Scoop: House Dems issue rare rebuke of their own campaign arm
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Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Suzan DelBene. Photos: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
A group of House Democrats on Monday leveled rare public criticism of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for elevating a candidate in a hotly contested congressional primary.
Why it matters: House Democrats don't usually go at each other in such public fashion, but the intra-party tensions surrounding some of these House primaries is reaching a boiling point.
- "We disagree with the DCCC's decision to attempt to tip the scales in this race," a group of Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders said in a statement first shared with Axios.
- "Voters, not the DCCC, should pick Democratic nominees. ... Our members have consistently advocated for DCCC neutrality in competitive House primaries, and the DCCC should have observed that policy in this race."
- CPC PAC co-chairs Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), along with CPC PAC Board members Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), signed onto the statement.
Driving the news: The DCCC on Monday added California State Assembly member Jasmeet Bains to its "Red to Blue" program, which provides resources and fundraising assistance to Democratic candidates aiming to unseat House Republican incumbents.
- Bains is locked in a hotly contested primary with progressive Randy Villegas to take on Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) in California's 22nd district.
- Villegas has been endorsed by the CPC and several outside progressive groups, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
- Bains is the favorite of the center-left New Democrats and the centrist Blue Dogs, along with the Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus.
What they're saying: "It's imperative that Democrats must take back the House to hold Trump accountable and deliver on what truly matters to voters - lower costs and affordable health care," said DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton.
- "That's why we are proud to announce our latest round of Red to Blue candidates who span the ideological spectrum, are authentic voices in their districts, and are best positioned to win in November."
Zoom in: "We urge everyone who wants to build a pro-working class Democratic Party to step up and support Randy Villegas' campaign," the CPC leaders said in their statement.
- The Villegas campaign on Monday afternoon rolled out endorsements from Ramirez and Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.) — both CPC and CHC members.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
