shot at vulnerable Democrats now have that their Republican opponents officially have the party’s nominations.  In a new memo to donors sent Wednesday morning and obtained by The Hill, top America Rising executives Joe Pounder and Alexandra Smith sent donors an early look at their strategy to attack Democratic Sens. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinTrump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects Shelley Moore Capito wins Senate primary West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wins GOP gubernatorial primary MORE (W.Va.), Joe DonnellyJoseph (Joe) Simon DonnellyEx-Sen. Joe Donnelly endorses Biden Lobbying world 70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents MORE (Ind.) and Sherrod BrownSherrod Campbell BrownHillicon Valley: Senators raise concerns over government surveillance of protests | Amazon pauses police use of its facial recognition tech | FBI warns hackers are targeting mobile banking apps Democratic senators raise concerns over government surveillance of protests Some realistic solutions for income inequality MORE (Ohio). All three senators are on the GOP target list after President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE won their states in 2016.  The group plans to paint the lawmakers as too liberal for their state’s red-leaning electorates. “The combination of opposition research and rapid response is the most effective way to define a candidate and influence the trajectory of a race. America Rising PAC is prepared to deploy our research to exploit the vulnerabilities of Senators Manchin, Donnelly, and Brown to voters in their states who overwhelmingly supported the President,” the two write in the memo, noting they have more than 1,600 pages of opposition research on the three senators and have tracked them across tens of thousands of miles.  “America Rising PAC is focused on an aggressive earned media effort applying opposition research on a daily basis to define the narrative against these Democratic Senators.” In West Virginia, Republicans dodged what they considered a bullet — the primary campaign of ex-convict and former coal baron Don Blankenship, who was defeated Tuesday night. The GOP saw Blankenship, who was convicted of willfully conspiring to violate mine safety laws after a fatal mine explosion that killed 29 miners, as a risk to their chances to defeat Manchin.  After Blankenship’s primary defeat, the party can move ahead with state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey as their nominee.  The America Rising document bashes Manchin for claiming to be a “bipartisan moderate” while sitting “to the left of West Virginia voters on most issues.”  The group plans to hit Manchin for his vote against the GOP tax plan while highlighting his admission in December that there are “some good things” in the bill that could help people. They also plan to target Manchin’s work to expand background checks in 2013 and his support for raising the minimum age to purchase a rifle in 2018, days after a deadly shooting at a Florida high school.  But even as West Virginia has moved significantly to the right since Manchin joined office, he’s a well-established brand there. Democrats see him as virtually the only Democrat who could keep that seat in play.  In Indiana, where businessman Mike Braun took the top spot in the Republican primary, America Rising plans to double down on the GOP’s top line of attack on Donnelly, criticizing him for ties to a family company that relied on workers in Mexico.  They’re also looking to paint Donnelly as a foe of the Trump administration, pointing to audio where he described the Trump base as not representative of the country as well as a fundraising pitch critical of Vice President Pence. Donnelly’s camp has been pushing back against those attacks for months by highlighting public policy research that shows him as one of the most bipartisan senators in Congress.  Donnelly and Braun are expected to face off in one of the toughest matchups of the 2018 election cycle in a state Trump won by 19 points.  In Ohio, where Republicans are hoping Rep. Jim RenacciJames (Jim) B. RenacciOhio is suddenly a 2020 battleground Democrats fear Ohio slipping further away in 2020 Medicare for All won’t deliver what Democrats promise MORE can finally knock off Brown, America Rising is planning to attack Brown’s progressive record as proof that his status at the “darling of the progressive Left” doesn’t fit in the purple state.  The memo points to his support for single-payer health care — a measure Republicans love to needle Democrats for supporting by noting its significant cost. The GOP also uses that legislation to tie Brown to Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.), an avid supporter of the plan that is wildly popular on the left but far more controversial on the right.  But dislodging Brown will be difficult — he’s held elected office in the state for more than 30 years, and his populist streak has allowed him to run ahead of other Democrats in Ohio.  —Updated at 4:10 p.m. Click Here: New Zealand rugby store