this democrats The Federal Election Commission has been asked to investigate covert Republican efforts to influence Democratic primaries in key House races.
Two ad hoc super PACs have spent more than $4.3 million in a series of Democratic congressional primaries, backing candidates considered unlikely to be elected.
Democrats are skeptical of Republican interference after two groups, Real Change PAC and Left Leadership, invested heavily in Democratic primaries in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska and Maine in recent months.
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What do the FEC documents say?
Two interim super PACs, Real Change PAC and Lead Left, are funded entirely by the American Conservative PAC, according to disclosures filed late Saturday by the Federal Election Commission.
The two organizations have donated a total of about $4.3 million to primary elections in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska and Maine. They often support candidates considered weaker in general elections or attack those considered stronger.
Party insiders have speculated about the cash trail for months, linking the shadowy groups to the Republican Party.
Conservative Americans PAC has made significant contributions this cycle to the Senate Leadership Fund, a major Senate Republican-affiliated super PAC and other Republican-aligned entities, funding every dollar spent on real change and leadership on the left, according to the latest filing.
The new report also reveals the sources of the American Conservative PAC’s own war chest. According to FEC filings, all of the commission’s funding so far this year has come from a nonprofit group, the Virginia-based Alliance for American Prosperity.
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Performance mixed
Interventions have produced mixed results.
In Maine’s 2nd District, Real Change PAC spent more than $500,000 to promote state Auditor Matt Dunlap while attacking one of his main rivals. Dunlap ultimately secured the Democratic nomination in the light-red district, which the party is vying for in November.
In Nebraska’s 2nd District, Lead Left spent $435,000 on ads opposing state Sen. John Cavanaugh. Kavanaugh lost to political activist Dennis Powell, who will now face a well-funded Republican incumbent in a district that Democrats consider competitive.
But the Republican-backed strategy has faltered in other races.
Real Change PAC allocated more than $650,000 to oppose Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th District, while Lead Left allocated about $1.7 million to defeat union leader Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania’s 7th District.
In Texas’ 35th District, the Lead Left spent just over $1 million to promote sex therapist Maureen Galindo, who has been criticized for comments deemed anti-Semitic, in an effort to promote her over Deputy Sheriff Johnny Garcia. Garcia ultimately defeated Galindo.
