Democratic officials are drawing criticism after a surprising move to elevate a preferred candidate in California’s 22nd Congressional District with less than a month before the primary election.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the party’s House campaign and fundraising arm, announced Monday morning that Assembly member Jasmeet Bains had been added to its “Red to Blue” program. The designation, which brings fundraising and organizational support, is not a formal endorsement but clearly signals party leadership’s preference in the Central Valley district — one of the most closely watched battleground races in the country.

“That’s them identifying — ‘This is who we want. We want Dr. Bains to advance through the primary,’ ” said Blake Zante, executive director of the Maddy Institute, a nonpartisan public policy organization in the San Joaquin Valley.

Bains is hoping to unseat Republican Rep. David Valadao, who has repeatedly defied political odds by winning the left-leaning district in six of the past seven elections. But before facing Valadao, who is widely expected to advance through the primary, Bains must contend with progressive Democrat Randy Villegas.

The two Democrats offer competing visions for the district. Bains, who is backed by party leaders and major labor groups, is viewed as the moderate Democrat while Villegas has embraced progressive policy platforms and built grassroots support. Neither candidate reached the 60% threshold needed to secure the California Democrat Party’s endorsement in February.

Villegas, who is a college professor and school board trustee, criticized Bains and the DCCC’s announcement on Monday. He soon after rolled out endorsements from California Rep. Nanette Barragan and Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois. Both are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, which on Monday afternoon rebuked the DCCC’s decision to elevate Bains, according to Axios.

“It is undemocratic to see D.C. elites putting their thumb on the scale in this race,” Villegas said in a statement. “This district deserves a representative that will not flip-flop on issues, one that shows up to take votes, one that is willing to be seen in our communities and that is not Jasmeet Bains.”

In its announcement, the DCCC emphasized Bain’s experience as a physician and contrasted her record on healthcare with Valadao. The six-term congress member has faced ongoing scrutiny after casting a deciding vote to slash the Medicaid coverage as part of President Trump’s sweeping federal policy bill passed last year.

“Bains has fought on the front lines of health crises and built a track record of delivering for the Central Valley,” said DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene. “Meanwhile, David Valadao has sided with Washington politicians to rip healthcare away from his constituents and proven he won’t stand up for working families. It’s time to call in a doctor who will.”

Bains’ campaign capitalized on the support with its own statement, saying she is now solidified as the “strongest candidate” to defeat Valadao.

But multiple Central Valley political consultants said the DCCC’s decision likely reflects Bains’ difficulty breaking away from Villegas, who is a political newcomer. He has consolidated a “significant chunk of support locally,” said Alex Tavlian, Republican consultant who previously worked for Valadao.

Villegas has even raised slightly more money than Bains, as of the last quarter, according to the Federal Election Commission website.

“He’s confounded expectations on fundraising,” Tavlian said. “And so if you’re not winning the money battle, some third-party intervention gotta happen if she’s going to turn it around.”

Other consultants, including Pedro Ramirez, called the DCCC’s announcement surprising given the timing. He noted that some Democratic groups intervened months before the 2018 primary to elevate candidate TJ Cox, who went on to beat Valadao in the general election. That remains Valadao’s sole loss in the past seven congressional elections. In 2024, the DCCC added Democrat Rudy Salas to its “Red to Blue” program more than two months before the primary.

In this case, Ramirez said, the support is coming with less than a month before the election.

“The fact that they waited so late it’s kind of crazy,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to me. But the reality is, for me, the DCCC has a lousy record of winning congressional races in the valley.”

District 22 encompasses parts of Tulare, Porterville, Wasco and Bakersfield. Following Proposition 50, a voter approved redistricting initiative, it will also extend north to include smaller towns like Huron, Riverdale, Caruthers, Kerman and San Joaquin. Hanford, which is Valadao’s hometown, now makes up a smaller part of the district.

As of Monday, nonpartisan election analysts at Inside Elections rate the seat as “tilt Republican.”

The Sacramento Bee’s opinion team endorsed Villegas this week after Valadao and Bains declined to participate in an endorsement interview.

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