Congressional Primary Highlights of the Week

How They Show What is Wrong with Our Campaign Finance System. Plus Other News of the Week.

Via Celtibetico. A younger, more orange, and less low-energy Donald Trump, who actually was very successful in down ballot primary contests this week. He is set to further radicalize the GOP establishment we once knew.

Well, the Presidential primaries may have wrapped up, but down ballot congressional and state-level primary contests have only just begun.

This week was a big one. In Ohio, voters have shaped the general election matchup, with Democratic incumbent US Senator Sherrod Brown facing wage thief and possible obstructor of justice Bernie Moreno. Easily will be one of the marquee races in the country. And Ohio has been known over the years for its record dark money spending—especially in 2012 and 2022. 2024 might eclipse even those records entirely. Moreno’s victory was a complete blowout and sweep of the state across all demographics, with the help of Donald Trump’s “total and complete” endorsement.

Moreno is part of a trend of pro-Trump MAGA candidates winning in the primaries for the most highly contested Senate and House races in the country. Moreno has thus been a test case of how effectively self-funding millionaires and billionaires can overwhelm their opponents, regardless of their qualifications, substance, or temperament. With campaign finance laws as they stand today, people like Moreno can spend as much as they want to flood the airwaves and drown all reasonable people out of the conversation.

In fact, self-funding is occurring all across the country. In Pennsylvania, a wealthy millionaire from Connecticut is the GOP’s presumptive nominee against Democratic incumbent Bob Casey. In Montana, another wealthy Republican was personally recruited to unseat Senator Jon Tester, apparently because the GOP’s Senate campaign arm feels it can win more contests via self-funders. Similarly, in Wisconsin, a California carpetbagger is challenging Tammy Baldwin with the blessing of the GOP. In Michigan, Congressman Mike Rogers has financed his Senate campaign almost exclusively with revolving door money. Makes me wonder who will show up in Minnesota. Mike Lindell maybe? Don’t laugh.

Yet this is not totally a Republican-specific hobby. In New Jersey, a former Republican-turned Democrat is relying on personal wealth and the party ballot lines to win the nomination. That campaign has floundered though, with some former allies now calling on her to drop out. A new self-fundraising record has been made in Maryland.

Then there is Rhode Island. In 2022, CVS Executive and white-collar friend of the opioid industry Helena Foulkes spent $5 million of her own money in the gubernatorial primary. Fortunately, she lost that primary, earning only 30% of the vote (the winner, incumbent Governor Dan McKee, survived with 33%). However, she is already fundraising and gearing up for a rematch in 2026, with the help of Raimondo allies and the possible covert help of the US Commerce Secretary herself.

So I ask: are these really the people who will represent working families the best…particularly the GOP Looney Tunes above?

With that in mind, let’s explore some other recent primary news relevant to dark money and out-of-whack campaign finance laws. Despite an onslaught of money and attack ads from the Netanyahu lobby, the cryptocurrency industry, and other special interests, State Senator Dave Min has now advanced into the runoff to replace Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-47). He should continue her legacy on congressional oversight. Perhaps the Whiteboard will make another appearance on the campaign trail, for all we know.

Be wary of the many special interests seeking to buy our elections, as they are doing right now. They tried influencing an open House seat in Texas (TX-32). Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick, and Montana’s Tim Sheehy have the full backing of the cryptocurrency industry and Big Tech lobbyists. The Netanyahu lobby (AIPAC, DMFI, etc.) is targeting Progressive Democrats, and anyone who dares to criticize the increasingly unhinged Israeli Prime Minister—or even say a single bad word about him.

GOP mega donors and the most notorious corporate special interests (pharmaceutical, private insurance, business Super PACs, union busters, fossil fuels, charter schools, defense contractors, DC lobbyists, etc.) are also intervening in Democratic primaries and various general election contests this cycle against progressives. Spending has already reached the tens of millions of dollars. Mostly campaign attack ads at that. Look at No Labels.

Fortunately, the Reject AIPAC Coalition is taking on the cause to assist lawmakers against these dark money special interests. More progressive organizations and advocates on the grassroots level should look at the opportunity to climb aboard the train. Not to mention reinstating calls in Chicago to forbid any use of dark money in future Democratic primaries up and down the ballot.

Let’s back up though and quickly discuss some other campaign news from last week:

• In Downstate Illinois, very conservative GOP Veterans Committee Chair Mike Bost was narrowly reelected after a hard-fought primary for his House seat (IL-12). Even with bonafide conservative credentials, Trump’s endorsement, and leadership backing, he managed to only garner 51% of the vote against far-right insurgent Darren Bailey—who earned the endorsement of the “Overthrow Kevin” leader Congressman Matt Gaetz. This primary overview by Nathan Gonzales in Roll Call really just speaks for itself.

• Also in Chicagoland, despite the notable attempt by conservative Democrats to unseat Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in IL-04, the challenge has failed. Garcia won more than 2/3rds of the vote in the primary this past Tuesday.

In other news:

1. Yes, keep an eye on the double haters and protest votes in the recent presidential primaries. But realize that Donald Trump is much more vulnerable on this end—even after clinching his nomination and taking over the RNC completely.

2. Trump is siding with Russia over Ukraine. Viktor Orban has said Trump promises not to send a single penny to Ukraine. And Trump looks ready to recruit convicted felon (oops, he was pardoned by Trump) Paul Manafort once more as the campaign’s ambassador to Vladimir Putin.

3. Speaking of Russia, they are making moves to invade more nations beyond Ukraine. Putin is backing aligned separatists in Moldova and Georgia (not the Peach State Georgia). Poland is now setting up bomb shelters in the case of a crisis. And a Russian assassin infiltrated Lithuania as well (see 60 Minutes segment from last Sunday).

4. Watch the full clip of Donald Trump’s recent rally in Ohio this past week right here, where he praised January 6th insurrectionists, warned of a bloodbath is he does not win, and says immigrants are not humans, parroting the rhetoric used by 20th century dictators. Even if you do not like Trump, you need to hear as much of this speech as possible.

5. NBC’s Chuck Todd outlines the types of voters who will decide the 2024 elections e.g Nikki Haley primary voters. He also hypothesized recently how poll numbers may change very, very little until the final campaign stretch.

6. Be prepared for more attacks on your voting rights in 2024, with the full support of the RNC.

7. And a local article on Trump voters. While the author is more conservative than I am (though he is not a Trump supporter either), he does have a point about how Democrats can connect with some Republican voters. One word of advice Hillary Clinton should have taken in 2016: do not call this entire huge swath of the country “a basket of deplorables.”

8. And…Happy Spring!