The campaign arm for House Democrats is jumping into the race to challenge Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, anxious that the state’s top-two primary could prevent a Democrat from making it to the general election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Harley Rouda to its Red to Blue program on Friday, in the hopes that helping Rouda improves Democrats’ chances of staying on the ballot. If no Democrat wins one of the top two spots on June 5, Democrats lose a critical pickup opportunity in their fight to retake the House.
“Harley Rouda is a successful small businessman, advocate, and father,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan. “Harley has demonstrated that he is the strongest Democrat in this race and best prepared for the general election, and with the grassroots and numerous California delegation Members strongly behind him, we know we will flip this district this fall.”
In California’s primary, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general, regardless their party. Rohrabacher is being challenged by at least four Republicans and six Democrats.
The DCCC’s de facto endorsement of Rouda puts them at odds with the California Democratic Party, which endorsed Hans Keirstead in the race. Out of the seven competitive districts in California the DCCC is hoping to flip, they’ve only weighed in on two. In the race to replace retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce, DCCC elevated Gil Cisneros over the five other Democrats running.
