Susheela Jayapal Claims ‘Outside Money’ is Targeting Her Campaign in Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District

As Portland Democrats choose a candidate to replace 14-term incumbent Earl Blumenauer in Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, outside money is pouring in. With Democrats outnumbering Republicans three to one, the primary race will essentially determine which Democrat takes office next year.

Progressive candidate Susheela Jayapal alleges that MAGA Republicans and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are funding ads aimed at helping one of her primary opponents, state Rep. Maxine Dexter.

“We now know that MAGA donors who donate to Donald Trump are supporting Maxine Dexter’s campaign and have spent more than $3.3 million propping up [her] campaign and attacking me with outrageous ads,” Ms. Jayapal claimed in a May 11 post on social media platform X.

One of the groups providing outside money, 314 Action Fund, has spent more than $1.6 million on ads depicting Ms. Dexter in a positive light. Another group, Voters for Responsive Government (VRG), has spent more than $2.3 million on ads and mailers attacking Ms. Jayapal.

“As the true progressive in this race, they will do anything they can to keep me out of Congress,” Ms. Jayapal stated on social media.

Ms. Jayapal, a former Multnomah County commissioner, is the elder sister of Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

The negative ads attempt to blame the Multnomah County Commission’s failure to address homelessness and emergency services on Ms. Jayapal, who resigned from the commission in 2023 to run for Congress.

Outside Cash

The outside cash is flowing into the race in the form of “independent expenditures,” money spent by groups on influencing a race without consultation with any of the candidates. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled such spending cannot be curtailed.

On its website, 314 Action claims its mission is to elect more scientists to office and to recruit, train, and elect Democrats with a background in science who are more likely to fight for reproductive rights and tackle climate change. Ms. Dexter is a critical care doctor who vows to champion universal health care, including abortion, and to “take on Big Pharma and Big Oil” while advancing renewable energy.

During a joint press conference on May 2, Ms. Jayapal and a third primary candidate, Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, alleged that 314 Action is a front for far-right Republicans aligned with President Donald Trump.

“At a time when MAGA Republican mega-donors are interfering in Democratic primaries across the country … voters deserve to know who is trying to buy this seat,” the pair wrote in a joint statement.

When pressed by journalists, the two did not present any evidence tying the fund to Republicans.

“What we know is that there are MAGA Republican donors and groups that are funneling money into elections,” Ms. Jayapal responded.

She further claimed the organization has been funding “anti-choice politicians, election deniers, and insurrectionists at staggering rates against progressive candidates and candidates of color.”

However, half of the candidates endorsed by 314 Action are people of color, including Rep. Janelle Bynum, an engineer who is running in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, according to the organization’s website.

Ms. Jayapal also alleged that the money may be connected to AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobby group.

“I have known for some time that groups like AIPAC are considering coming into this race to oppose me,” Ms. Jayapal said during the press conference.

Ms. Jayapal condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks, and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, but opposed a statement of support for Israel from the city of Portland.

Dexter Responds

Though Ms. Dexter’s campaign, did not reply to a request for comment from The Epoch Times, the candidate did comment during a televised debate.

“This entire thing is frankly absurd,” Ms. Dexter said during a May 8 appearance on KGW television. “My integrity is being questioned here, which is absolutely offensive. I am here serving people and putting myself out there as an option for the voters. Our laws are being followed and I can’t change those until I get to Congress.”

A report filed by Ms. Dexter’s campaign committee shows her campaign took in $218,250 on May 7. That’s more than the candidate raised the entire first three months of the year. Most of the 66 donors listed in the report gave the maximum of $3,300.

Ms. Jayapal and Mr. Morales allege that these donors are connected to AIPAC.

Ms. Dexter’s campaign denies these claims.

“AIPAC hasn’t endorsed any candidates in this race,” campaign manager Nathan Clark said in a statement. “Maxine’s position has been clear for months, we need a cease-fire that brings the hostages home and rush[es] humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

Critical Advertising

VRG, a PAC formed in April, spent $1 million on negative advertising critical of Ms. Jayapal just last week, bringing its total spending against her to over $2.3 million.

The PAC’s website does not reveal its sources of funding or identify the kind of candidate it will support. The attack ads against Ms. Jayapal are its only reported expenses.

They include three mailers and two 30-second spots critical of Ms. Jayapal’s time as Multnomah County commissioner. The ads called her leadership a “train wreck of governance” and highlighted problems with emergency response and homeless funds, as well as claiming that animal shelters were at a “crisis point.”

Mr. Morales, meanwhile, received outside help from a political action committee affiliated with the National Association of Realtors. The roughly $60,000 for online ads comes as Mr. Morales continues to criticize independent spending in the race.

Four other Democrat candidates in the race denounced the outside cash in a joint press conference held on May 7.

Due to the deadline to disclose information about donors to the PACs being May 20, the day before Oregon’s May 21 primary, many in the vote-by-mail state will have already cast their ballots before Ms. Jayapal and Mr. Morales’ claims of meddling can be vetted.

Neither VRG nor 314 Action responded to requests for comment.