This endorsement should not be read as a general-election endorsement of the Democratic Party. CIVPAC includes members with different views about which party should control Congress. But we are united in believing that, when Democratic primary voters have a choice between practical center-left candidates and far-left or DSA-aligned candidates, the practical center-left candidate is usually more consistent with CIVPAC’s principles.
Michigan’s 1st District is a difficult district for Democrats. That does not make the primary meaningless. CIVPAC’s current endorsements are not offered as kingmaking exercises. They are public markers: statements about the kind of politics we believe deserves support and the kind of politics we believe should be resisted.
Callie Barr is the better choice in this primary.
Barr was the Democratic nominee in 2024. She has already run across the district, built relationships, raised money, and shown the discipline required to be a serious candidate in difficult territory. She may or may not be able to overcome the district’s Republican lean in November, but she is a serious and practical nominee for Democratic primary voters to choose.
Kyle Blomquist may bring local experience and activist support. But this is one of the races being watched by the DSA and the far left as part of a broader effort to move Democratic primaries away from practical center-left politics. CIVPAC believes that is the wrong direction for the Democratic Party and the wrong direction for the country.
The question in this primary is not whether Democrats can easily win Michigan’s 1st District. The question is what kind of candidate Democratic voters should nominate: a practical candidate with district experience and a prior campaign behind her, or a candidate aligned with the far-left movement politics CIVPAC has consistently opposed.
CIVPAC believes Democratic primary voters should choose Callie Barr.
This endorsement is also a reminder that hard races still matter. Parties define themselves not only in the races they are likely to win, but also in the candidates they choose to put forward in difficult districts. A serious party nominates serious candidates even when the odds are challenging.
CIVPAC endorses Callie Barr in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District.
CIVPAC welcomes comments, corrections, and opposing views. Please share your thoughts on our Contact Us page.