GOP super PAC quietly spends on Calif. House candidates

Republican outside groups mounted a behind-the-scenes effort to marshal support to favored House candidates in California’s unusual “jungle primary” system. 

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC with ties to House GOP leadership, funded the effort to air television commercials and build out a ground game for six GOP candidates. The group targeted three seats: California’s 39th, 48th and 49th districts.

In California, the entire field of candidates runs on the same ballot and the top two candidates advance to a general election, regardless of party. So it’s possible that divided fields could lead to a political party being shut out of advancing any candidates into a general election for a specific seat.

{mosads}Democrats have telegraphed their heavy spending in these districts for weeks, part of the party’s efforts to ensure it won’t be shut out of any of these key races. But Republicans appeared to be taking a more hands-off approach, at least until the Congressional Leadership Fund’s plans were revealed.

The Congressional Leadership Fund spent $1.5 million on the effort, passing the money to another outside group, the American Future Fund, to spend on its behalf. Thanks to federal election laws that didn’t require the spending to be disclosed until regular campaign finance filings in July, the Congressional Leadership Fund was able to spend without raising eyebrows. 

In the 39th District race to replace retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R), the effort boosted Assemblywoman Young Kim and former state Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff. 

In the 48th District, the effort aided two Republicans, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and former Assemblyman Scott Baugh.

And in the race to replace Rep. Darrell Issa (R) in the 49th District, the effort boosted local public official Dianne Harkey and state Assemblyman Rocky Chavez. 

Politico first reported the connection between the American Future Fund spending and the Congressional Leadership Fund.