The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is deploying an unusual strategy to counter what it claims is Republican interference in Democratic primaries. The party arm has launched joint ad buys with candidates it views as the "strongest" in key battleground districts, effectively squeezing out their primary opponents.
This approach has ignited fury within parts of the party, particularly among progressives who question the DCCC's judgment on electability. "If DCCC were a good judge of electability, then we wouldn't be in the mess we're in," Ravi Mangla, a spokesperson for the progressive Working Families Party, told Axios.
The DCCC earlier this month endorsed a slate of "Red to Blue" candidates in battleground House districts that still have credible primary opponents. One key race is in California, where state Assembly member Jasmeet Bains faces progressive political science professor Randy Villegas, who has led in fundraising.
DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton defended the strategy, saying in a statement that "the stakes are incredibly high for the midterms" and that it is "critical that Democrats have the strongest candidates possible in November to take back the House." The committee argues that early backing strengthens eventual general election prospects.
Critics counter that the DCCC has a poor track record of predicting which candidates can win general elections. "This tactic risks alienating the party's base and could backfire in November," Mangla added, pointing to past races where establishment-backed candidates lost key seats.