Why Are Dems Boosting An Anti-Abortion Candidate?

By Andrew Perez and David Dayen, The Lever

A new super PAC led by consultants for Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns is diving into a Texas primary to support a conservative Democrat who opposes abortion.

Democratic leaders have come under fire for continuing to support conservative Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in his runoff election versus progressive Jessica Cisneros, even after the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion set to invalidate federal protections for abortion rights.

With the runoff only weeks away, Cuellar, the last remaining anti-abortion Democrat in the House, has seen little outside support from Democratic groups — until now. On April 29, America United, a super PAC formed recently to back Latino House candidates, placed $241,000 worth of independent expenditures backing Cuellar, despite the fact his challenger is also Latina.

The effort suggests at least some Democratic operatives and donors remain willing to back an anti-abortion candidate in a state controlled by right-wingers, even though federal abortion protections could be eliminated any day now. The looming Supreme Court decision on abortion could have major implications for Texas residents, as Republicans there passed a so-called “trigger law” last year that will make it a felony to perform abortions 30 days after Roe is overturned.