“Undemocratic” and “Betrayal”: Dem candidates and party leaders torch their own

National Democrats cracked open another ugly intraparty brawl by barging into primaries and trying to install handpicked candidates from Washington, and now their own candidates and allies are unloading on the DCCC for putting party bosses ahead of voters.

Don’t just take it from us. Check out the harsh words from their own candidates and party leaders:

Democrat candidate Randy Villegas in CA-22: “It is undemocratic to see DC elites putting their thumb on the scale in this race. 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. Voters have the power to choose who represents our community, not DC elites and corporate interests.”

Democrat candidate Jordan Wood in ME-02: “The DCCC called at 1am last night. I have a 16 month old. I was asleep. Apparently, they’re endorsing my opponent. It doesn’t surprise me. It energizes me. Maine picks our nominees. Not DC. Our state has made that very clear.” And later said, “This feels like a betrayal.”

Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ BOLD PAC Chair Rep. Linda Sánchez: “Latino voters and candidates — like Randy and Carol — are not a small factor in the fight for the House majority; they are central to it.”

Leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC: “Voters, not the DCCC, should pick Democratic nominees.”

Leaders We Deserve co-founder David Hogg: “The Democratic establishment is wasting resources in primaries to prop up weak candidates. Spending critical dollars on Bains … is a huge miss from the DCCC.”

Spokesperson for the Working Families Party on CA-22:“Just like they did in Maine and Michigan, the Democratic establishment is again putting its thumb on the scale—not to support the stronger candidate, but the candidate who will bend to party leadership and its corporate donors.”

Democrat candidate Ryan Croswell in PA-07: “If Washington, D.C. insiders want to know why they’re hated, look no further than this race: They’ve thrown their support behind the one candidate who has missed the most events, avoided the most questions, has a pending fraud lawsuit and threw the governor under the bus when asked about his own endorsement of an election denier.”

Democrat candidate Carol Obando-Derstine in PA-07: The establishment is pushing Bob Brooks — a candidate who has repeatedly endorsed election deniers, downplayed the deadliest attack on the Latino community in modern U.S. history and shown he’s willing to lie to voters,

Lehigh County Democratic Committee Chair Lori McFarland on PA-07: “We are supposed to be the democratic machinery that allows our candidates to be chosen by the people. Only then does the party get behind the primary winner.”

Democrat candidate Matt Dunlap in ME-02: “We just saw in Maine what happens when Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and national Democrats try to put their thumb on the scale in our primaries. They’re not going to decide this race. The people of Maine will.”

Democrat candidate Joe Reagan in CO-05: “They are backing a Washington insider who hasn’t lived here in 20 years and bought a vacation home in the Broadmoor to claim residency.”