Trying To Sell Trump's Tax Reform: "The Middle Class Project"

One of the biggest pro-Trump outside groups of 2016, backed by the Adelson and Ricketts families, plans to spend "eight figures" — at least $10 million — backing tax reform.

• The 45Committee is launching "The Middle Class Project," a 501(c)(4) with an opening TV spot, "What's In It For You," that will debut nationally with tomorrow's bill introduction.

• Why it matters: The size of the spend — from some of the most important donors in the party — is correlated to the stakes: Republicans know this is existential for them. If they fail to pass tax reform on the heels of failing to repeal Obamacare, the GOP could might as well be renamed R.I.P.
• The project will be run by Brian Baker, longtime Ricketts family political adviser, who also directed the 2016 campaign of the 45Committee and its affiliated super PAC, Future45.
• The spending will be aimed at "Republicans and Democrats, including national and targeted advertising in key states and districts, grassroots efforts ... and a heavy investment in data and digital operations."

Coming attractions ... With the release of the House Republican tax bill delayed until tomorrow, a source close to House GOP leadership gives Jonathan Swan this preview:

• "I think people are going to be underwhelmed by this because of all the offsets. ... [M]embers will be seeing this for the first time and reacting badly to all the difficult decisions they had to make to pay for the corporate tax cut."
• "The Ways and Means Committee has the benefit of thinking about this for 10 months. For the rest of the conference, ... [members'] reaction will be: 'Wait a minute. To get to a corporate rate of 20[%,] we've got to do all this other [stuff ]? I don't like that other [stuff]."
• Bottom line: "I think momentum is going to stall. But I think they'll be able to put it back together because they have to."