Dems’ ‘Red to Blue’ list sparks Primary Election backlash
Candidates across the country are expressing their displeasure with a recent DCCC announcement.
DCCC photo
Western North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District has been a Republican stronghold for more than a decade, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s decision to elevate Buncombe County farmer Jamie Ager into its first 2026 “Red to Blue” cohort amid a competitive Primary Election has turned the spotlight inward as much as outward. North Carolina Democrats aren't the only ones complaining.
As first reported by The Smoky Mountain News on Feb. 23, the DCCC named Ager as one of 10 challengers nationwide who will receive strategic guidance, staffing resources, training and fundraising support as the party targets Republican-held seats. The designation signals unusually bold national interest in a district rated R+5 by the Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voting Index.
Reactions to that story in NC-11 were largely positive — long overdue recognition of a region that has struggled with generational poverty, access to health care and, most recently, $60 billion in damage from Hurricane Helene.
But within days of the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” announcement, a coalition of Democratic candidates from several of the targeted districts released a statement warning that early institutional backing risks distorting the Primary Election before voters have an opportunity to weigh the field.
“Primaries are not an inconvenience, they are the foundation of democratic legitimacy,” reads the letter, signed by 17 congressional candidates across the country — from Arizona to Virginia and Wisconsin to Tennessee. “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.”
Democrats in NC-11 now find themselves wrestling with that sentiment in real time, with early voting in North Carolina nearly complete and Election Day right around the corner, on Tuesday, March 3.
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The district’s 2024 numbers do show a Republican advantage but not an insurmountable one — especially in light of Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards’ failure to deliver Hurricane Helene recovery funding to his hard-hit, mountainous rural district. In the 2024 General Election, Kamala Harris received 44.7% of the vote in NC-11 while Donald Trump received 54.2%.
Three of Ager’s four Primary Election opponents, Paul Maddox, Zelda Briarwood and Richard Hudspeth, signed the statement.
“While we remain disappointed in the DCCC’s decision, this race will ultimately be decided by voter turnout, not Washington insiders,” Hudspeth said, adding that he thinks fundraising totals are being prioritized by party officials over grassroots support and local sentiment. Ager’s fundraising totals have more than tripled the entire field combined.
Husdpeth says his campaign has seen a surge in donations and volunteers since the announcement.
Across the country, the candidates selected for the first “Red to Blue” wave share a similar profile — they’re all fighting for the right to face Republican incumbents defending seats that lean right but show margins just be narrow enough to entice national Democrats in light of Democratic overperformance in Republican districts since the 2024 General Elections.
Arizona’s 6th District is rated as a toss-up, where Rep. Juan Ciscomani is the incumbent. JoAnna Mendoza was chosen for “Red to Blue” support. Iman Bah, also running in AZ-06, signed the coalition statement. The presidential split there was 49.1% for Harris and 49.8% for Trump according to data compiled by Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper from Cook and from Downballot.
In Iowa’s 1st District, rated R+4, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks currently holds the seat. The DCCC chose Christina Bohannan. Travis Terrell, another Democratic candidate in IA-01, worries about the process, and about voter trust.
“I am building a grassroots campaign powered by voters who have often felt disillusioned or shut out of politics. Many are stepping back into the process because my campaign makes them believe their voice and their vote matter,” Terrell told The Smoky Mountain News. “When national party committees signal preferred candidates before Primary voters have evaluated the field, it can reinforce the perception that outcomes are predetermined. That undermines confidence and discourages participation. If we want voters to believe democracy is on the ballot in November, we have to protect it in the primaries as well.”
Harris received 45.0% in IA-01 while Trump received 53.5%. The Iowa Primary Election will take place on June 2.
Iowa’s 3rd District, rated R+2, is held by Rep. Zach Nunn. The DCCC selected Sarah Trone Garriott. The 2024 presidential vote was 47.1% for Harris and 51.6% for Trump. Xavier Carrigan, a competing Democrat in IA-03, signed the coalition statement.
Michigan’s 4th District is rated R+3, with Rep. Bill Huizenga in office. Sean McCann received the “Red to Blue” designation. Harris earned 46.5% there while Trump received 52.0%. Diop Harris, also seeking the Democratic nomination in MI-04, signed the statement.
Tennessee’s 5th District stands at R+8, the most Republican seat in the initial group, with Rep. Andy Ogles serving as incumbent. In 2024, Harris received 40.3% while Trump received 58.1%. The DCCC chose Chaz Molder. Dr. Joyce E. Neal and Dr. Jim Torino, both Democratic candidates in TN-05, signed the coalition statement.
“Primaries are the foundation of democratic legitimacy. Voters deserve open debate, fair competition and the opportunity to choose their nominee — not have that choice shaped before ballots are cast,” Torino told SMN, largely echoing the letter. “If we truly believe democracy is on the ballot in November, we must protect that in the primaries first. Trust voters.”
Tennessee’s Primary Election take place in early August.
Two Virginia districts are also included, though their ratings could shift if a proposed map passes in April.
Under current lines, Virginia’s 1st Congressional District is rated R+3 and represented by Rep. Rob Wittman. The 2024 numbers were 46.9% for Harris and 51.8% for Trump. Democrat Shannon Taylor was selected for the DCCC’s list, but Lewis Littlepage, Salaam Bhatti and Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs were not.
“The reason I got into this race was because as a foster parent and veteran my voice was not being heard,” said Beggs, who says she’s advocating for firefighters, teachers and social workers. “I took an oath, multiple times, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States because I believe in democracy. I trust voters and our democratic practice, but when the DCCC goes outside of Primary Elections and works to only support one candidate, it works against the ideals of democracy. It disenfranchises voters and works to ensure that we do not see change from grassroots candidates who are not tied to a corporate political agenda and can truly represent the people they serve.”
Virginia’s Primary Election is Aug. 4.
“In our campaign we’ve spoken with hundreds of people in all parts of the district, and our policy positions are resonating because they go the heart of the issues,” said Bhatti, who mentioned affordable health care, taxing billionaires, fighting corporate and foreign influence on legislation and touting campaign finance reform. “We did not set out to be the party’s favorite — we set out to be the people’s favorite.”
Virginia’s 2nd District is a toss-up under the Cook Political Report’s 2025 Partisan Voting Index. Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans currently holds the seat. The DCCC selected Democrat Elaine Luria for its Red to Blue program. In the 2024 presidential race, Harris received 49.3% of the vote while Trump received 49.5%. Three other Democrats in VA-02, Nila Devanath, Patrick Mosolf and Matt Strickle, signed the coalition letter opposing early party intervention.
Wisconsin’s 3rd District is rated R+3, where Derrick Van Orden holds the seat. Rebecca Cooke was selected for Red to Blue support. The 2024 vote was 45.5% for Harris and 52.9% for Trump. Emily Berge, another Democrat in WI-03, signed the coalition letter.
The coalition emphasized that it is not opposing party infrastructure itself but rather the timing and weight of national intervention.
“Parties play an important role in building infrastructure and supporting nominees, but voters must choose those nominees freely,” the letter reads. “Open primaries, transparent processes, and robust debate are not obstacles to victory — they are the path to it.”
The DCCC’s designation also carries practical consequences. Early access to national donor networks, professional campaign staff and coordinated messaging support can dramatically alter the resource landscape in a Primary that, like in NC-11, might otherwise hinge on grassroots organizing and local fundraising.
“Numbers on a spreadsheet don’t vote,” Hudspeth said. “We’re staying focused on organizing, showing up in every corner of this district, and earning support the right way — one voter at a time.”
Through a spokesperson, Ager declined comment.
