The move is somewhat surprising, given that redistricting reduced O’Halleran’s re-election chances, but it could be the result of concerted pressure from O’Halleran’s allies.
The Arizona Democrat is widely considered the most threatened incumbent in the House Democratic caucus. Party operatives have privately acknowledged that it might be difficult to commit money to such a race, with the DCCC and allied outside groups pressed for resources in more favorable districts. Donald Trump won the redrawn version of the O’Halleran district by 8 points in 2020. President Joe Biden won the old version by 2 points.
Asked last week whether the DCCC would invest in O’Halleran’s seat, the group’s chief executive, Tim Persico, was noncommittal, saying, “I’m not sure.”
But several Democrats, including O’Halleran, have been arguing with their party leaders that he was still in the race. Internal polls have shown O’Halleran remains competitive. Though he has outspent him, those close to O’Halleran insist he has outplayed his opponent, crossing a sprawling district that includes both suburban Phoenix and rural tribal communities.
It is possible that the strong polls in the nearby district conducted by the Democratic representative. greg stanton is behind the committee’s decision to spend for O’Halleran. DCCC’s independent spending arm was on the air for Stanton in the Phoenix market last week, but this week shifted its money in the media market to boost O’Halleran. Privately, Democrats have felt better about the Stanton district race, which Biden won by nearly 11 points. (The DCCC is still running a coordinated ad with the Stanton campaign this week, according to AdImpact, an ad tracking firm.)
Notably, the DCCC has not poured any money into the nearby Tucson market, where Democrat Kirsten Engel is running to recall the Democratic representative. ann kirkpatrickdistrict of . Arizona Democrats, including Kirkpatrick, have urged outside groups to invest in that swing seat, which Biden won by less than a point.
Crane won a packed Republican primary for the sprawling rural northern Arizona district of O’Halleran in August. But despite the partisan tilt of the seat, he has not been able to finish the race. The campaign arm of the House Republican Party has spent heavily in the district.
O’Halleran had been left alone to broadcast television commercials until this week.