Republicans are using a fake progressive PAC to help the Democrat they want to face in November
CALIFORNIA’S 40TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT— A bombshell investigation from Popular Information has exposed what CA-40 voters deserve to know before Election Day: a supposedly progressive super PAC boosting Esther Kim Varet is linked to House Republican political networks.
The PAC, California Blue, claims to support candidates who will “fight Donald Trump and MAGA extremists.” But according to Popular Information, the money trail tells a very different story.
California Blue registered with the FEC on April 24 and has spent exclusively in California’s 40th Congressional District to support Esther Kim Varet. The group’s money is being routed through a newly formed Wyoming LLC, Four Ponies Consulting, a setup Popular Information reports appears designed to obscure the PAC’s true political intentions.
The investigation also links the operation to the same Austin mailbox used by other suspicious political committees, including one connected to Republican operative Lisa Lisker, treasurer for House Speaker Mike Johnson’s campaign committee and a firm that works with the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
California Blue has one purpose: spending money in CA-40 to benefit Esther Kim Varet.
Voters should ask why a newly created “progressive” PAC with reported ties to Republican political networks chose to involve itself in exactly one Democratic primary race.
For months, Esther Kim Varet has pointed to Republican attacks as evidence that she is the Democrat Republicans fear most. The Popular Information investigation tells a different story. Republican-linked operatives have been spending money to help elevate her candidacy.
That’s not fear. That’s political strategy.
In California’s top-two primary, Republicans don’t need to beat every Democrat on Tuesday. They only need to help the Democrat they believe will be easiest to defeat in November. This is a classic pied-piper strategy: boost the opponent you want, weaken the opponent you fear, and hope voters don’t notice until it is too late.
“Republican operatives aren’t spending money to help the Democrat they’re afraid of,” said Joe Kerr. “They’re spending money to help the Democrat they think they can beat.”
Joe Kerr is the only Democrat in this race who has already demonstrated the ability to build a districtwide coalition capable of winning in CA-40. In 2024, Kerr earned 171,637 votes, improved Democratic performance in the district, and built support among Democrats, independents, labor households, working families, first responders, and crossover voters. That is exactly the kind of coalition Republicans don’t want to face in November.
CA-40 voters deserve to know when Republican political networks are attempting to influence a Democratic primary. “Democrats should choose their nominee,” Kerr said. “Republicans shouldn’t be choosing our nominee for us.”
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This press release is courtesy of the Jog Kerr for Congress campaign.
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