Pressure from national Democratic groups and state activists to support their candidate of choice and force other Democratic contenders to drop out is producing a backlash in the contest to control the Southern California congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa.
The Democratic infighting over the preferred party choice to run has intensified in recent weeks, echoing clashes between Washington's Democratic establishment and progressive groups on the ground in Texas for the chance to take on GOP Rep. John Culberson.
Over the weekend, Flip the 49th organizer Terra Lawson-Remer urged activists disappointed that only Democratic candidate Mike Levin came to the forum to "Show leadership, shake it off, and stay committed and engaged in the larger cause."
Resentment against a campaign by Democratic Party activists to persuade the leading Democratic candidate Doug Applegate and the other contenders to step aside and promote Levin also likely played a role.
Applegate was the first to pull out of the event, announcing that he would instead hold a "ATFR"-Ask The Frontrunner event-at Bagby Beer Company at 6 p.m. Over the last week and a half, three college groups in the district have blamed Levin and other party activists for "a smear campaign" against Applegate and have labeled his campaign as "Unacceptable" while endorsing Applegate or saying they are open to the other Democratic candidates in the race.
Since early 2017, Democratic Party leaders in Washington and Sacramento have backed Levin, an attorney and former executive of the Orange County Democratic Party, for the seat.
During a contentious Democratic Party convention in San Diego in late February, veteran Sen. Dianne Feinstein,, failed to win the party's endorsement in her primary contest against Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon.
http://freebeacon.com/politics/democratic-party-activists-clash-local-dems-california-primary/
The Democratic infighting over the preferred party choice to run has intensified in recent weeks, echoing clashes between Washington's Democratic establishment and progressive groups on the ground in Texas for the chance to take on GOP Rep. John Culberson.
Over the weekend, Flip the 49th organizer Terra Lawson-Remer urged activists disappointed that only Democratic candidate Mike Levin came to the forum to "Show leadership, shake it off, and stay committed and engaged in the larger cause."
Resentment against a campaign by Democratic Party activists to persuade the leading Democratic candidate Doug Applegate and the other contenders to step aside and promote Levin also likely played a role.
Applegate was the first to pull out of the event, announcing that he would instead hold a "ATFR"-Ask The Frontrunner event-at Bagby Beer Company at 6 p.m. Over the last week and a half, three college groups in the district have blamed Levin and other party activists for "a smear campaign" against Applegate and have labeled his campaign as "Unacceptable" while endorsing Applegate or saying they are open to the other Democratic candidates in the race.
Since early 2017, Democratic Party leaders in Washington and Sacramento have backed Levin, an attorney and former executive of the Orange County Democratic Party, for the seat.
During a contentious Democratic Party convention in San Diego in late February, veteran Sen. Dianne Feinstein,, failed to win the party's endorsement in her primary contest against Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon.
http://freebeacon.com/politics/democratic-party-activists-clash-local-dems-california-primary/
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