- The Washington Times - Thursday, August 15, 2024

The House Democrats’ campaign arm announced Thursday that it was expanding the number of tight races that would get support from its major fundraising program in the wake of new Democratic momentum with Vice President Kamala Harris atop the ticket.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added one candidate each in Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona under the organization’s “Red to Blue” umbrella with less than three months remaining in the 2024 election cycle.

The program is designed to flip Republican-controlled seats in the Democrats’ bid to regain control of the House, and provides candidates with the DCCC’s powerful fundraising and organizational apparatuses.

The addition of challenges by Rebecca Cooke of Wisconsin, Carl Marlinga of Michigan and Amish Shah of Arizona grows the number of seats targeted by the program to 30.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, who chairs the DCCC, said in a statement that the trio have “built formidable campaigns and are ready to take the fight to their extreme Republican opponents.”

“I look forward to working with them to retake the majority so Congress can get back to work to defend reproductive rights, lower costs, defend Social Security and Medicare, and grow the middle class,” said Ms. DelBene, Washington Democrat.

Ms. Cooke won her primary in Wisconsin’s 3rd District this week to face first-term Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who flipped the seat from over two decades of Democratic control in 2022.

The district leans Republican by four points according to the Cook Political Report, but Democrats believe they can pick up the seat thanks to internal polling data that showed the lawmaker underperforming compared to a generic Republican by five points among voters, and virtually tied with a generic Democrat.

That data is driven largely by his struggles with capturing independent voters.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the House GOP counterpart to the DCCC, has accused Ms. Cooke of “shady deals” following reports that a nonprofit she founded had provided a $2,000 grant in 2022 to a restaurant where she worked.

In Michigan, Mr. Marlinga is set for a rematch with Republican Rep. John James in the 10th District.

Mr. James is vying for a second term in office after he narrowly squeaked out a victory against Mr. Marlinga by a half-point in 2022. Though Democrats believe Mr. Marlinga’s name recognition could propel him to victory this time, the Cook Political Report has the race listed as leaning Republican by three points.  

Republicans have accused Mr. Marlinga’s old law firm, the Marlinga Law Group, of representing people charged with sex crimes against minors, a tactic the NRCC used in 2022. Mr. Marlinga has vehemently rebuked the accusations.

In Arizona, Mr. Shah will face Republican Rep. David Schweikert in the 1st District. While the Cook Political Report listed Mr. Schweikert’s race as a toss-up, the five-term lawmaker is no stranger to tight races — he won his last bid for reelection by just 3,200 votes.

The DCCC believes that abortion being on the ballot in the state could propel Mr. Shah to victory over the conservative Mr. Schweikert. Republicans have sought to paint Mr. Shah as a leftist, tying the candidate to the “extreme left-wing” agenda of the Harris-Walz campaign.

NRCC spokesperson Will Reinert dismissed the three Democratic challengers who are getting expanded help from the national party.

“A guy who solicited sexual predators as clients, a fake farm girl who directed thousands in grants to a business she works at & a Bernie Bro,” he wrote on X. “They gonna need all the help they can get from the DCCC.”

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.

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