| | | | |  | | By Brakkton Booker | With help from Ella Creamer and Chris Suellentrop
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POLITICO Illustration/AP Photo | What up, Recast family! Today we have a scoop about a liberal-leaning new PAC planning to spend big to take out "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). A new PAC endorsed by Bakari Sellers says it's going to spend upward of $1 million to support one of the candidates trying to unseat progressive firebrand Rashida Tlaib. The stated mission of the group, Urban Empowerment Action PAC, is to back candidates who are "dedicated to the educational empowerment and economic uplift of Black communities," according to a release first shared with POLITICO's The Recast. The PAC adds that its support of Janice Winfrey , the Detroit City Clerk, is meant to boost "her campaign to restore infrastructure, improve educational opportunities in the district and support the Biden-Harris agenda in D.C."
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| The group is made up of a coalition of Black and Jewish business leaders. For her part, Tlaib has been unequivocal in her disdain for Israel and its treatment of Palestinians and this week introduced a resolution in the House to recognize Palestinian Nakba — a term describing the displacement of Palestinians ahead of the 1948 establishment of Israel. Tlaib, one of the most liberal and outspoken members of the House Democratic Caucus, has also been a persistent critic of President Joe Biden, delivering her own rebuttal to his State of Union address in March. She was also a "no" vote on Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law at the end of last year. The two-term congresswoman said she voted against it because Democrats were reneging on a promise to pass that legislation alongside an expansive climate and social spending bill, commonly referred to as Build Back Better. By separating the two, she argued, progressives lost their leverage. And to date, Build Back Better remains stalled. Sellers, the television pundit who is a former South Carolina state representative, is fundraising for the PAC. He says he wants to see the size of the Congressional Black Caucus increase in the next Congress and explains the PAC's endorsement of Winfrey this way: "We are hoping that we can have a candidate that doesn't have varying distractions," he tells The Recast.
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Sellers speaks during a 'Get Out the Vote' canvassing event on August 02, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. | Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images | Winfrey is Black, while Tlaib is Palestinian-American. When asked to comment on UEA's endorsement, Denzel McCampbell, a spokesperson for Tlaib's reelection campaign, said the representative is "battle tested." He called on Winfrey to disavow the PAC's spending. "Outside Super PAC ads do not win elections, direct voter contact does. If our opponent truly does care about our democracy, I hope that she will immediately disavow and condemn this type of Big Money attack on our democracy that only seeks to mislead voters and distort reality," McCampbell said. The UEA's endorsement comes amid fears that Detroit, the nation's largest majority-Black city, may not have a single Black representative in the next Congress with the retirement of Rep. Brenda Lawrence. The PAC spent $55,000 supporting freshman Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) in her primary, which she won earlier this week. Williams is the only incumbent on UEA PAC's initial list of candidates it's backing. Three others are seeking open seats in Illinois, Florida and California. Tlaib, however, is the only incumbent being challenged on the PAC's initial list of targets. The support could go a long way for Winfrey, who will face off against Tlaib in Michigan's Aug. 2 primary. They'll be competing in the redrawn 12th District, which includes parts of Detroit, as well as the more conservative areas of Livonia and the city of Dearborn, which is home to the nation's largest population of Arab Americans. Winfrey, who entered the race in February, raised a little more than $236,000 and had just over $220,000 cash on hand, according to latest federal election commission records. Those figures are dwarfed by Tlaib's war chest. She raised more than $2.3 million and still has $1.6 million cash on hand. I chop it up with Sellers, who explains his involvement with the PAC, why he says he has no "beef" with Tlaib directly and what he thinks of how the Biden administration is using Vice President Kamala Harris. At the end of last year, Sellers made headlines after describing the veep's portfolio as "trash." ◆◆◆ This interview has been edited for length and clarity. THE RECAST: What exactly is your involvement in Urban Empowerment Action PAC, and tell me about the aim of this new PAC? SELLERS: Helping raise dollars, helping direct funds to the candidates. We're looking for candidates who have a unique and keen interest in uplifting the African American community. If you don't take control of your own destiny, and or politics — and that means resources — then what good is the platform that you have? We hopefully will be able to increase the size of the CBC [Congressional Black Caucus], but also just get good quality members who understand policy and who care about uplifting our Black communities.
