House Democrats threaten to withhold DCCC dues after party's California faceplant

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is facing behind-the-scenes fury and demands for a course-correction after spending $135,000 on what appears to be a failed effort to boost their favored candidate in a Democratic primary.

Why it matters: Some lawmakers are threatening to withhold their dues to the House Democratic campaign arm if it doesn't change its ways.

• "People think the DCCC doesn't care about them other than their dues," a senior House Democrat told Axios. "They have no say where they go, they don't help [safe-seat] incumbents."
• Said Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.): "It frustrates me and it's just deeply disappointing that the DCCC tried to tip the scales in a very competitive Democratic primary."

Driving the news: Progressive activist and political science professor Randy Villegas declared victory on Tuesday in the Democratic contest to take on Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) in California's 22nd district.

• Villegas edged out Jasmeet Bains — a more moderate California State Assembly member — with the backing of the Congressional Progressive and Hispanic Caucuses.
• The two ran roughly even in fundraising and endorsements from House Democrats. Bains had support from the center-left New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus.
• The DCCC opted to support Bains, adding her to its coveted "Red to Blue" program a month before the primary and launching a $135,000 joint ad buy with her campaign in the final weeks of the race.

"People were pissed" at the DCCC's support for Bains, said former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, whose group Run for Something supported Villegas.

• "You saw the Hispanic Caucus lose their mind when Jasmeet got put on 'Red to Blue,' you saw progressives get incredibly upset too," he told Axios.
• Said Grijalva: "It motivated me personally, when the DCCC got involved in this race, for me to go out and be as supportive [of Villegas] as I can."

What we're hearing: "That money definitely could be used for something else and it was weird to me that the DCCC jumped in when so many caucuses had made a different decision," a second House Democrat who spoke anonymously told Axios.

• The lawmaker said it "would've been better to stay out. I'm sure that they had some polling that made them make that decision, but it's not my favorite of their decisions."
• "Voters alone are the ones who should decide who the nominee is," said Grijalva.

The intrigue: Some House Democrats are also fuming that the dues members are expected to pay to help secure coveted committee assignments are being used against candidates they endorsed.

• Said Grijalva: "It makes me take a pause, definitely, when I'm considering paying my dues that they're being used against candidates that I'm supporting. That's really frustrating for me."
• "I'm supposed to give you $175,000 of very difficult-to-raise money," the lawmaker told Axios, "and then the money we give to show we're a good team player ... you turn around and spend in primaries?"

The other side: "Everyone agrees that the stakes could not be higher for November - and as we've said all cycle, the DCCC will do everything possible to win the majority," said DCCC Executive Director Julie Merz.

• "This includes supporting top-tier candidates who are best positioned to flip their districts in November. Strong nominees allow us to expand our battlefield, spread our resources to more races, and deliver Democrats the biggest majority possible."
• Merz pointed to the half dozen "Red to Blue" candidates who have won the nomination, including CHC-backed Johnny Garcia in Texas and CPC-supported Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania, both of whom faced contested primaries.
• A Democratic operative familiar with the DCCC's "Red to Blue" selection process stressed that Bains was chosen based on analysis that showed her to be the candidate with the strongest chance of winning the seat in November.

What's next: There are "really serious, direct conversations happening" about this practice with DCCC chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the third House Democrat told Axios.

• The member said frustrated lawmakers are demanding that the DCCC either stop spending in primaries or spend "equally" among House Democrats' ideological factions.
• Villegas backers say that, at the very least, they want Villegas to get the same level of DCCC support Bains had now that he is the Democratic nominee.
• Said Hogg: "I really, really hope the DCCC practices what they preach and they consolidate around him and work with him to give him the full financial backing he deserves, because he can win this race."

The bottom line: "We're all in to flip every seat in the battlefield, including CA-22," said Merz, "where the primary results made clear voters are prepared to fire David Valadao after he gutted health care for nearly 70,000 of his constituents."