GOP sparks fury with apparent meddling in Democratic primaries

GOP sparks fury with apparent meddling in Democratic primaries

House Democrats are seething over what is, by all indications, a nationwide Republican effort to elevate Democratic primary candidates viewed as more beatable in November.

Why it matters: This once-rare practice is becoming commonplace. Democrats did it in 2022 and 2024, with one House Democrat telling Axios it "seems like the new normal."

  • Republican former Rep. Adam Kinzinger told Axios that GOP spending in Democratic primaries is "awful" but was "inevitable" after Democrats adopted the tactic in the Biden years.
  • Democrats, he said, "probably ... taught the Republicans a lesson" in how to meddle in the opposing party's primaries.

    • Driving the news: A trio of obscure super PACs with progressive-sounding names have cropped up in recent months to support more left-leaning or scandal-tarnished candidates in key battleground districts.

  • Lead Left PAC played in Nebraska's 2nd district, Pennsylvania's 7th and — most infamously — Texas' 35th, where it reported spending over $1 million to boost Maureen Galindo, a sex therapist whose comments widely seen as antisemitic became a major flashpoint before she lost in a primary runoff.
  • Real Change PAC spent big to oppose the more moderate Democratic primary candidates in New Jersey's 7th, Maine's 2nd and California's 22nd districts.
  • Progressive Champions PAC is spending at least $1.5 million against centrist Cait Conley in New York's 17th district.

    • Between the lines: Republicans have played coy about their alleged role in these efforts, but there are plenty of clues pointing to their involvement.

  • Lead Left PAC's website — which says the group "stands against MAGA extremists" — includes a link to the GOP fundraising site WinRed in its metadata, according to Punchbowl News.
  • When someone signs up to receive emails from Real Change PAC, they receive a confirmation email from GOP consulting firm Cavalry LLC, which Axios first reported.
  • Progressive Champions PAC and Real Change PAC list the same bank of record on their FEC filings, with both reportedly using the same, Republican-affiliated compliance filing software.

    • What we're hearing: One former House Republican with knowledge of the effort, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive details, told Axios this is simply the GOP fighting fire with fire.

  • "After Dems ran these fake PACs two years ago, Republicans have entered the fray with the same strategy," the ex-lawmaker told Axios.
  • New York's 17th, they added, is "one of the districts [where] it's being employed."

    • Yes, but: A former House Democrat involved in the 2022 and 2024 elections argued that Democrats did their GOP primary meddling more out in the open in those cycles.

  • In 2022, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC meddled directly in GOP primaries.
  • In 2024 primaries, a group called Duty and Country — which had public ties to Democrats' Senate Majority PAC — supported now-Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio).
  • Democrats may have intervened more secretively later on in 2024, however, with PACs boosting libertarians and other conservative-leaning third party candidates.

    • Between the lines: The tactic of boosting more extreme candidates in primaries is "extremely dangerous," said Kinzinger.

  • "There are people in Congress now nobody thought could win 10 years ago that now are actually setting policy," he told Axios. "Each side is spending a lot of money to put the worst people in."

    • What they're saying: Democrats "aren't happy" that Republicans are "trying to help the far left," a senior House Democrat told Axios.

  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has publicly blasted Republicans on the subject, writing in a post on X last week: "Stay the Hell out of our races with your malignant and desperate scheming."
  • "This type of spending is as prevalent as it is awful — by Dems and Republicans," Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.) told Axios.

    • The bottom line: This is all made possible in part by campaign finance laws allowing these groups to keep their funding sources hidden until after primary day.

  • "Unfortunately this is the world of the super PAC," said Kinzinger. "It's a symptom of a bigger problem."
  • "If only Congress had the ability do something about these super PACs," Olszewski told Axios sarcastically, adding, "Oh wait."

    • Editor's note: This article was updated to add additional reporting.