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| Every week, we sit down with diverse and influential characters who are shaking up politics. Who should we profile next? Let us know. Email us at therecast@politico.com.
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THE RECAST: That is the main charge here, specifically wanting candidates to champion the uplift of Black communities and certainly that would include places like Detroit?
SELLERS: Correct. I'm assuming you're going to Rashida right? THE RECAST: Yes. SELLERS: Congresswoman Tlaib, I'm sure, serves admirably.
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| One that, again, is aware, understands and is focused on the uplift of that minority district. Congresswoman Tlaib voted against the infrastructure bill. Coming from South Carolina, I can tell you that I understand in our communities, that the return on that investment is so high. And we want someone, particularly in these Black communities, that does not get distracted by shiny things or media opportunities, but is focused on the uplift of our communities and does right by them. THE RECAST: So what specifically is your concern with Tlaib? You mention a couple of things, including the media opportunities. As you know, being part of the "Squad" helps elevate kind of everything that she does. She also draws the ire of folks on the right and the left for her policy positions. SELLERS: I don't have a beef with her directly. I just think that there are individuals who will have the interest of their district, first and foremost, and not their brand. And will do things in the interest of uplift of that community. It's not as much of a knock on her as it is that somebody else can do the job better because they're focused on these particular issues.
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Rashida Tlaib listens to a question from a constituent in Wixom, Mich., Aug. 15, 2019. | Paul Sancya/AP Photo | THE RECAST: Looking at polling from just a couple of months ago, a survey was taken where it indicated Congresswoman Tlaib had strong support within the district — the new district she is running in, the new Michigan 12th. Some 62 percent gave her favorable ratings. This is compared to Janice Winfrey, who was polling at 4 percent. So it seems like folks there don't see it the way that you're seeing it. Why throw money behind someone who's lesser known and challenging a popular incumbent? SELLERS: It's not a popularity contest. This is about going to Congress and serving your constituents and having that focus on these other development issues. I mean, I don't know her excuses for voting wrong on that piece of legislation. That's just probably the brightest and best example. I don't want to get into a battle about throwing mud at her by any stretch. I just think that we're gonna throw money behind somebody who we believe focuses on the issues that we care about. We're not gonna leave [Janice Winfrey] hanging. This isn't unilateral disarmament. We're not gonna send her in there with nothing. We're gonna do the very best we can and see what happens. We're gonna be players. We will have the resources to make an impact — on various districts — and we have a laser focus on improving the conditions for Black folks socially, educationally, economically, etc.
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Bakari Sellers, who represented the families of victims killed in the 2015 Mother Emanuel AME Church massacre, speaks with reporters outside the Justice Department, in Washington, Oct. 28, 2021. | Cliff Owen/AP Photo | THE RECAST: In Detroit, there's particular fear that the nation's largest Black-majority city may not have a Black representative in the next Congress, with Rep. Brenda Lawrence retiring. Is that a concern? SELLERS: That's definitely a concern. We want people who are elected to Congress that have keen focus and understanding on the plight of African Americans and the uplift thereof. I can't be on Twitter and be on CNN and talk about this issue and then not be in the streets backing it up. Whether or not it's the grassroots work, or this PAC, we're trying to put our money where our mouth is and make sure that we are investing in candidates that will then invest in these communities. THE RECAST: Democrats are facing serious headwinds in the fall, and it appears they may be losing the House, maybe the Senate too. Why not invest in the new Michigan 13th district — it's wide open, no incumbent, and there are a number of Black candidates vying for that seat — instead of attempting to cannibalize a progressive in Rashida Tlaib? SELLERS: We're not cannibalizing. We're not trying to replace a progressive member with a nonprogressive member. That's just not the case. You do bring up a good point. But right now we're just laser focused where we can make sure that our impact is felt, and it's going to be felt in Detroit.
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Bakari Sellers attends Politicon 2018 at Los Angeles Convention Center on October 20, 2018. | Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Politicon | THE RECAST: How much of this support for Winfrey has to do with Tlaib's comments on Israel? It seems like this PAC, while it says it's for the economic empowerment of Black communities, plays up the strength in the coalition building between Black and Jewish communities. What role does that play? SELLERS: It's definitely high up on the list. It's not the primary focus. It's not my primary focus. My primary focus is what I said it is. Our goal is to get Black folk in office, support them, give them the infrastructure necessary, and make sure the issues that we care about are at the forefront. If she would not have voted the way she did, would we be in this race? I don't know. But, yes, we do care about the strengthening of that coalition. And we'll do everything we can to continue to strengthen it.
