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By Patrick Svitek, CNN

(CNN) — The House Democratic campaign arm on Monday inflamed ongoing tensions over the influence of party leadership by taking sides in several competitive primaries for battleground House seats.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee waded in by announcing its latest round of “Red to Blue” candidates, a designation that is tantamount to an endorsement.

While Democrats are in a strong position to capture the House majority in November, the batch of endorsements shows that the DCCC is not willing to take chances on who the party nominates in some of the most competitive districts.

But Democrats are already squabbling over the involvement of party leaders, a debate that reached a climax last week when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s preferred candidate in Maine, Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign. Mills made way for veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, a progressive favorite, despite leadership concerns about his history of inflammatory online posts and a tattoo linked to Nazi imagery that he has had covered up.

“Somehow, Washington DC still hasn’t realized that in Maine we make our own decisions about who represents us,” said Jordan Wood, whose primary opponent, state Sen. Joe Baldacci, won the DCCC’s backing for an open seat in Maine’s 2nd District. Wood added that the primary will be decided by Maine residents and not a “broken and corrupt political establishment.”

In California’s 22nd Congressional District, where Republican Rep. David Valadao is seeking reelection, the DCCC backed moderate state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains over Randy Villegas, a political newcomer. Villegas has raised more money than Bains and earned endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other high-profile progressives.

“It is undemocratic to see DC elites putting their thumb on the scale in this race,” Villegas said in a statement.

The DCCC’s decision to get involved in California’s 22nd District proved especially controversial Monday. Villegas has emerged as a favorite of national progressive groups, and one of them, the Working Families Party, said in a statement that Democratic leaders had “hit the panic button” by signaling support for Bains.

In another notable intervention, the DCCC boosted former TV journalist Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, where there is an open seat. Her opponents include Amish Shah, a doctor who beat her in the 2024 primary for the seat and went on to lose the general election by 4 percentage points.

Asked about the criticism, a DCCC spokesperson pointed to an earlier statement from its chairwoman, Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state.

“These candidates will win because they are authentic, independent-minded leaders who are rooted in their communities, demonstrating they have what it takes to win and fight to make life more affordable for hardworking families,” DelBene said.

Republicans reveled in the fresh drama among Democrats.

“Their disastrous primaries have turned into a far-left free-for-all, and national Democrats stepping in will only deepen the chaos and alienate their far-left base,” Mik

CNN Editorial Research

(CNN) — Here is a look at the life of Gavin Newsom, governor of California.

Personal

Birth date: October 10, 1967

Birth place: San Francisco, California

Birth name: Gavin Christopher Newsom

Father: William Alfred Newsom III, lawyer and California state appeals court judge

Mother: Tessa Thomas Menzies, waitress, secretary, paralegal and businesswoman

Marriages: Jennifer (Siebel) Newsom (2008-present); Kimberly Guilfoyle (2001-2006, divorced)

Children: with Jennifer Siebel Newsom: Montana, Hunter, Brooklynn and Dutch

Education: Santa Clara University, B.S. in political science, 1989

Religion: Catholic

Other Facts

Has spoken publicly about his lifelong struggle with dyslexia, a learning disability.

After divorcing, Newsom’s mother worked multiple jobs to raise him and his sister.

Timeline

1992 – Opens a wine shop in San Francisco with investment help from family friend Gordon Getty. Newsom and his partners later expand into a profitable slate of restaurants and wineries known as the Plumpjack Group.

1995 – Volunteers for Willie Brown’s successful San Francisco mayoral campaign.

1996 – Mayor Brown appoints Newsom to San Francisco’s Parking and Traffic Commission.

1997 – Is appointed to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is elected to the board in 1998 and reelected twice.

November 4, 2003 – Garners about 42% of the vote in the first round of San Francisco’s mayoral election.

December 9, 2003 – In the runoff election, Newsom is elected mayor of San Francisco with almost 53% of the vote.

2004-2011 – Serves as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco.

February 12, 2004 – Newsom orders the city and county of San Francisco to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite the state law banning same-sex unions. On August 12, the California Supreme Court rules that Newsom exceeded his authority and invalidates the marriages of more than 4,000 same-sex couples. On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court strikes down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

February 1, 2007 – Apologizes for having an affair with his campaign manager’s wife in 2005.

February 5, 2007 – Announces that he is seeking “professional assistance” to stop drinking. In a statement, Newsom says, “I take full responsibili

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