A progressive group with ties to former President Barack Obama is taking aim at several Republicans running for re-election in 2018 as Democrats try to gain control of the House.
Organizing for Action (OFA) was started in 2013 by Obama's 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina. According to CNN, it has identified 34 members of the GOP it wishes to target ahead of next year's midterm elections.
The group has amassed a volunteer corps of more than 4,000 people and plans to train them on phone banking and door-to-door canvassing. Once they're trained, the volunteers will be expected to recruit others to join the effort.
The Republicans in OFA's crosshairs represent districts in which President Donald Trump garnered less than 50 percent support in last year's election. The OFA will link the incumbents to Trump and try to exploit that relationship.
OFA communications director Jesse Lehrich told CNN the group played a role in stopping the Republican-led effort to repeal Obamacare last month.
"This healthcare fight was the most perfect embodiment of what's possible when a grassroots movement really does come together and relentlessly speak out and go to town halls and make phone calls into district offices," Lehrich said.
Republicans, particularly those who do not agree with everything Trump says or does, have tried to distance themselves from the president by saying not every Republican in office should be a representative of the president.
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