"It's a serious clusterf*ck": Behind-the-scenes fury and panic roil key House primary

Per Axios, a key House race in Michigan is roiling with Democratic infighting one week before the primary. Three Democrats are competing in Michigan's seventh district—a swing seat Trump won by just over a single percentage point in twenty twenty-four. They are Bridget Brink, a former ambassador to Ukraine backed by the Democratic Women's Caucus; William Lawrence, a progressive climate activist endorsed by Bernie Sanders; and Matt Maasdam, a retired Navy SEAL supported by Senator Elissa Slotkin. Slotkin, who once represented the seat, is aggressively backing Maasdam in the race's final stretch—recruiting him, cutting ads, and funding internal polling on his behalf. This has sparked frustration among fellow Democrats, particularly the Women's Caucus, which expected Slotkin to support Brink. Democratic strategists worry that Lawrence's progressive positions and controversial past comments could imperil the seat in November. The race has attracted significant outside spending, including two million dollars from VoteVets supporting Maasdam, and Axios reports allegations that Republican groups may be fueling the infighting. The primary is August fourth, and according to one state legislator who spoke to Axios, the whole thing has become a nightmare.

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