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Janice Winfrey talks about voting in Detroit, Sept. 24, 2020. | Paul Sancya/AP Photo | THE RECAST: Let's switch gears. I want you to take stock of where we are at this particular time in the Biden administration. You are a strong supporter of Vice President Harris, but you have also referred to her portfolio as "trash" and that she's not being used properly. Those comments came at the end of last year. Have you seen any change? SELLERS: My comments — I think they were rooted in truth and I think people knew that. But I do think you've seen her be used more. You've seen her be at the forefront of various issues. The most recent thing, her comments on the school shooting and giving her the space and the opportunity to be a leader on that and lend her voice. The delegation she just led abroad (to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to represent the Biden administration and express condolences following the death of that nation's president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan). WATCH: Reacting to Texas school shooting, Harris calls for 'sensible public policy'
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| And I am excited about her role in the upcoming elections. She's going to be one of the most valuable surrogates on the road, lifting up Democrats.
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| And so I think that, however people thought about my comments, they were heard. I see her as being one of, if not the most, valuable talent that we have in the Democratic Party. And I want them to continue to use her that way. THE RECAST: You think she'll be even more valuable than the president in the cycle given the party's predicted headwinds? SELLERS: She's going to be a force in this election cycle. I think they both have value, but in certain areas, particularly states like Georgia and Pennsylvania — in Philadelphia, Allegheny and all of those areas — she is hugely important. Wisconsin, particularly around Milwaukee in the Green Bay Area, I find her to be extremely, extremely valuable. Clark County, Nev. I think Cheri Beasley [the Democratic nominee for Senate in North Carolina] is going to surprise a lot of folks. I think we have a great slate of candidates from [John] Fetterman, to [Kentucky's Charles] Booker to, of course, Raphael [Warnock, the incumbent Georgia senator]. But Cheri Beasley is one that really, really excites me. ◆◆◆ Alrighty, Recast fam, Friday is here, though our hearts and minds remain with the community of Uvalde, Texas, as it tries to heal after yet another senseless gun tragedy. Here are some quick pop news items before you get your holiday weekend underway. New Gun Talks — Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema once again stood firm on their stance of not weakening the filibuster for any reason. The latest reason: to pass gun safety legislation. POLITICO's Burgess Everett explains why the move is forcing Republicans to the table on gun negotiations. POLITICO's Natalie Allison breaks down why candidates running in swing states shy away from specifics on how they'd enact new gun policy. The reason: gun ownership remains high and the GOP is riding a wave of momentum. In Wisconsin — one of the swing states Bakari Sellers thinks the veep can be helpful to the party in — Democratic Senate hopeful Mandela Barnes, the lieutenant governor, is seeing his advantage over Milwaukee Bucks exec Alex Lasry evaporate. POLITICO's Holly Otterbein explains.
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Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes speaks at a rally Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, in Milwaukee. | Morry Gash/AP Photo | Like "Butter" — President Biden will welcome K-pop super band BTS to the White House next week to talk about a range of issues, including anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination, and the importance of diversity and inclusion. Here's more from POLITICO's Quint Forgey. Two closely watched Democratic primaries in South Texas remain too close to call. Henry Cuellar currently leads Jessica Cisneros by 177 votes, but stay tuned for official results early next week. Barack Obama was "slammed" for his tweet linking Uvalde victims with the anniversary of George Floyd's murder.
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| Muscular movie stars are teaching us that boys can cry — see John Cena in "Peacemaker" for the latest example. Barbie creates its first ever transgender doll in the likeness of Laverne Cox, to honor the star's impact as an LGBTQ activist. Polarizing activist and quarterback Colin Kaepernick completed a workout with the Las Vegas Raiders this week. Even if the team doesn't ultimately sign the former 49ers signal caller, the workout is seen as a trial balloon to gauge fan reactions, which other teams will no doubt be following closely.
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Kaepernick throws during halftime of an NCAA college football intra-squad spring game, April 2, in Ann Arbor, Mich. | Carlos Osorio/AP Photo | Jimmie Allen teams up with J-Lo for this country remix of her song, "On My Way."
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