In a last-minute push to get a Democrat on the November ballot in California’s 48th District House race, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has spent about $110,000 propping up John Gabbard — a Republican.

That spending comes just days before the district’s crowded June 5 primary. A handful of candidates are battling for incumbent Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s (R-Calif.) House seat, but only the two that receive the most votes will make it to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

Rohrabacher and California state legislator Scott Baugh are widely seen as the Republican Party’s front-runners in the 48th District. The DCCC’s support for Gabbard, a third candidate, signals an attempt by Democrats to split the conservative vote three ways and box a Republican off the November ballot, said Fred Smoller, a political science professor at Chapman University.

“You would fund that additional Republican to try to pull away votes from No. 2, say (Baugh), so that one of the Dems could come into that position,” Smoller said.

The DCCC’s candidate of choice for the general election, though, is Democrat Harley Rouda, a real estate executive. The party’s main fundraising vehicle for House candidates has backed Rouda as part of its “Red to Blue” program to flip Republican House seats nationwide.

Liberals themselves are facing a crowded primary in the 48th District, with two Democratic front-runners vying for Rohrabacher’s seat. And while national Democrats have supported Rouda, the California Democratic Party has endorsed Hans Keirstead, a stem cell researcher and neuroscientist.

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Jesse Hunt, press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Democrats’ spending on Gabbard and party infighting has only bolstered Republicans’ confidence in Tuesday wins.

“It reeks of desperation,” Hunt said. “They’re so concerned about a potential lockout that they’re spending in support of Republican candidates.”

The DCCC did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

Matthew Cunningham, Baugh’s communications director, said he doesn’t think Democrats’ last-minute spending will be enough to keep the Republican off the November ballot.

“The Democrats are saying and doing anything they can to knock (Baugh) out of No. 2,” Cunningham said. “Republicans are turning out in the 48th, and we’re confident of taking the No. 2 spot on June 5.”

Correction: A previous version of this story referred to the DCCC as a super PAC. We regret this error.



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