Conservative nonprofit groups have been secretly funding Democratic primary candidates, according to recent Federal Election Commission filings. These groups, including Lead Left PAC and Real Change PAC, have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in key Democratic primaries across the country.

Strategy to Influence Elections

The strategy behind this spending is to boost candidates perceived as weaker contenders in the general election, thereby engineering more favorable matchups for Republicans. In Texas’ 35th District, Lead Left PAC spent over $750,000 on advertisements supporting Maureen Galindo, a candidate who lost in the primary runoff by nearly 30 points.

Despite the group’s name suggesting liberal leanings, filings show that Lead Left PAC received over $3 million in May from Conservative Americans PAC, which is funded by the influential Republican nonprofit American Prosperity Alliance. This alliance has ties to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Response from Democrats

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has condemned these tactics, claiming that Republican efforts have backfired in the races. They point to the example of Johnny Garcia, who won the primary runoff in Texas’ 35th District by a landslide after concerns about Galindo’s antisemitic remarks powered his campaign.

Conservative Americans PAC acknowledged its role in seeking to shape the Democratic primaries, stating that Republicans are leveling the playing field after over a decade of Democrats meddling in their primaries. The group believes that with the Democrat Party in the midst of a civil war, Republicans would be foolish not to take advantage and push their candidates farther left.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.