The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added five more seats to its Red to Blue program on July 28, and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) responded the same day with a separate statement criticizing each of the five Democratic candidates.
The expansion brings the program to 30 seats. Red to Blue candidates receive strategic guidance, staff resources, training, and fundraising support from the committee, according to the DCCC’s announcement. The committee said candidates qualify by surpassing goals for grassroots engagement, local support, campaign organization, and fundraising.
“In less than 100 days, Democrats will take back the House majority and it will be powered by our incredible candidates such as the five named to Red to Blue today,” DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) said in the release.
“Whether in suburban, rural, or redistricted seats, the American people have soured on Republicans’ broken promises and failure to lower costs. Voters are outraged by higher prices on everything and a war of choice spiraling out of control. They are eager for change and new leaders who will fight for them, not be a rubberstamp for Donald Trump.”
The five are Amish Shah in Arizona’s First District, Pia Dandiya in Florida’s 22nd, Lindsay James in Iowa’s Second District, Jake Johnson in Minnesota’s First, and Sam Forstag in Montana’s First.
The DCCC described Shah as an emergency room physician and former state representative who has already represented part of the district in the Arizona House.
Dandiya is a former teacher and high school principal from Palm Beach County. Both parties hold their Florida primaries on Aug. 18. Dandiya faces a contested Democratic field, with a challenge from Kaysia Earley. The DCCC’s endorsement puts the committee behind her before the election.
Florida’s 22nd District is currently held by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), who is running in the new 23rd District this fall following redistricting.
James is a Presbyterian minister, former chaplain, and Iowa state representative running for an open seat against Republican Joe Mitchell, whom the DCCC release called a career politician and lobbyist.
Johnson is a public school math teacher and union leader challenging Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.).
Forstag is a U.S. Forest Service smokejumper and vice president of National Federation of Federal Employees Local 60, running for the seat Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) is leaving.
The DCCC release said Forstag organized against staffing cuts at public land agencies and described Republican nominee Aaron Flint as Zinke’s hand-picked successor.
The NRCC issued five statements within hours, one for each candidate. The statements largely characterized the candidates as too liberal for their districts.
NRCC spokesperson Ben Petersen noted for the Arizona race that the DCCC backed Shah’s opponent in the primary and that Republicans there are consolidating behind nominee Jay Feely. The DCCC did back Shah’s opponent in the Arizona primary but later endorsed Shah after he won.
NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle referenced a Fox News report that James missed more than half of her votes in the Iowa House over the past year. Her campaign responded to that report at the time in a statement saying, “Lindsay has always fought for Iowa families, taking on corporate greed and predatory landlords and writing the bill to cap the cost of insulin.”
