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"In the short term at least, this does provide Republicans with something they can all hang their hat on, at a time when they've been fighting with each other so much - so that can have a salutary effect by shoring up the GOP base and distract from the daily drama around Trump himself," one longtime Clinton adviser said.

The surrogate predicted the news would also hurt Democrats in down ballot elections.

"I assume Senate Democrats are peeing in their pants right now," the surrogate said. "The [Republican] ads are being cut as we speak."

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