Friend,
We just finished fundraising for Quarter Two. I know I've been blasting your email boxes with asks - sorry. However, I was shocked to learn that the national Democratic Party is
backing far-right,
anti-democracy candidates in Republican primaries.
I am furious that the Democratic Party continues to operate in this "politics as usual" model as our democracy teeters on the edge.
I understand the intent: to tilt the playing field so that Democratic candidates have a "beatable" opponent in November. But the actual outcome is that more radical-right candidates make it onto the ballot and, statistically, more of these radical-right candidates will go to Washington. In 2016, the Democratic Party funneled money to Donald Trump in order to weaken Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. What happened? Trump won, we faced a Constitutional crisis when he lost his bid for re-election in 2020, and Trump's Supreme Court just threw out women's rights to reproductive privacy.
The Trump wing of the GOP poses an existential threat to our democracy. That is why I am running against an election denier. It is why I go to event after event and talk to people who have been taught to despise Democrats.
A Democratic Party that would rather fund an insurrectionist than lose to a patriotic Republican is as morally corrupt as a Republican Party that would rather steal an election than admit defeat. GOP politicians like Liz Cheney, with whom I disagree on almost every issue, are not a threat to the survival of our democracy. And yet, the Democratic Party is doing its best to ensure that these pro-democracy Republicans are not on the ballot in November.
Spending donor money -- $42 million so far by the national Party -- in support of anti-democracy extremists is "playing with fire." It is also an insult to many of those donors, who trusted the Democratic Party to stand up for democracy. This money should be spent on issues and candidates that Democrats believe in. At the very least, it could be spent on outreach to rural, conservative voters in areas like CA-1.
I spend a lot of time fundraising so that I can reach these voters. It is exhausting and miserable. I have not received a dime from the national Democratic Party or any of the Pelosi-backed PACs that are funding these anti-democracy Republicans..
To everyone who has donated, or come to an event, or tried to convince a Republican-leaning friend to support me -- thank you.
To those of you who disagree with me on certain issues, and do not want to donate to my campaign. I understand. But please find a Democratic candidate you like better and donate directly to his/her campaign. Please do NOT donate to any fund controlled by the National Democratic Party until they disavow their support for anti-democratic GOP candidates. If you already have a recurring donation set for the National Party, please terminate it - and tell them why.
Donors should support democracy and not the national Democratic Party,
Here is a link to my campaign if you want to donate again.
Here is a link to Kermit Jones' campaign. Kermit is a military veteran who is more liberal and less gun-friendly than I am. He is running against Kevin Kiley in the I-80/Tahoe district to our southeast.
Here is a link to every Democratic Congressional candidate in California.
Thanks,
Max Steiner
Combat Veteran and Democrat for Congress
