Other CD6 Dem candidates furious at Carrick Flynn getting $1 million from House Majority PAC

A tweet this afternoon by an Oregon Democratic consultant, Kari Chisholm, clued me in to an controversial action by the House Super PAC backed by Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C.

Below is the Joint Statement from the six Democratic candidates that I copied from the tweet above. It is indeed highly disturbing that the House Majority PAC would back a particular candidate in the Democratic primary for an newly created House seat, especially since Carrick Flynn isn't lacking for campaign funds, given how many mailings my wife and I have gotten from him.

An Oregon Capital Chronicle story about this says: 

Flynn’s campaign already attracted the attention of at least two other political action committees, which together spent nearly $6 million to help his campaign by April 9, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Protect Our Future PAC, run by cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, is responsible for about $5 million in pro-Flynn ads that have become inescapable on TV in the district. Justice Unites Us, a PAC focused on turning out Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, spent more than $800,000 on canvassing for Flynn. 

Hopefully the House Majority PAC will reconsider their screwy decision to bestow about $1 million on Flynn. After the Joint Statement I'll share a statement from the Hispanic PAC that's the campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is supporting Andrea Salinas and also isn't happy with the House Majority PAC backing Flynn.

Joint Statement from OR-06 Democratic Candidates
on House Majority PAC's Interference in Primary

Candidates for Congress jointly call House Majority PAC's action
"a slap in the face to every Democratic voter and volunteer in Oregon." 

Andrea Salinas, Kathleen Harder, Teresa Alonso Leon, Loretta Smith, Cody Reynolds, and Matt West - Democratic candidates for Oregon's 6th Congressional District - today released the following statement denouncing revelations that House Majority PAC, the Super PAC backed by House Democratic leadership, is spending nearly $1 million to influence the primary election in support of Carrick Flynn:

We strongly condemn House Majority PAC's unprecedented and inappropriate decision to spend nearly a million dollars in this Democratic primary. House Majority PAC - House Democratic leadership's Super PAC, allegedly tasked with holding Republicans accountable and electing Democrats to Congress - should not be spending resources to divide Democrats.

This is a highly competitive Democratic primary with many strong candidates. The field includes four women - three of which are women of color - and two men who all have substantive experience working in the legislature, local office, science, the military, and healthcare.

This effort by the political arm of the Democratic establishment to buy this race for one candidate is a slap in the face to every Democratic voter and volunteer in Oregon - and is especially concerning in a year when all resources must go to protecting the Democratic majority.

Carrick Flynn, the candidate receiving this financial support, has already benefited from nearly $5 million in support from cryptocurrency billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, at a time when the cryptocurrency industry seeks to increase its influence in Washington. House MajoritynPAC's troubling decision to meddle in a Democratic primary in support of this candidate begs the question:

With so much needed to defend the House, how can they afford involvement in a primary? Why is this happening? Where is this money coming from? And what does its source want in exchange? We call on House Majority PAC to actually stand by our party's values and let the voters of Oregon decide who their Democratic nominee will be.

lHere's the statement from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus BOLD PAC.

Washington, D.C. - Today, CHC BOLD PAC Chairman Ruben Gallego released the following statement regarding House Majority PAC’s (HMP) decision to not endorse Andrea Salinas in Oregon’s 6th congressional district and to purchase nearly $1 million in television ads to support her primary opponent Carrick Flynn.

“Voters and candidates of color delivered majorities for Democrats in the 2020 elections. Latina women helped lead the charge by mobilizing communities and voting for Democrats up and down the ballot across the country. Their role in the midterms will be no less critical.

Yet despite this fact, House Majority PAC – the largest spender working to elect Democrats to the House – has deliberately chosen not to endorse Andrea Salinas, a candidate who is among the most qualified Latinas running in a congressional race anywhere in the country.

HMP is tasked with defending the House Majority by boosting Democrats and holding Republicans accountable, not with spending critical resources against a woman who has spent decades fighting for progressive causes and who will excite Democratic voters in November.

“Right now, Democrats should be doubling-down on their investments to empower Latino and Latina candidates like Andrea who are running strong campaigns focused on issues that matter to communities of color and working families. Oregon has never had a Latina or Latino representative in Congress, and the 6th district – which is 21 percent Hispanic – has the opportunity to make history this year.

“Instead of supporting Andrea, House Majority PAC is spending nearly $1 million to prop up her opponent Carrick Flynn. This stands in contrast to the thinking of a majority of Democrats who know that Latino candidates and voters must be taken seriously for the midterm elections. That includes over 80 elected Democrats, progressive organizations, and community leaders that have endorsed Andrea, such as CHC BOLD PAC, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and League of Conservation Voters Action Fund (LCV). HMP’s decision to oppose these groups raises serious concerns.

“BOLD PAC encouraged Andrea to run for Congress because she is an exceptionally qualified leader who doesn’t back down from a fight. We’ve been with her since day one and we stand resolute in our commitment to helping her get elected to Congress,” said BOLD PAC Chairman Ruben Gallego.

CHC BOLD PAC Board Member Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) also released the following statement, “As the fastest-growing segment of the electorate over the last 20 years, Latino voters represent the country’s second-largest voter bloc by ethnicity – those who take them for granted, do so at their own peril. Andrea Salinas is a transformational leader who has spent decades fighting for women and families as an advocate and an elected official. She was instrumental in passing Oregon’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, the strongest reproductive rights law in the country. While 145 women serve in Congress today, we still make up only 27 percent of the entire Congress, compared to 50 percent of the U.S. population. At a time when reproductive rights are at stake, Democrats should be moving mountains to ensure that there are more women at the table – especially women of color – instead of actively trying to tip the scales against an exceptionally experienced Latina. That is precisely what House Majority PAC has done. BOLD PAC unequivocally stands behind Andrea and her strong and historic campaign.”

Comments

[E.M.]

Please do not confuse democracy and fraternal selection.

The $1,000,000 spent was a decision by the national DEM fraternity as to whom they believe belongs in their fraternity. In our electronic, instant communication, value divided world that is how the big parties play. Local politics, even ethnic diversity politics as you so aptly highlight come in second.

As for a level party playing field, did the six other candidates ask for national party funding? Why or why not?

The final decision remains local. Ballots are cast in Oregon by registered Democrats.

Rather then expressing concern about whose coffers are filled by outside players may I suggest you direct your focus towards a preferred candidate and work towards their election rather than highlighting wrongs of a cash democracy. Alternatively, join the effort to overturn "Citizens United."

In the big picture of national politics the idea that a candidate is best for Oregon and best for the United States comes in second fiddle to who is best for the party organization I lead. I refer you to Donald Trump, the Koch brothers and other financially well off examples of candidate endorsement.

Get real, Brian; we live in a cash-is-king political environment that can even erode the historical value of incumbency.