At first glance, a Recent Democratic primaries In California’s Central Valley it was fair Another skirmish Between the progressive wing of the party and its more moderate establishment.
This time, the contest was won by populist rebel Randy Villegas. But what sets the outcome apart from similar primary battles is the stakes.
This was not a fight over A.J Safe Democratic seat. Villegas will be the standard-bearer against Republican Rep. David Valadao, one of the most promising targets for Democrats desperate to regain control of the country. Majority of the US House of Representatives And slow down the president Donald Trump.
The November race will test a theory that is very popular on the left Voters will flock For progressive, anti-establishment candidates even in places that have traditionally favored Republicans.
“The populist message is not limited to blue zones or certain parts of the country,” said Ravi Mangla, spokesman for the Working Families Party, one of the political parties. Progressive groups That supported Villegas. “He can win anywhere where people feel like politics isn’t working for them.”
“More than ever, voters across the political spectrum want candidates who are willing to stand up to power,” Mangla said.
The National Republican Congressional Committee rejected Villegas’ chances, even though Democratic leaders in the state recently redrew the district to facilitate a flip this year.
“Democrats know Villegas cannot beat Congressman David Valadao because he is embracing the same failed policies that have made California more expensive, less safe, and more difficult for working families in the Central Valley,” party spokesman Christian Martinez said.
Villegas’ victory comes during an election season in which large parts of the Democratic base reject the candidates that party leaders see as the best chance to win power in Congress.
Graham Blattner won a landslide in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary this week after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s preferred candidate, Gov. Janet Mills, dropped out with weak support weeks before the election.
Plattner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer, has never held elected office and has been plagued by controversy over his past relationships with women, his inflammatory online posts and his since-covered tattoo that has been recognized as a Nazi symbol.
In Michigan, Representative Haley Stevens is embroiled in a case Three-way competition For the Democratic Senate nomination against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed. The primary will be held on August 4, and El-Sayed has recently received major endorsements from the party United Auto Workers Union, a political force in the state that is home to the American auto industry.
In the US Senate race in Minnesota, progressive Governor Peggy Flanagan is locked in a fierce battle with US Representative Angie Craig, supported by labor unions, LGBT groups and moderate Democrats, ahead of the August 11 primary.
Another test will come June 30 in Colorado, where progressive Manny Rutnell faces establishment-backed Shannon Byrd in the Democratic primary to take on Republican Rep. Gabe Evans. Like Valadao, Evans is The highest goal For Democrats. As in the California race, the contest in Colorado hinges on questions about who is most electable in November.
Valadao finished first and Villegas finished second in the California primary, where the top two candidates move on to the general election.
When early voting began about a month before the primary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee took the unusual step of publicly signaling its support for Jasmeet Bains, a doctor and state Assemblyman who had garnered support from a range of elected officials, unions and health care groups.
“Dr. Jasmeet Bains has fought on the front lines of health crises and built a proven track record of providing services to the Central Valley,” DCCC President Suzanne DelBene said in a statement at the time. Villegas was not critical, but public support for his challenger was a strong signal to Democratic donors and activists that the party believes Baines is the stronger candidate. Congressional leaders and the party agencies they control rarely contest openly contested primaries for open seats.
The decision to support Baines angered many on the left, who saw it as another example of Washington insiders being out of touch with both the Democratic base and disaffected voters who helped fuel Trump’s victories.
“I think moderates are wrong,” said Joseph Gevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, a progressive group that emerged from Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. “People don’t want status quo, pro-corporate candidates.” “They want people who are going to change things.”
Now that Villegas has won, Democrats in Washington now insist he is a strong candidate well positioned to defeat Valadao. They point to the popular support that carried him through the primary, and the 59% that Democrats received in the primary, which is much higher than the 41% who voted for Valadao, even though larger numbers of voters will turn out for the general election.
If the snub led to tension between Villegas and his party, by Wednesday both sides had buried it and presented a united front. California lawmakers, including some who supported Baines, issued scandalous statements, and he was magnanimous in return.
“We are all ready to elect Randy and flip this seat,” said Anna Elsasser, a spokeswoman for the DCCC, the arm of the Democratic Party focused on winning House races. She added that the region is “a must-win seat for a majority in the House of Representatives, and we are confident of winning with Randy as the Democratic nominee.”