Moderate Blue Dogs see new influence over Dem recruitment [View all]
BY BEN KAMISAR - 09/21/17 12:00 PM EDT
Moderate Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition are endorsing a slate of candidates Thursday in Republican-leaning districts, as they look to put their mark on the party’s 2018 midterm push.
The group has been working hand-in-glove with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on recruiting candidates, a departure from previous years when moderates found themselves kicked to the curb by the House Democratic campaign arm.
As Democrats look at an expanded battlefield that includes 24 GOP-held House districts won by Hillary Clinton in November, Blue Dogs believe their expanded seat at the Democratic campaigning table will help to broaden the party's appeal to include more moderate voters.
The Blue Dogs’ first wave of endorsements includes eight candidates, all but one of them in districts President Trump won in 2016. The group is expected to announce dozens more endorsements throughout the upcoming cycle. “These candidates are outstanding candidates...their opponents are flawed or have extreme vulnerabilities because of extremist stances we don’t think match up with that particular district,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), a Blue Dog member who has helped to spearhead candidate recruitment.
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http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/351738-moderate-blue-dogs-see-new-influence-over-dem-recruitment
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