Democratic opponents call foul on national committee backing candidates ahead of the primary

As the U.S. House Democrats’ campaign arm sets its sights on flipping districts across the nation, announcing its support for 12 candidates across eight states; the other Dems in those races are raising concerns ahead of their primaries.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Monday shared the first wave of candidates for its Red to Blue program, promising to provide them with strategic guidance, staff resources, candidate training and fundraising support. 

State Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) was among the candidates selected, as the term-limited state lawmaker aims to challenge sitting U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Holland Township) in the general election for the 4th Congressional District, which covers parts of Southwest Michigan. 

However, McCann’s primary opponent, former congressional staffer Diop Harris, is among 17 candidates who shared a statement earlier this week criticizing the DCCC for intervening ahead of the primary, arguing that early support can shape fundraising pipelines, access, and perceived candidate viability before voters have had the chance to evaluate the full field of candidates.

“Primaries are not an inconvenience, they are the foundation of democratic legitimacy,” the group said. “Constituents deserve the opportunity to compare ideas, hear open debate, and decide for themselves who will represent them rather than being told who to vote for.”

Katie Smith, the Midwest regional press secretary for the DCCC shared a statement from the group’s chair, Suzan DelBene, which was originally published in Axios. 

“We go through a long process, making sure that we’re looking at folks who are running really strong campaigns,” DelBene said. “These are all strong candidates, they’re the ones who are going to be the general election candidate and they’re the ones that we think can win the general election.”

According to campaign finance reports, McCann enjoys a significant fundraising lead over Harris, with more than $553,000 in total receipts and $259,798.42 on hand at the end of 2025, where Harris has raised $61,971, with $9,306 on hand. Huizenga has raised $2.3 million with more than $1.59 million on hand at the end of the year.

Harris told Michigan Advance on Friday his campaign will continue organizing and building grassroots support across the district. 

“We’re going to remain focused on building a campaign, reaching out to folks across this district, and we’ll let the establishment make their decision, but the voters here in the fourth will make their own,” Harris said. 

He said his campaign is looking to challenge the status quo and build an electorate that’s resilient enough to go beyond a primary victory.

“I’m a young, Black, Indigenous person, and am uniquely qualified to speak to the antipathy that’s in the air with younger voters, the disillusionment that has happened with voters of color and the lack of recognition and representation that working class people have gotten from this district,” Harris said. “So we’re looking to reach out to those voters and build a coalition that’s actually going to flip this district.”