By Hanna Panreck
Published July 27, 2022
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-CA., dodged two questions on Wednesday about Democrats planning to paint Republicans as "extremists" ahead of the midterms while liberal groups have been meddling in GOP primaries in an effort to boost candidates they deem to be unelectable.
"CNN Newsroom" host Jim Sciutto pressed Padilla about the Democratic Party strategy of throwing money at GOP, Trump-backed candidates they believe will be easier for a Democrat to beat in the general election.
"It’s CNN's reporting that some Democrats are planning as part of a push to limit their losses in the midterms to paint Republicans as extremists. I wonder because at the same time you have Democratic groups backing some of those same extremist Republican candidates. Election deniers, for instance, in a state like Maryland. Does that work for you? Is that not fundamentally contradictory?" Sciutto asked.
POLITICAL STRATEGISTS WARN ABOUT MEDDLING IN OTHER PARTY'S PRIMARIES
"The bottom line is making a clear contrast for voters to decide this November who to vote for," Padilla said, adding that they know what the nation needs.
"How do we bring down the costs of prescription drugs? How do we bring down the cost of childcare? How do we bring down the cost of the various areas where we’re facing inflation. Democrats have plans that have been stifled because of Republican opposition in Congress. So let’s make that abundantly clear for voters. You want to restore a woman’s right to choose, vote for Democrats. You want to tackle climate aggressively, vote for Democrats. It’s creating that contrast that I think is going to continue to bolster our chances in November," he continued.
Sciutto pressed further, acknowledging that he understands Padilla's point but added that part of the Democratic case is that "some of these Republican candidates and Trump himself are a threat to democracy." He asked, "How can Democrats say that and then back some of those election deniers in some of their own races?"
The Democratic Governors Association has backed candidates such as Maryland's GOP gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox and Pennsylvania's Republican candidate for governor, Doug Mastriano.
MEDDLING BY DEMOCRATS MAKES A MARK IN GOP GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY IN ILLINOIS, FALLS FLAT IN COLORADO
He appeared to dodge the question again and said that it would be up for the voters to decide.
Sciutto also asked about a letter signed by Padilla, as well as several other Democratic lawmakers, which called on President Biden to declare a climate emergency.
Padilla said many Republicans in the Senate continue to "disregard the science" with regard to climate change and that they have left Democrats no choice but to turn to Biden because "time is of the essence."
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Washington Post columnist Henry Olsen slammed Democrats meddling in Republican primaries on Wednesday, arguing that it has reached a "new level of absurd."
https://www.foxnews.com/media/democratic-senator-dodges-cnn-questions-about-partys-meddling-gop-primaries-a-clear-contrast-voters