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Locals in Maine<\/span> are bridling at the decision by a powerful Washington Democratic group to throw its weight behind one candidate in the contested primary race for the House seat in the state\u2019s 2nd Congressional District.<\/p>\n On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a coveted endorsement<\/a> of state Sen. Joe Baldacci in the primary race, prompting angry protests from the three other candidates in the race to replace outgoing Democratic Rep. Jared Golden.<\/p>\n In response to the endorsement, the Penobscot County Democratic Committee \u2014 in Baldacci\u2019s home county, which includes the city of Bangor \u2014 will vote Saturday on a measure to condemn the endorsement. The language of the proposal, which was put forward by former Maine state Senate President Charles Pray, denounces the endorsement as being in \u201ctotal disregard and willfully ignoring\u201d local party rules that bar the Democratic state and county chapters from backing a candidate in a primary.<\/p>\n \u201cLet the people decide. Let the voters in the primary make that determination.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cWith the DCCC deciding to throw itself into the mix here, truthfully that just kind of aggravated me,\u201d Pray told The Intercept. \u201cI\u2019m going to support whoever wins the Democratic nomination, but I just think it was an unfair position on their part of trying to dictate or trying to boost up a candidate. Point is, let the people decide. Let the voters in the primary make that determination.\u201d<\/p>\n Pray, who previously worked in the Clinton and Obama administrations and described himself as \u201ca progressive moderate with liberal tendencies but conservative perspectives,\u201d has personally backed State Auditor Matt Dunlap in the race, but said his pique at the DCCC\u2019s endorsement isn\u2019t about any one candidate.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has nothing to do with Joe \u2014 I think all four of them have an equal chance,\u201d Pray said. \u201cIt\u2019s a primary, and, by the way, our state party rules and our county rules are that the party organization cannot endorse or support a candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the DCCC said the group was focused on winning in the general elections and beating back President Donald Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s imperative that Democrats must take back the House to hold Trump accountable and deliver on what truly matters to voters,\u201d said the spokesperson, Viet Shelton. \u201cThat\u2019s why we are proud to announce our latest round of Red to Blue<\/a> candidates who span the ideological spectrum, are authentic voices in their districts, and are best positioned to win in November.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The race to replace Golden \u2014 who announced in November that he would not seek reelection \u2014 is being closely watched nationwide ahead of the midterm elections. Whoever takes the Democratic primary will square off against Paul LePage, a brash, plainspoken businessman and Republican former governor whose time running Maine was marked by proto-MAGA far-right populism.<\/p>\n Baldacci is facing off against Dunlap, who is also a former Maine secretary of state; Jordan Wood, a longtime Democratic fundraiser<\/a> and political operative; and Paige Loud, a social worker and first-time candidate. In the wake of the DCCC endorsement of Baldacci, the other candidates in the race took aim at D.C. Democrats for picking a side.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
Four-Way Race<\/strong><\/h2>\n