How The DCCC Promotes The Republican Wing Of The Democratic Party While Kicking Progressives To The Curb

It's been a lonely decade blowing the whistle on Blue Dogs, New Dems and the DCCC... but lonely no more. Lee Fang and Ryan Grim have been doing great work at The Intercept, Cenk does a good job, and yesterday's post by Michael Sainato, The NRA’s Favorite Democrat Is Helping Shape 2018 Midterm Elections, was a stupendous take down of one of Congress' worst right-wing Democrats, Texas Blue Dog Henry Cuellar-- right up there with Kyrsten Sinema, Dan Lipinski and Collin Peterson. He wrote that Cuellar, once known as George W. Bush's favorite Democrat, is "an NRA ally with an A+ rating, has voted with Trump over 64 percent of the time, the most of any Democrat in Congress, though his district leans +9 in favor of Democrats according to Cook Political Report. Hillary Clinton won Cuellar’s district by 19 points in the 2016 Presidential Election."

Though Vice recently rated Cuellar as the “top Democrat in Congress who warrants a progressive primary challenger,” [along with fellow Blue Dogs Collin Peterson, Kyrsten Sinema, Tom O'Halleran, Josh Gottheimer, Stephanie Murphy, Jim Costa, Dan Lipinski and Lou Correa + New Dem Scott Peters] he is running unopposed in the primary and general election. Cuellar’s lack of opposition in his district has enabled him to support Republicans’ agenda, while asserting himself into Democratic Party leadership. DCCC Chair Ben Ray Lujan serves as co-chair of the DCCC Latino Council with Cuellar, who also serves as co-chair of the Blue Dog PAC and chair of the Blue Dog Coalition in Congress. DCCC Chair Lujan told Bloomberg in July 2017 that Blue Dogs have “been incredible partners” in developing the party strategy for the 2018 midterm elections, as nine of the DCCC backed candidates so far have been endorsed by the Blue Dog PAC.

Listen to Cuellar on Fox News with Tucker Carlson right after the NRA/GOP massacre in Parkland, sucking up to Republicans and the NRA while confusing viewers that he's a Democrat. These are the 9 worse-than-worthless right-wing Blue Dogs backed by the DCCC so far this year. They all aspire to be just like Cuellar... and that's just fine with hypocrites like Ben Ray Lujan, Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer:

• Brad Ashford (NE)
• the NRA's Anthony Brindisi (NY)
• Paul Davis (KS)
• Brendan Kelly (IL)
• Conor Lamb (PA)
• Ben McAdams (UT)
• Dan McCready (NC)
• Max Rose (NY)
• the NRA's Jeff Van Drew (NJ)

Sainato explains that the DCCC is embracing Cuellar and his toxic strategies for the midterms "despite his open embrace of the NRA and other nefarious industries." Maybe despite... maybe because they like exactly what Cuellar is. "So far this election cycle, Cuellar’s largest campaign donor is the private prison company, the GEO Group, which has benefitted from lucrative government contracts for private immigration detention centers." [I'm sure influential Democrats like Debbie Wasserman Schultz aren't complaining about that.] "Given that Rep. Cuellar’s congressional district extends to the U.S.-Mexico border, these donations are problematic in undermining progressive efforts to abolish the private prison industry that has perpetuated mass incarceration for profit. During the Obama Administration, Rep. Cuellar joined Republicans on immigration and border policies, drawing criticism from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Cuellar launders this tainted money into the DCCC and last year gave them $150,000 over and above his dues. That buys a lot of influence in Lujan's totally and disgustingly corrupt committee. Politico reported that "Blue Dog and DCCC staffers now meet on a weekly basis, and leaders of the centrist coalition say the campaign arm is working hand in hand with them on recruitment."

The influence of the Blue Dogs in DCCC recruitment is evident in the candidates endorsed by the DCCC, many of whom are facing progressive challengers in primaries. As part of the DCCC’s Red to Blue Program, the Democratic Party is manufacturing primary nominees who have long records in support from the National Rifle Association. In New Jersey, the DCCC, the Blue Dog Caucus, and several County Democratic Party Chairs are rallying behind Jeff Van Drew to run in the second congressional district. Van Drew has a “100 percent” rating from the NRA during his tenure as a State Senator.

Elaine Luria (NRA-VA)

The DCCC is backing several other candidates with NRA and gun lobby ties. In the New York State Assembly, Congressional Candidate in the 22nd district, Anthony Brindisi, joined Republicans to oppose the 2013 gun control legislation, SAFE Act and received a “100 percent” rating from the NRA in 2017. In Virginia, candidate Elaine Luria voted for the NRA “A” rated Republican incumbent Scott Taylor in her district twice in the 2016 Republican Primary and General Election. Conor Lamb, the Democrat candidate in Pennsylvania special election in the 18th district, has dodged taking a stance in favor of gun control, instead emphasizing mental health. Ann Kirkpatrick who is running for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District after a failed Senate bid in 2016, received an “A” rating from the NRA in 2012 and previously praised the organization, though she has shifted to the left on the issue since.

The NRA’s most recent federally backed legislation was a house vote in December 2017 to allow non-residents of a state the ability to conceal carry guns in states that permit it. Six Democrats voted in favor of the bill with Republicans, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI). In the 2016 election cycle, Cuellar, Bishop, Peterson and Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) were the only House Democrats to receive donations from the NRA.

In media appearances, Rep. Cuellar has consistently reaffirmed his NRA friendly positions on guns. He appeared on Fox News in October 2017 to affirm that Democrats should not “politicize” the Las Vegas mass shooting by calling for gun control, a Republican talking point. The DCCC sent out an email to candidates emphasizing this stance after the shooting.

The next month, Rep. Cuellar told NBC’s Meet the Press, “if somebody wants to kill somebody, they will find a way,” when asked about gun control as a solution to mass shootings in the wake of the Springland shooting in his own district. Rep. Cuellar’s office did not respond to a request for comment on his gun control stances or involvement with the DCCC.

In addition to these Democrats, Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), first elected to Congress in 2016, has a long record of support from the NRA in the Florida State Legislature, receiving several “A” ratings and voting in 2015 to strengthen the controversial Stand Your Ground law.

The NRA support for Democrats has waned over recent years as the party has trended more in favor of gun control measures, to the point where even past NRA allies like Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) are finding themselves opposing the organization that formerly provided them financial backing. But the DCCC and Democratic Party’s open support for more candidates with NRA leanings suggests party leadership is favoring a trend further right, in opposition to progressives pushing the party to the left.