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Image:  Andy Levin
Rep. Andy Levin, holds his news conference on Recognizing Congressional Workers Right to Organize on Feb. 9, 2022.Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images file

Outside groups spar over Jan. 6 in heated Democratic primary

Outside groups are attacking two Democratic House incumbents battling one another after redistricting.

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Accusations are flying on the airwaves in Michigan's 11th District, where Democratic Reps. Andy Levin and Haley Stevens are facing one another in the Aug. 2 primary.

The two incumbents are now running against each other after Michigan's redistricting, and a handful of outside groups are weighing in, too.

One of those groups, the J Street Action Fund, is accusing another, the AIPAC-affiliated United Democracy Project, of backing Stevens while simultaneously supporting right-wing GOP representatives.

“Haley Stevens is taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from a group that’s supporting 109 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election,” a narrator in the latest J Street ad says.

“Even after we saw how Republicans nearly overturned the election on January 6th, Stevens keeps accepting the group’s money and support,” the narrator adds.

The ad refers to the fact that AIPAC has endorsed dozens of congressional Republicans who voted not to certify the 2020 presidential election.

UDP has spent over $2 million boosting Stevens in the race. But a new ad from the group is blasting the J Street effort, with a narrator saying, "This attack ad is despicable. Haley Stevens voted to impeach [former President Donald] Trump for January 6th."

J Street has been severely outspent on the airwaves by UDP, according to AdImpact — about $92,000 compared to UDP's millions.

But, support from UDP doesn't necessarily mean Stevens will prevail.

Earlier this year, in Pennsylvania's 12th District primary, UDP spent over $2.2 million backing Steve Irwin in the Democratic primary and blasting state Rep. Summer Lee. In the end, Lee eked it out and won the Democratic nomination.