The ad supporting Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42) was seen over 2 million times
On Thursday, April 20th, the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) recognized one of DMFI PAC’s digital ads with a Gold Pollie Award for best digital ad in a House Independent Expenditure Campaign. The award recognizes DMFI PAC’s vital work in the 2022 primary to elect Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia in California’s 42nd District.
In June of 2022, DMFI PAC launched an Independent Expenditure (IE) campaign targeting voters in CA-42 and released a digital video ad that racked up over 2 million views. In this safe-blue district, DMFI PAC’s goal was to ensure that then-Mayor Robert Garcia, a young pro-Israel Democrat, prevailed over his main Democratic primary opponent – a far-left activist with a history of making disparaging remarks against marginalized communities.
Throughout his campaign, now-Rep. Garcia — Long Beach’s first openly gay and first Latino mayor — credited his personal connection to pro-Israel advocacy to the close bond he forged with his district’s Jewish community, as well as a trip he took to Israel with his husband, during which they felt safe to explore the country as two openly gay men. “That’s something that is important, I think, as a progressive,” he told Jewish Insider last year.
His opponent, on the other hand, failed to condemn the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement and used slurs targeting marginalized groups. DMFI PAC’s ad highlighted this troubling record and helped clear Congressman Garcia’s path to Congress by keeping his opponent off the general election ballot, where the two Democrats could have faced off in California’s top-two open primary system.
This year’s Pollie Award comes on the heels of last year’s win when DMFI PAC was awarded the prestigious Reed Award for “Best Bare-Knuckled Street Fight Victory” by Campaigns & Elections magazine. That award recognized DMFI PAC’s vital work to assist Rep. Shontel Brown’s campaign in “Overcoming a 35-Point Deficit to Upset a Far-Left Icon,” Nina Turner.
During the 2022 Midterm Election, DMFI PAC helped bring 21 brand-new pro-Israel Democrats to the 118th Congress — with over 80% of its endorsed candidates winning their races — and helped defeat a handful of anti-Israel candidates intent on unfairly singling out or delegitimizing the U.S.’s closest ally.
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