"said her "policy is the same policy we've had since I've been chair." "We have, in a small number of cases, gotten involved," DelBene said, noting that the DCCC endorsed now-Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) over a more liberal primary opponent last cycle. But in "most of these cases," she added, "the voters are going to have the decision on who the primary candidate is going to be.""
"Zoom in: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), at the same press conference, made clear that the DCCC won't be dipping its toes into primaries in solidly Democratic districts. "The DCCC focuses on swing seats, defending our frontline incumbents ... and flipping red seats blue," he said. "The DCCC has never gotten involved in primary dynamics that involve safe Democratic seats, and that policy has not changed.""
"Yes, but: On Tuesday, Jeffries sidestepped a question about whether he will spend money from his own campaign coffers to help the more than half a dozen older House Democrats in safe districts who have been out-raised by younger primary rivals. "We're in the middle of a 35-day government shutdown," he told Axios. "There will be more than enough time to talk about the primary season next year.""
Tension exists between Democratic leadership favoring moderates and a grassroots base increasingly backing outsider progressives in primaries. Party officials view moderate candidates with electoral experience as preferable in swing districts. The DCCC generally avoids intervening in primaries, with a few exceptions, including endorsing Rep. Janelle Bynum over a more liberal challenger. Chair Suzan DelBene said the committee intervened only in a small number of cases and usually leaves primary decisions to voters. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the DCCC focuses on swing seats and will not involve itself in safe-seat primaries. Jeffries declined to say whether he would use his campaign funds to aid incumbents, citing the government shutdown.
Read at Axios
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