WASHINGTON _ The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced Thursday it will provide support to Doug Applegate's race against California Rep. Darrell Issa.
Applegate did surprisingly well against Issa in the district's primary, finishing with 45 percent of the vote to Issa's 51 percent. In California primary elections, the top two finishers regardless of party face off in the general.
"As a part of the Red to Blue program, Colonel Applegate will continue to build on his formidable grassroots organization to make sure families in California's 49th Congressional District get the leadership they deserve," DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan said.
Applegate, a retired Marine Corps colonel, has tried tying Issa to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, whom Issa has backed since Trump won the Republican nomination.
A poll conducted for Applegate's campaign in August showed Issa with a 45 percent to 41 percent lead with 13 percent undecided.
But Applegate still faces a tough fight in the conservative district, as Mitt Romney carried it by six points against President Barack Obama in 2012.
Applegate is also lagging in fundraising, having reported only about $135,000 in cash on hand after the fundraising period between May 19 and June 30. This is compared to Issa, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, who reported more than $3.7 million cash on hand for the same period.
