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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDemocrats are using a new strategy to prevent a primary shutout in California
Vexed for months over the prospect of getting boxed out of crucial House races after California's primary, Democrats think they've found a way to fight back.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this week began airing television ads that go after two Republicans running for retiring Rep. Ed Royce's seat. The ads made no mention of a third, Young Kim, who has led polls, has the backing of Royce, and is widely seen as the Democrats' most formidable potential opponent in November.
By attacking two Republicans viewed as second-tier, Democrats are hoping to suppress GOP votes for those candidates while ensuring that Kim gets far enough ahead to be the only Republican in the general election. They also hope to avoid explicitly backing or attacking one of their own in the increasingly nasty intraparty fights in some districts.
"We dislike all the Republican candidates, but we're just choosing wisely which ones we're attacking," said one Democratic source familiar with the committee's thinking.
The strategy is part of a new approach to California's top two primary, in which the top two vote-getters on June 5 advance to the general election regardless of party. With at least half a dozen candidates from each major party, the free-for-all to replace Royce (R-Fullerton) could yield a choice between two Republicans.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-house-races-top-two-gop-attacks-20180511-story.html
wryter2000
(46,016 posts)Granted, it sometimes goes our way, but there should always be a Democrat running.
Response to wryter2000 (Reply #1)
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uppityperson
(115,674 posts)You get to play with fire and create beauty.
Raine
(30,540 posts)you can end up having no one in your party to vote for because they came in third!
renegade000
(2,301 posts)It's a flaw that the side with the most enthusiasm and voters could potentially be locked out because of vote splitting between several candidates.
OnDoutside
(19,908 posts)There needs to be pressure applied.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)So far, Democrats hoping to flip some of Californias Republican seats in Congress dont seem to have gotten this message. It wont matter in districts with an incumbent running, as that single Republican will make the November ballot along with whoever tops the Democrats in June.
But in the 39th and 49th districts, where longtime incumbents Ed Royce and Darrell Issa are retiring, Democrats risk not making the ballot despite Hillary Clintons carrying both districts in 2016.
OnDoutside
(19,908 posts)Key districts, they should heavily poll them to show which Dems are performing the best and use that to do the right thing.