CNN host Jim Sciutto pressed Democratic California Sen. Alex Padilla on Wednesday over the party meddling in Republican primaries in favor of Trump-endorsed candidates.
Sciutto suggested that Democrats’ attempts to paint Republicans as “extremists” are contradictory, given that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Democratic Governors Association (DGA) are spending money to benefit candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump, supposedly believing their efforts will facilitate Democratic victories in the general elections.
“I wonder because, at the same time, you have Democratic groups backing some of those same extremist Republican candidates — election deniers, for instance — in a state like Maryland. Does that work for you? Is that not fundamentally contradictory?” Sciutto asked.
“The bottom line is making a clear contrast for voters to decide this November who to vote for,” Padilla said. “We know what the nation needs. We need investments in job creation domestically, we need to tackle costs for working families, how do we bring down the costs for prescription drugs? How do we bring down the cost of child care?…Democrats have plans that have been stifled because of Republican opposition in Congress. So let’s make that abundantly clear for voters. You want to restore a woman’s right to choose? Vote for Democrats. You want to tackle climate aggressively? Vote for Democrats.”
“I get that point, but part of the Democratic case here…is that some of these Republican candidates and Trump himself are a threat to democracy. How can Democrats say that but then back some of those election deniers in their own races?” Scuitto pressed.
Padilla said Democratic candidates will need to address the issues of climate change, abortion and other issues with Republican candidates and allow the voters to decide for themselves who to elect. (RELATED: ‘I’m Disgusted’: Dems Turn On Their Own Party For Interfering In GOP Primaries)
The DGA spent more than $821,000 on campaign ads to promote candidates further to the right of the spectrum to beat out the moderates, according to The Wall Street Journal. The organization is reportedly hopeful that Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox will beat out moderate Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in the upcoming primary.
The DCCC has spent over $400,000 on an advertisement for Republican Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer’s Trump-backed opponent, John Gibbs.
Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger called the Democratic efforts “disgusting,” saying they cannot claim to defend democracy while promoting the victory of Republican candidates who deny the results of the 2020 election.
“You’re gonna have election deniers win. So while I think a certain number of Democrats truly understand democracy is threatened, don’t come to me after having spend money supporting an election denier in a primary, and then come to me and say ‘where are all the good Republicans?’” Kinzinger said during an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar.