Sacramento Democrats Meddle in GOP Primary Across the Country

Republicans push back against "bullshit artistry" from GOP candidate backed by Eric Swalwell's treasurer

What’s old is new again. Democrats are back to meddling in Republican primaries in the hopes of getting the nominees they’d like. This time around, it’s happening in one of the swingiest districts in America, and Eric Swalwell’s treasurer is playing a central role.

Pennsylvania’s primary is next week, and while Dave McCormick has fully consolidated Republicans behind him in the Senate race, Brian Fitzpatrick is facing a primary from his right–and Sacramento Democrats are eager to help his opponent over the finish line; a new group with close ties to the left is sending out mailers to gaslight Republican primary voters.

Before Fitzpatrick faces his 2022 opponent whom he dispatched by almost 10 points, he needs to defeat his intra-party opponent, Mark Houck. Fortunately for Houck, a shady new group called True Patriots PA has his back. The group, which launched earlier this month, however, is chaired by some allies that a primary challenger probably doesn’t want: Eric Swalwell’s treasurer, Meagan Olson, is also this group’s treasurer.

Hilariously, the address on the mailers even says Sacramento! Outside of the group’s name, it’s not even pretending to be an expression of local frustration. It’s unlikely that they are backing Houck because they want the pro-life activist elected in November. 

In fact, they are probably eager to seize on his campaign’s series of faux pas, which include falsely claiming endorsements from the NRA, Chip Roy, Scott Perry, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and more.

While Republican groups like the NRCC rarely weigh in on primaries, the groups communications director, Jack Pandol, said that “this bullshit artistry explains why Democrats are meddling in the GOP primary to elevate this candidate.”

True Patriots PA is running what is, at this point, a predictable playbook. Paint Fitzpatrick as a moderate so they can dispatch Houck in November. Democrats have, after all, been doing this for well over a decade at this point–to great success. 

These repeated meddlings show that either the DCCC’s chair is too inept to know what’s happening at her party apparatus or that she was lying last year when she said that she wants Democrats to spend Democrats’ money on Democrats. 

For those who are unconvinced that California Democrats are doing anything other than trying to boost their preferred Republican, I refer you to the Daily Kos’s writeup of this. The leftwing blog certainly would like to see Democrats win this seat, and it notes that “Democrats would be thrilled if anti-abortion activist Mark Houck denied renomination to Fitzpatrick in this competitive suburban Philadelphia seat.”

Last cycle, Democrats spent more than Republicans did in GOP primaries. That’s not a sustainable way for a political party to operate. Here’s to hoping that cycle finally ends this go-around.