The Democrats have asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate a covert Republican effort to influence Democratic primaries in key House races.
Two pop-up super PACs supported candidates deemed less electable by spending over $4.3 million in a range of Democratic congressional primaries.
Democrats suspected Republican intervention after the two groups, Real Change PAC and Lead Left, spent substantially in Democratic primary elections in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Maine in recent months.
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What do the FEC filings state?
Real Change PAC and Lead Left, two pop-up super PACs, were exclusively funded by Conservative Americans PAC, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures submitted late on Saturday.
Together, the two organizations contributed about $4.3 million to primary elections in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Maine. They frequently supported candidates who were thought to be weaker in a general election or attacked those who were thought to be stronger.
Party insiders had been speculating about the cash trail for months, believing the mystery groups were connected to Republicans.
According to the latest filings, Conservative Americans PAC, which has contributed this cycle significantly to the Senate Leadership Fund, the primary super PAC affiliated with Senate Republicans, as well as other GOP-aligned entities, provided every dollar spent by Real Change and Lead Left.
The new reports also shed light on the source of Conservative Americans PAC’s own war chest. The committee has received all of its funding so far this year from a single nonprofit, the Virginia-based American Prosperity Alliance, according to the FEC filings.
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A mixed track record
The intervention produced uneven results.
In Maine’s 2nd District, Real Change PAC spent just over $500,000 to promote state auditor Matt Dunlap while attacking one of his primary rivals. Dunlap ultimately secured the Democratic nomination in the light-red district, where the party is fighting to hold the seat in November.
In Nebraska’s 2nd District, Lead Left put $435,000 into ads opposing state Sen. John Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh lost to political activist Denise Powell, who will now face a well-funded Republican incumbent in a district Democrats consider highly competitive.
But the Republican-backed strategy faltered in other races.
Real Change PAC directed more than $650,000 against Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th District, while Lead Left steered roughly $1.7 million into efforts to defeat union leader Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania’s 7th District.
In Texas’s 35th District, Lead Left spent just over $1 million promoting Maureen Galindo, a sex therapist who faced criticism for perceived antisemitic remarks, in an attempt to boost her over sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia. Garcia ultimately defeated Galindo.
