A slew of prominent liberals are standing behind a Democratic congressional candidate in Michigan who ran a misogynistic, drug-enthused blog.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.), and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer are among the top backers of Democratic congressional hopeful Jon Hoadley. Prior to his political career, Hoadley ran a college blog in which he called women "breeders," discussed his interest in crystal meth, and referred to sexual partners as "victims," a recent New York Post report revealed. While his Democratic primary opponent refused to endorse him over the posts, Hoadley's national endorsers have not pulled their support and have yet to address the scandal.
Hoadley's blog, titled "Rambling Politics," was hosted on social networking site LiveJournal. In a string of posts between 2004 and 2005, the Democrat detailed attending a gay bar to "learn about crystal meth." Hoadley, who is gay, called women "breeders"—a derogatory term used to refer to heterosexual couples who can reproduce—and referred to his sexual partners as "victims." The Democrat also alluded to a "four year old wearing a thong" when describing a friend's wedding. His campaign called the writings "bad college poetry" in a comment to the Post.
A three-term Michigan state legislator, Hoadley will attempt to unseat GOP representative Fred Upton in November after winning his Tuesday primary by nearly 5 points. Sen Gary Peters (D., Mich.), Harris, Jayapal, and Whitmer—none of whom returned a request for comment—joined Hoadley during a July 9 virtual fundraiser. The Democrats heaped praise on Hoadley, with Harris labeling him a "fighter" and Whitmer calling him "primed and ready to be a hurricane when he gets to Washington, D.C."
Also included on Hoadley's endorsement list is the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The organization added the state lawmaker to its "highly selective" Red to Blue program—aimed at bolstering "top-tier" candidates with fundraising support and staff resources—in late July. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D., Ill.) announced the addition by touting Hoadley's "strong record of service" and "authentic message." The DCCC did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to the DCCC, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) endorsed Hoadley in January. A far-left activist group with ties to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), the PCCC called Hoadley a "champion for progressive issues" in its endorsement, noting his support for Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. The PCCC did not respond to a request for comment.
Reps. Haley Stevens (D., Mich.) and Sharice Davids (D., Kan.) have also endorsed Hoadley. Neither returned requests for comment.
Hoadley survived an unexpectedly close primary on Tuesday, winning a close race against educator Jennifer Richardson, who spent less than $67,000 on the race. Hoadley, meanwhile, spent more than $950,000 and currently holds $418,000 on hand. He has lagged behind Upton in fundraising, bringing in roughly $1.4 million to the Republican's $2.1 million. Upton won his primary by 25 points and holds nearly $1.4 million on hand as of July 15.
Upton's seat is a top target for national Democrats looking to expand the party's House majority. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race "lean Republican."