DCCC Head Defends Promoting Pro-Trump Republicans in Midterms When Confronted By Chuck Todd: We Absolutely Did Not ‘Put Party Over Country’
The head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is defending the controversial strategy of promoting Donald Trump loyalist Republicans in primary battles — the thinking being that such candidates will be weaker opponents for Democrats to face off against in the midterms.
Appearing on Sunday’s Meet the Press, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) was confronted on the issue by Chuck Todd, and the Democrat stuck to his guns.
Todd specifically honed in on Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), who lost his primary battle to the Trump-endorsed John Gibbs. Meijer was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. The DCCC spent over $400,000 on an ad highlighting Gibbs’ relationship to Trump and his policies, which many critics felt was free advertising for a MAGA Republican.
“You put party over country, did you not? Is that something you’re comfortable with?” Todd asked Maloney.
“Absolutely not did we put party over country. The moral imperative right now, Mr. Todd, is to keep the dangerous MAGA Republicans who voted to overturn our election out of power,” Maloney said, arguing Gibbs is a weaker candidate who will likely lose to Democrats in the fall.
Todd pushed the issue, calling the strategy a “cynical ploy” and suggesting such political maneuvering is “a reason people hate both political parties.”
Maloney stood by the DCCC’s efforts and said it’s simply them “doing our job.” He also blasted Meijer’s own conservative politics.
“Again, this danger didn’t start with Mr. Gibbs. By every measure, he’s the weaker candidate,” he said. “Don’t take my word for it: The Cook Political Report says it’s far more likely the Democrats are going to win that seat now. That’s doing our job. And let’s remember, Peter Meijer was an anti-choice extremist who also was going to vote to have Jim Jordan run the Judiciary Committee, give you two years of nonsense investigating Hunter Biden.”
Watch above via MSNBC
