Bob Brooks already had major endorsements heading into the final stretch of his congressional primary run. But a late show of support is getting pushback from Democrats he may soon serve with in Washington.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s decision to publicly back Brooks, a retired firefighter and union president, in the closing weeks of a competitive Pennsylvania primary has irritated Democrats in Washington and reopened a recurring fight inside the party over how aggressively its campaign arms should pick favorites before voters have their say. Brooks faces primary voters Tuesday in the state’s 7th Congressional District — one of the clearest Democratic pickup opportunities of the cycle.
“I was very disappointed to see the [DCCC] get involved in that primary,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, who earlier endorsed candidate Carol Obando-Derstine in the contest.
That criticism is also held even by someone who backs Brooks.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who endorsed Brooks in September, said the committee had overstepped. “My personal view is that we should not put our thumb on the scale in the Democratic primaries,” Khanna told MS NOW, adding that the DCCC “should stay out.”
That intraparty friction — in a congressional race that could help determine which party controls the House after the midterms — was cheered by Republicans.
“It’s just one more example that Democrats are in complete disarray,” said Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the House GOP’s campaign arm. “I mean, they’re in a complete civil war.”
Republicans narrowly hold the House at the moment, but Democrats’ path to flipping the chamber has been complicated by an unusually fluid round of midcycle redistricting that has reshaped the map.
The DCCC’s championing of Brooks was part of a broader rollout this month in which the committee threw its weight behind candidates in seats it views as central to the midterm math. It also intervened in contested primaries in California and Maine, where nominating contests have not yet been held.
All of this comes as Democrats face a flashpoint over electability and tensions between the party’s base and leaders over who best knows how to win.
Democrats lost Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District in 2024 when incumbent Democrat Susan Wild was ousted by Republican Ryan Mackenzie by 1 percentage point. Now, with a favorable midterm environment and Josh Shapiro as a potential accelerant to turnout, Democrats see a real opening to take it back. Brooks’ campaign counts both Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro and Sen. Bernie Sanders among its supporters.
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“As it’s gotten more complicated in the rest of the country … it becomes even more important that those seats in Pennsylvania are moved to the blue column,” said Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa. “I believe Bob is a good candidate for that.”
Outside money has also flowed into the race. Federal campaign finance filings show that an organization called Lead Left has spent in the primary this month against Brooks and Ryan Crosswell, another Democrat in the contest, while attempting to raise the profile of a different contender.
Democrats have insinuated that Lead Left ties back to Republicans.
Eli Cousin, a spokesperson for the DCCC, said in a statement that “DC Republicans pumping in more than a million dollars to attack firefighter Bob Brooks through a super PAC tells you just how afraid they are to face him in November.”
It’s not necessarily a new dynamic for the DCCC to push into primaries like this. And for some Democrats, it ties into a longstanding grievance. “It just creates unnecessary tensions within the party and within groups,” said Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Texas Democrat who is supporting Obando-Derstine.
Others see the committee’s willingness to pick favorites as part of what it will take to flip the House.
“I know there are talented people in that primary, so it’s a very tough thing to do, but I was glad they weighed in,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., who already supported Brooks before the DCCC announcement.
Hunter Woodall covers politics for MS NOW. He’s reported on politics and presidential campaigns for The Associated Press and CBS News and reported on Congress for The Minnesota Star Tribune.