News
CENTRIST DEMOCRATS BACK GRAY, RAMIREZ, SALAS
Washington, DC – Today, the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition PAC announced its first round of candidate endorsements for the 2022 cycle. The Blue Dogs, who represent the commonsense center of the U.S. House of Representatives, have been leading efforts to support candidates across the country who are committed to putting policy before partisan politics and working across the aisle in the best interest of the American people.
Endorsed candidates include:
“Rather than being blindly ideological or beholden to any one party’s leadership, these candidates are independent-minded individuals who are committed to serving a diverse constituency,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy. Read More
Roll Call: Meet the Challengers Who Outraised House Incumbents
October 18, 2017Roll Call highlights fundraising success for Blue Dog PAC endorsed candidates:
Nearly one year out from the 2018 midterms, challengers outraised nearly 30 percent of the incumbents in competitive races during the third quarter.
Sixteen Republican incumbents in competitive races raised less than their Democratic challengers during the third quarter.
New York Democrat Anthony Brindisi raised nearly twice what freshman GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney raised in the 22nd District. Brindisi, also in his first full quarter, raised $413,000. Tenney only raised $213,000 — less than the $305,000 she raised during the previous quarter.
Democrat Dan McCready bested Pittenger by $175,000. He ended the quarter with $670,000 compared to Pittenger’s $264,000 in this likely Republican race.
In Illinois’ 12th District, Democrat Brendan Kelly outraised GOP Rep. Mike Bost by about $97,000.
The Hill: Moderate Blue Dogs see new influence over Dem recruitment
September 21, 2017The Hill reports:
Moderate Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition are endorsing a slate of candidates Thursday in Republican-leaning districts, as they look to put their mark on the party’s 2018 midterm push.
The group has been working hand-in-glove with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on recruiting candidates, a departure from previous years when moderates found themselves kicked to the curb by the House Democratic campaign arm.
As Democrats look at an expanded battlefield that includes 24 GOP-held House districts won by Hillary Clinton in November, Blue Dogs believe their expanded seat at the Democratic campaigning table will help to broaden the party’s appeal to include more moderate voters.
The National Journal writes:
As House Democrats start their fourth consecutive Congress in the minority, the moderate bloc of the caucus appears to be staging a comeback.
The party’s two centrist coalitions, the Blue Dogs and New Democrats, are reporting a boost in membership for the 115th Congress, with slightly fewer than half of the incoming freshman Democrats joining their ranks.
Leaders of the groups are touting the increase as a promising sign for the party as it struggles to win back economy-minded voters in swing seats. And some members hope to leverage their numbers into a larger strategic role in preparations for the midterms.
The Hill: Democrats need to be ‘big tent’ party
April 21, 2017The Hill writes,
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Friday said Democrats need to be a “big tent” party amid clashes over whether candidates are sufficiently progressive enough to be backed by the national party.
“I think we have to have a big tent,” Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the Oversight panel and a frequent television presence for the party, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“Because it’s one thing to say, ‘OK, I don’t want to be bothered with these folks.’ It’s another thing to say, ‘Let’s pull them under the tent, so we can be effective and efficient in getting something done.’ Period.”
Cummings also talked about how conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats helped the party win legislative victories in the Obama years.