A new website called “The DCCC Blacklist” launched in response to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s newly stated policy that it will not grant contracts to pollsters, strategists and communications specialists working with primary challengers.
The Justice Democrats launched the site to create a database of go-to vendors for insurgent candidates; it has been endorsed coalition of progressive vendors, political action committees and advocacy groups.
Primaries can have the effect of bringing Democratic politicians more in line with the views of the party’s rank and file, the progressive consultants argue.
Still, the new policy moves millions of expenditures by the DCCC off the table for firms that work with candidates who challenge Democratic incumbents. Though some left-wing consultants say the policy only codifies a practice they suspect was already informally in place.
Opponents of the DCCC’s policy include the Indivisible Project, a 501(c)(4) advocacy group that mobilizes activists on a number of Democratic priorities — including the Dream and the Promise Act and defending the Affordable Care Act from repeal — with hundreds of chapters across the country.
What are they afraid of?
The Indivisible Project’s National Political Director, María Urbina, said the policy amounts to a ploy to “hoard power.”
“We reject the DCCC’s attempt to hoard power, which will only serve to keep that talent pool — and Congress itself — disproportionately white and male,” Urbina said in a statement.“Incumbents who engage fully with their constituents shouldn’t fear primaries and shouldn’t rely on the national institutions like the DCCC to suppress challenges before voters ever have a say.”
Progressives say primaries open the door to a more diverse pool of candidates, pointing to the victories of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts in 2018.
Both first-term Democrats issued statements in opposition to the DCCC’s policy on Twitter. Ocasio-Cortez recommended her 3.8 million Twitter followers “pause” their donations to the committee and give directly to battleground candidates instead. …
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- CHRONIC INFECTION! New DCCC Chair Rep. Cheri Bustos Is The Best Pal Of Insurance Big Money — Here’s a headline you can bet my former colleagues in the health insurance business were thrilled to see last week: “DCCC chief: Medicare for All price tag ‘a little scary.’” That headline topped the lead story in the March 6 edition of The Hill, a newspaper widely read by Congressional staff and lobbyists and others in the influence-peddling business in Washington. You’ll see ads in The Hill by big corporations and special interests you won’t see anywhere else—like the full-page “we’re-not-a-bad-guy” ad on page 2 by opioid maker Purdue Pharma and the two full-page “we’re-part-of the-solution” ads a bit deeper inside by Eli Lilly. The DCCC—for those of us outside the Beltway—stands for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the organization responsible for hauling in as much cash as possible for Democratic candidates running for Congress. … Read the Rest
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Despite The DCCC’s Bullying, We’re Still Going To Work On Primaries
The Democratic Party’s official congressional arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), recently announced that they would prohibit the organization from doing business with organizations, consultants, and vendors that support primary challengers to incumbents. The DCCC is using their financial leverage to intimidate and blacklist many hardworking people in our movement in a blatant attempt to protect a handful of out-of-touch incumbents.
We’re launching The Blacklist to fight back and provide potential primary challengers with a database of go-to vendors, organizations, and consultants who will continue to support efforts to usher in a new generation of leaders into the Democratic Party.
Link to DCCC Blacklist Website
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Heads Up, Progressives! Innovative AOC Voter Organizing App Goes Mainstream
“The app is out there and it works.”
Bloomberg Markets & Finance (3/26/19)
Mar.26 — The mobile app designed by the Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign that helped her win her seat in Congress is now going mainstream. Bloomberg’s Joshua Green reports on “Bloomberg Markets.”
Link to 3-Minute Video
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Forward this information on to your contacts, local progressive groups and especially those considering running for office!
