Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez Thomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s 'wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE is questioning a move by the party's House campaign arm to publish opposition research on a progressive candidate in Texas ahead of a primary contest there.

"I wouldn't have done it. And I wouldn't have done it because I think we're at our best as Democrats when we talk about the issues," Perez told C-SPAN's "Newsmakers" during an interview Friday.

"I would have done it differently," he continued. "I think the DCCC has the ability to endorse in primaries, and they do that from time to time. But again, I would have done it differently."

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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which backs Democratic House candidates, came under fire from progressives late last month after the group posted a memo online containing opposition research about Laura Moser, a progressive Democrat running in Texas' competitive 7th Congressional District.

The opposition research blasts Moser as a "Washington insider, who begrudgingly moved to Houston to run for Congress." It also points out that she claimed Washington, D.C., as her primary residence in January "in order to get a tax break."

The episode highlighted the divide between the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and its establishment wing.

The party has worked since the 2016 presidential election to close that divide, after leaked emails revealed that top DNC officials sought to help Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE win the party's presidential nomination over Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersNYT editorial board remembers Ginsburg: She 'will forever have two legacies' Two GOP governors urge Republicans to hold off on Supreme Court nominee Sanders knocks McConnell: He's going against Ginsburg's 'dying wishes' MORE (I-Vt.), who gained a following among the party's progressives.

Our Revolution, a progressive group allied with Sanders, endorsed Moser this week ahead of the March 6 primary.

The DCCC has framed Moser as an unelectable candidate in a critical race, pointing to concerns about her residency and accusations that her husband is improperly benefitting financially from her campaign. The Sanders-affiliated group called the DCCC's attacks "ridiculous."

Moser is one of seven Democrats competing in Tuesday’s primary to try to take Rep. John Culberson John Abney Culberson2020 Democratic Party platform endorses Trump's NASA moon program Bottom line Ex-Rep. Frelinghuysen joins law and lobby firm MORE’s (R) Houston-area seat. Clinton won the district narrowly in 2016, while the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.